The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1881-03-16
A TWILIGHT HORROR.
A Scene Of Terror and Death on the Ma
rias-Tlree men Drowned in Sight Of
Their Friends who Were Vain
Leokerson at the Scene of
Destruction.

NS~N1 ~NSA AH5S N@@SNA Y al w Y
membered by many Of our citizens that Mir.
Ed. Quinn, Master OF Transportation q: As
e%iDaboin, arrived here, in advance of the
train he was bringing, which he left behind,
owing to inability to cross the Marias. After
staying here two or three days, he returned
to the river, where a ferry boat had, in the
mean time been improvised from the little
scoW, which was used here for q few DAYS.
previous to the landing Of Smith & Cashiers
regular boat.
The boat was q very small and very frail
structure, being constructed only Of inch
lumber, and was incapable of carrying any
considerable load. It had been attached to
the guy ropes By a couple of pulleys on
each end, and were attached to boards which
were built up IN the side, and was steered by
simply pulling on the ropes without the aid
Of wheel or other leverage.
After Mr.. Quinn's ARRIVAL on the scene, the
boat had but just been made ready for work,
and was in the hands of Nose Solomon, who
made the trial trip in safety, about 4 O'Clock
in the afternoon, after which the work Of
crossing the passengers and freight was i'm
mediately begun. This was successfully &C.
complished, al but the wagons, which had
been emptied OF their contents excepting har-
ness and tools. The sun was low, and Mr..
Quinn, getting impatient of delay, concluded
to take them across two at a time. But this
proved q terrible mistake, for the. wagons
were much too heavy and unweildy for the
little boat, and their weight combined with
that of nine men loaded it down to the wa
tes's edge. The boat started all right, and
apparently with but little danger, but after
the passage had been made tWo-thirds the
way over, something which Dir. Solomon be.
lieVes was u piece of ice, struck the boatnear
the stern, just as the bow enterted tho most
rapid part of the stream. This canted the
boat, and created so much resistance against
the frail structure as to tear off one Of the
boards through which the guy ropes were
put. Then it swung around, and for an in
stant righted itself, but the wagons had mean
while moved aud unbalanced it, SO that when
it again was suddenly brought to q standstill
by the tightening Of the single rope, the boil
ing cure ut at once canted it, throwing the
wagons off and preejpitatlng the men into the
river. Then was a scene Of the widest dis
may and confusion as the wagons slid off
one Of them struck Mr.. Quinn, and probably
disabled him, for he cried, .ssMy God, | am
gone" and sunk and WAS new + seen again.
Mr.. Mcdonald went over at the same time,
and be, too, was not heard from again, and it
is supposed both were tangled in the harness
was in the wagons, or in sonne way
caught aud held, and so could not escape.
Mr.. Kinney, a ~tealnster, was q trif1e more
fortunate, If it can be called fortunate, to
have an agony untold prolonged seeing him
self on the verge of escape, and st last to
float out into the broad Missouri and disap-
pear. He grasped q plank when he fell into
the water, and this bore him up as long as he
was seen and little spifz dog bore him COM
pany, sitting on his shoulders, and refusing
to leave him. AS he hoated down, the peo-
pie on the shore told him to steer himself to
one or the other side, but he appeared to be
paralyzed with fear Or benumbed with cold,
and paid nc heed 70 the friendly advice, but
.nly continued piteous and despairing cries
for help. He was followed on the shore by
men on horseback who would probably
intercepted and saved him before he
went out into the Missouri, had they not been
misled by the cries OF another luckless indi-
yidual who had BY means Of a piece OF board
managed to save himself, but who was SO be-
numbed and exhausted with the cold and
terror that he was not in condition to move
of the shallow water near the willows
where he was found.
The widest CONSERVATION prevailed on the
shore among those who were compelled to
see their comrades and friends destroyed
without being able to help them in the slight
est, and lone of them can tell the story with
out feeling In some measure the shudder
creep over them they had when the terrible
event was transporting.
MI. Quinn was well known in Benton, and
we parted with him on the morning he left
without . shadow Of premonition
that we would MT see him again, the
news of his death has affected the whole
community with the %profounlest sorrow and
regret, which bis even q and gentle
qualities had created for him. He caves =
brother at Assinaboin and q widowed mother
and al only sister at LeayenWorth, Kansas.
Mr.. Kinney came to this point from Ghey-
enne, and but little is known OF his antece-
dents and nothing Of bis friends.