Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-08-03
TALES ABOUT 1.-THE FALLS
Some OF the Mysteries of Niagara It's
Crimes ana Tragedies, Accidents
Rcscucs and Escapes.

But the emotional histories of 'the falls" the
crimes and tragedies accidents, rcscues and
escapes along Its banks have, | believe, new
er been done justice to. Simple suicides are
Of course, too numerous to find place in
even partial glance at such events of con-
tcmporaneous human interest. But some si-
icides are exceptional. or course, a suicide
who leaps into the rapids means business.
lie does not expect to be rescued and have
things smoothed out because he soaked bis
clothes. And yet it is very strange 10 read
the veracious chronicle Of the man who qui-
city, deliberately and strongly swan to The
giddy verge And when brave tescuer
would have saved him, this man who sought
death as others shun it, actually swan far
Their away. There IS theory that capable
swimmers can not drown SO long as they
have the power to swim, any more than
an ordinary man can stop breathing or
digesting. But to swim toward death is the
very next thing toward not swimming from
it. Equal deliberation was shown by one
woman suicide. She calmly tested the cur
rent with her paraso. before gathering her
skirts for the plunge. Still another is pecul-
lar from the fact that it is one of the some.
what rare cases In which two persons have
been known to die deliberately together, and
which some doctors think go far to disprove
the doctrine that all who take their own lives
arc insane One suicide might become insane
suddenly and without warning. But that
two should be simultaneously so silly is more
improbable than that they sanely meant to
die. This couple were middle aged, Of So
cal position and sufficient means. They
were also both married, though not TO each
other. There had been little scandal, and
their bodies were found near together, below
the falls. That is all that is known. Per-
haps they were insane. At all events, il is a
somewhat CHASTITY fashion of elopemen, which
they sought to set
There were daring men before Capt.
Webb, and of course they found their way
to Niagara. Ono jumped from the bridge,
102 feet, TO the swirling current. For so
feet he fell like plummct. Then he turned
over twice. AT last he struck the water
with an awful slap--what the boys call a
"belly-whopper." After reading an account
of fatal accident one of the numerous Mrs
Partingtcns asked if the man died So say
plainly this man died, probably before lie
idea, too, has gone to meet the exploded L.
gend of William Tell. But such little acct
dents only stimulate the reckless. Another
jumper soon appeared, as soon another swim
mer may. lie wore harness over his
shoulders. To it was attached wire rum
ding loosely over cylinder on the bridge.
That kept his feet straight toward Davy
Jones's locker, and he survived the leap, to
his considerable personal profit. From
bridge to the water lie went in four seconds
the only time on record. Another fool
hardy feat was performed by some of the
reckless men who decorate almost inaccessi-
BILE landscapes with possibly truthful but
most certainly inapropos puffs of aguc pills,
liver-pads and such. A log once lodged 40
rods above Goat Island. For four years it
lay there, seemingly as beyond human reach
as the north star. 1t touched the pride of
tsers, who were famous for their vanda-
ism, that such chance should be wasted.
So when the rapids were thinly frozen over
they made their cautious way to the log and
soon there was gorgeous sign fixed, II feet
by 4, hideous eyesore, unacceptable, on the
very forefront Of one of the worlds grand
est spots, i. e.:
CO East via Lake winnipiseogee r. r..
Their deed almost met its deserts. They
treated the log too roughly. A hole was made
through the ice, and the current soon did the
rest. 1t was even betting that they would
not get ashore. But they did. This was not
A fatal accident.
OF accidents some very strange ones are
recorded. One lady stopped for cup of
water, lost her balance, and was out of reach
md over the falls almost before her amazed
husband knew what happened. Another lady
stopped to pluck flower on the brink of
Fable Rock. She was taken up dead from
he rocks below.
In 1875 an accident equally sad and foolish
occurred. An engaged couple went behind
he falls, into the Cave of the Winds, with.
'ut guide. The lady actually sought to
,athe in pool which even the guides never
Tisited. Her lover lost his life in trying to
save hers. Perhaps the most dramatic acct |
lent was the following: A playful young
nan caught up charming child who was
Watching the tumbling waves. "Now, Lizzie, |
am going to throw you into the water" and |
wung her back and forth. She screamed, |
trugged, and slipped from his hands. He |
.azed after her, realized what he had done,
nd leapcd. Rescue was hopeless Perhaps
e did not deserve death, and at least censure |
nay die with him.
lost beyond belief. and which involve stories
+ skill and bravery well worth telling. Not
lany years ago a painter was at work on
econd Sisters Island, when he fell into the
'ater. lie was old and weak, and while his
osltlon was not very dangerous at first, he
Don t1oated down and toward midstrcam,
hen, just as he seemed lowering on the
rink, and exactly 40 feet from it, If con.
,mporary records arc to be believed, he
aught on n rock. How long would his
luscles endure the strain? Aud who would
escuc him, and how? The crowd was help
SIS until guide appeared with a coil of
)pe. One end he left in trusty hands and
18th the other he plunged into the boiling
de. When he reached the poor painter
&c old man still held in his hand the putty
nife with which he had been working. lie
lifted the knife 10 his pocket, tied the paint
to the rope, aud they reached the shore
'fely. In another case boatman was
iddenly came up. He lost his bearing and [
new he was drifting to death. His cries
armed the village and bells were rung for
IN to row toward them. Then an oar q
,oke. His only hope then lay in paltry I
tile anchor, and common rope, which l
as, moreover, much worn. He examined q
'ery foot, nay, every inch, of it; he tugged !
the knots at each end. Time and space |
ere precious, but he could not afford v
make a mistake. Then he threw c
over. 1t bumped along the stones, and his s
cart beat each time 1t failed to catch grip. a
last it caught and brought the boat stand. s
g. while the tense string throbbed like the l
Iss gut of a harp. For the moment it held, s
ow soon would 1t part? He shrank from
cling along the strands. He was more afraid u
u to lest he should read his fate in the
line tense and twanging under the current. a
oh by inch his Fl gtrs travelled to to his n
ms length. So long as it held there he l.
as safe. Time and time again through the )
ng night he did this, but never, he SAID o
thout heart like lead and hands quivering "
&c leaf. When morning dawned, as at a.
1t II did. he was easily saved. In another a
sc the danger to life, though considerable, II
rs not imminent. A tug was towing three
ows, when one went adrift. With admir-
lie promptness and address the captain of
tug cut loose the rest OF his tow and
amed ahead of the drifting barge. There
held IL nv stpum p,la 10 |