Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-10-13
Carried Over Niagara.

About shutdown n evening recently
a man was carried over the falls. Who
he was is not known. His dress and
appearance indicated responsibility, and
after he got into the rapids his s%eIf-pos-
session was extraordinary. His boat
was a very good one, decked over the
bow, and I should think would carry
three or four tons. No other than a
person unacquainted with the current
above the rapids would venture so near
them. l was on the head of Goat Island
when l first discovered the boat, then
near half a mile below the foot of NAVY
Island, and nearly two miles above the
falls. There seemed to be two in me
boat. 1t was directed toward the
American shore-the wind blowing from
the shore, and the sail was still Stand.
ing. Being well acquainted with the
river, l regarded the position of the
boat as extraordinary and hazardous,
and watched it with intense anxiety.
Soon [ discovered the motion of an oar,
and, from the. changing direction of the
boat, concluded it had but me-. While
constantly approaching nearer and
nearer the rapids I could discover it
was gaining the American shore, and
by the time it had got near the first fall
in the rapids, half a mile above Goat
Island, it was directly above the island.
There it was turned up the river, and
for some time the wind kept it nearly
stationary. The only hope seemed to
be to come directly to Goat Island, and
whether I should Ill half a mile to give
the alarm or remain to assist in case
the boat attempted to make the island,
was a question of painful doubt. But
soon the boat was again turned toward
the American shore. Then it was GER
tain that it must go down the American
rapids. l ran for the bridge, rallied q
man at the toll-gate, and we ran to the
main bridge in time to see the boat just
before IT got to the first large fall in the
rapids. Then / saw but one mamie
standing at the stern with his oar chang
ing the course of the boat down the
current, and as it plunged over he sat
down. 1 was astonished to see the boat
rise, with the mast and sail standing,
and the man again erect directing the
boat toward the shore. AS he came to
the next and to each succeeding fall he
sat down, and then would rise and APP
ply his oar in the intermediate current.
Still there was hope that he would come
neal enough to the pier to Jump, but in
a moment it was gone. Another, that
he might jump upon the rock near the
bridge, but the current dashed him
from it under the bridge, breaking the
mast. Again he rose on the opposite
side. Taking his BAR. and pointing his
boat toward the main shore, he cried:
Had | better jump from the boat,
we could not answer, for either seemed
certain destruction. Within a few rods
of the falls the boat struck a rock;
turned over and lodged. He appeared
to crawl from under it, and swan with
the oar in his hand until he went over
the p%recipice. Without the power to
render assistance-for half an hour
watching a strong man struggling win
every nerve for life, yet doomed win
almost the certainty of destiny to an
immediate and awful death, still hoping
with every effort for his deliverance-
caused an intensity of excitement pray
God never again to experience.-BuG@0
advertiser.
"A Louisville (Ky.) father got wlnd
of the fact that his daughter intenoea
to elope, and proceeded to act IN q
somewhat unconventional manner ~