Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-07-09
THRILLING SCENE.
A Story Of the Saving Of Four Men
by a Brave Canadian.
Mortified People on the Shore in Breath
less Silence, When Daring
Bargeman Goes to
the Rescue.

NANN VI AOuI ilCAl, ahi WV
horses, swung out of the Chippewa Cut
into the Niagara River, she met a raft
of timber rather near to the shore for
the scow to pass between it and the
land. The scow was forced to take the
outside. The driver of the horses did
his best to keep the liEe clear by urging
his horses, but it finally caught in the
logs and snapped. AS the rope parted
the boat trembled on the surface of the
water for an inStant, a. if in dread Of the
terrible fate that awaited it, and then
swung around and started for Niagara
Falls At a
Terrific Pace.
Thu scOw, being destined for canal nav
igatiOn, had no small boat or anchor.
Approaching in an instance their aw-
full danger, the men on the scow yelled
TO the men on the raft to get boat
quick. One of their number sprsng
ashore and ran for Chippewa, shouting
as he ran: Help boat, quick, men
going over the fallsw The sound of his
voice reached the village considerably
in advance Of the man, ON, the cry was
there taken up and repeated from street
to street. The people poured out Of
their houses and SHOT,, each inquiring
of the other what could be done. Some
scattered to hunt one, while those who
felt that they could be Of no use if
boat were found, ran down the creek
bank to see what was the situation on
the river.
On reaching it we were Mortified to
see that the scow had already got con-
siderably below the mouth of the creek,
and was speeding down stream with its
Precious Human Freight
TO what seemed certain destruction.
Some Of the men on the vessel were on
their knees, with elasped hands and up
turned faces commenting their souls to
God. Very soon the Canadian bank of
the river was lined with hundreds Of
people, while quite a crowd could also
be seen on the Goat Island side. They
were all agOniZed witnesses of four fell
lows being in horrible terror.
Just as all hope had been abandoned,
apparently, by people on land and the
men on the sCUw, a voice cried from the
uprer end Of the crow, "here comes a
boat" In an instant every eye was
turned in the direction OF Chippewa
Creek, and the most of them recOg-
niZed the tall and atlethic form of a
bargeman named Smith, in an Ordin-
airy clinker boat, boldly pulling into
the river.
A. he Forged eat into the stream
he made a hasty survey of the situa-
ton aud then plied the white ash with
redOubled energy. AS he sped along,
the boat almost leaping from the water
at each stroke, a cheer arose from the
people on the shore that fairly rent the
air. The moment Smith appeared the
attention of the men on the scow was
riyeted upon him and his frail craft.
On and on he shot, each stroke narrow
ing the distance between him and the
seOw, but the latter was getting alarm
ingly close to the rapids, to enter which
was certain destruction to all on board.
Those of us on shore could not help
admiring and applauding the heroism
of Young Smith, but we could only feel
that the result of his daring would be
to add another to the list of the lost.
As he neared the scow he turned his
head and shouted to the men: Scatter
along the side of the boat and drop in
as / pass by The command was
promptly obeyed and in an instant the
little craft was alongside. One after
dIOllltT IlCh SP1ohS ehNA VIZ
four were safely in the bottom.
aMoment of Painful Anxiety.
what will he do?" was the query that
came to every mind. Smith had his
plan of action and never hesitated a
moment. At q point some distance
from the Canada shore the current di-
vides at the head of the rapids, part of
the stream flowing around an island
i'm the vicinity of the burnt spring. In
reaching the current leading around
the island lay the only hope of escape.
Taking diagonal course and down the
stream Smith bent every effort to reach
the Canadian divide. 1t was q desperate
struggle for the life of five men be-
tween the seething, boiling waters and
the muscle and endurance of young
Smith, with the odds seemingly against
him. But the divide was finally gain
Ell with not boats length to spare,
and the frail craft shot down between
the island and the mainland like q
rocket. At the foot or the island the
channel widened materially, the cur
rent slackened and the water became
more shallow, and here young Smith
landed his boat, having performed one
of the most heroic ahd daring feats ever
performed by mortal man. BtIdIo
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