Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-07-22
rre TRAGEDIES OF sIAcaxA.

4
character, was marked by
IN act OF heroism seldom equalled IN
grandeur. Mr. Charles Arlington,
Toung man y or "a years of age. was
.ffianced TO Mrs. De Forest, both being
of Buffalo. One day happy
party, comprising Mrs. De Forest. Miss
De Forest, young daughter, Eva, a
beautiful child five or SIX years old, and
= Charley" Addington, "a his friends
we're accustomed to call him, visited the
Falls.
They crossed the bridge TO Goat Isl
and, and. while resting under the trees,
little Eva strayed away from the group
and, approaching the bank of the narrow
but deep and swift stream that rusceS
between Goat Island and the small island /
living between il and the main American |
rapids, was amusing herself by casting |
sticks into the water and watching them |
az they whirled swiftly away. Mrs. DE
Forest. alarmed for her chIlds safety, |
requested Charles Addington TO bring
her back. Charley as once proceeded 70
the bank. and. thinking to give the little
one a fright, approached her stealthiiy
from behind, and, catching her under
the arms, held her threateningly over
the stream.
The startled child threw her arms up
oyer her head. and instantly she slipped
through Addington's hands and fell into
the rapids.
The realization of the horrible calam-
lily must have come home ~ Addlngton,
brain With the rapidity of the iightnings
flash. He saw that his rash act had
cost the child's life, and that one des-
perate chance Of saving her remained
that the world was at An end for him
forever. Tearing of his coat, he rushed
along the bank until he had passed little
Eva, who was kept afoat by her cloth
| ing; then. plunging In ahead OF her, be
seized the child and desperately stroye
| to throw her on the bank. As he made
the effort he fell back into the rapids
and was whirled over the small fall that
| iuteryenes between the American and
the Horseshoe Falls. Little Eva struck
the top of the bank, but all power had
apparently gone from her, and she rolled
back into the stream and was hurried to
her dreadful fate. The mother and SIS
ter stood powerless and paralyzed with
horror while tragedy almost instanta-
neous in its action passed before their
| eyes, leaving its dark cloud hanging over
| all their future lives. Charley Adding
/ bbu utu Iildut utrO
thoughtless and reckless aes.
An accident with very dramatic ac-
compartments occurred a few years af-
ter the sad event that cost Charley Ad-
diugton and Eva De Forest their lives.
| One morning, soon after daybreak, the
early risers at the Falls discovered some
thing moving on huge old log or trunk
OF tree, which for years had shown
itself above the boiling rapids on the
American side, having been caught by
and firmly wedged into the rocks on its
way to the falls. Looking downward
from the bridge, this log was and still is
III full sight, in the fiercest part of the
rapids, considerably nearer to the small
island on the American side of Goat
Island than to the American shore. The
moving object was soon found TO be a
man, and it was evident that his boat
had been carried over the falls during
the night, while he had miracuiOusly
been cast against the log, by which he
had managed TO stop his fearful rush
toward death. Dispatches were imIne-
diately sent to Buffalo, to the coast life
saving service, and Capt. Dorr fastened
to Niagara by a special train, carrying
with him two metallic life boats, and
L Riuh5 w bhNo tuC iklnu N0LC CouCCLtCd.
But, before all the arrangements We're
completed, the news had been spread
abroad, aud many thousands of per
sons had reae ed the falls by special
trains.
The first attempt at rescue was by
means of large Francis metallic life
boat attached to a cable, which was
Stacked off from bridge opposite the
| lno nd ffutdal hv osda pn,.ao frha ka
had not got far from the bridge when
the fierce rapids seized it, turned it
round and round, and seemed to DO en-
deavoring to crush in its sides. The
cable snapped like whip cord, and the
poor fellow, who had been hopefully
awaiting the effort made for his rescue,
saw the boat whirled past him and car
ried over the falls, rs if in mockery of
his would-be rescuers. Considerable
time was then used in celebrating on a
new plan, and it was proposed to fasten
a cable to some building on the Ameri-
can side, to carly it over to the island
| until 1t would sag near the log. and then
| to rescue the man by means of bask ct
let down by rings, and to be let down
and pulled In by smaller ropes. The
materials for this experiment could not
be procured, so at last il was decided to
send down n strongly constructed raft
In the same manner as the life-boat had
been launched; and il it reached the
man in safety, to ease il over toward the
small island, from whence his rescue
wonld be comparatively easy. The
was built. but it was four o'clock in
the afternoon before all was ready. The
day had passed without the flight of
time being noticed.
| The excitement was intense. Men
and women, who had stood many hours
without food, were plainly agitated.
| The raft moved; it withstood bravely
the wild assaults of the angry rapids.
1t neared tho log. The man stood up
and waved his arms. The raft came
| within his reach and be Got ON to it, ate
the food, drank small quantity of weak
brandy and water that had been put ON
board, and fastened himself to the lash
| ings which had been prepared, and the
intent OF which he understood. Then
the raft was cautiously and steadily
moved toward the island with its pre-
cious freight.
The people shouted, and many wept
from overwrought feelings. Suddenly
the raft came to stand. The rope was
fast. 1t had caught in a rock. To at
| tempt 10 force IL was TO risk its parting,
and the fatal consequences could not be
misunderstood. The poor victim seemed
TO take in the situation and grow des-
perate. He unfastened the lashings,
stood up. maiden spring from the raft in
the direction of the island, and was in
the foaming waters. Instantly he struck
out for the island. He seemed to lie a
powerful swimmer, and thousands of
men and women held their breath in
painful suspense. He appeared 10 near
the island in his desperate endsavors
Then arose the cry: "Hs's saved. he's
savedw
But suddenly those on the bridge, who
could see more distinctly from their To-
cation. became aware that the distance
between the island and the swimmers
head Was gradually widening. There
was another dreadful moment OF sus-
pense, and then the Implying rapids
seized kheir prey, and. apparently max
ing sport of the efforts that had been
used To snatch him from their grasp,
twisted him round and whirled him
along until they hurried him over the
precipice. As the poor fellow went over,
a singular effect was observable. The
vast body Of falling water curves over
the edge OF the fails like huge wheel,