The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1883-04-21

RIvER-Two YOU'VE MEN ATTEMPT
To Cross ON A SLAB RAFT AND LODGE
on RocK-OSE GETS IsTo THE
RAPIDs-Bur is RESCUED AFTER A
DESPERATE STRUGGLE-On Thursday
last two young men named Raleigh
Greathouse and Roy. EVERY, who
reside in Preston county, near the
Monongaia line, in a section that
bears the euphonious name Of black
elharney,' met with an adventure
that is not likely to be forgotten by
either very soon. 1t seems that they
had been visiting some young ladies
aud had taken the girls across at the
same place on slab raft the previous
day, getting over without accident,
with the aid of the peculiar current
at that point But on Thursday in
attempting to return they found it to
be an entirely different matter. ANY
one acquainted with the character of
this treacherous stream, will readily
understand what raging torrent it
is when swollen, as it was last week,
and that there is an occasional pool
between the various rapids that pre-
vail, almost through its entire length.
1t was in one of these pools about
seven or eight miles above Ices Ferry,
at the place where James McMullen
was drowned, that the event referred
to took place. In crossing the day
hofnDa Il he. fl,o
rapid current without much trouble,
but in trying to return the current
was against them. When it became
evident that the frail little raft would
be carried into the rapids, Great
house jumped and swan for his life
getting to shore almost exhausted
after desperate struggle with the
raging waters. EVERY chung to the
raft, which lodged against Il rock at
the head OF the rapids, where the
man was held prisoner, amid the
seething roaring waters for many
hours.
Upon reaching the shore Great
house started at once for assistance
to recue EVERY from his perilous po-
sition. Ia an hour or two he re-
turned with number of brave strong
men among whom were: Gus, Raleigh
and Levi Barker, French and Joe.
Greathouse, George Dllner, and
George and VIM. Shafer. The men
concluded to make another raft and
drop it to EVERY with cables, as no
boat could be had and one could not
have ridden the waves moment,
had it been at hand. A large poplar
log was split and the pieces firmly
pinned together, upon which George
Dillner embarked, the men ON shore
holding it with cable, with the view
of getting near enough to fasten
line to Everly's raft and trying to
get it to shore. This they were I'M
able to do and Dilner was drawn
back to shore Next they tried to
stretch line across the river; divid-
ing the party, number of them go
ing up the stream to the pool where
they swan across with the rope.
Here they were baflied again as the
current snatched one end Of the rope
from the men. Fortunately this end
was driven directly against the little
raft and was made fast by EVERY.
After exausting every means within
their power and being vet and chilled,
and darkness approaching they con
cluded the only hope would be to
pull the raft loose and let it attempt
to stem the rapids, in hope that
should EVERY be able to cling to it
they could rescue him in the pool be-
low This was done at the command
of Gus. Barker, and stout hearts
quailed as the frail little craft was
loosed from the rock and shot into
the rapids, bobbing up and down
like a cork in the roaring food. The
raft was followed down by the men
and many signs ofrelef were breath
ed when they saw him come up safe
on the raft below the rapids, where
he was taken out more dead than
alive, after his terrible Imprisonment
of about hours.
The young men are brawny dare
devil fellows, usually Indifferent to
danger of any kind, but will no doubt
be little more careful in the future
about attempting to cross Cheat on
a slab raft.
Eve witnesses describe the cir,
cumstace as thrilling in the extreme.
Even while friends were making al
most superhuman efforts to rescue
the prisoner, there was danger that
the little raft would be torn to pieces
at any moment by the current and
EVERY swallowed.
His escape through the rapids
seemed almost miracle, as he would
disappear in an instant under the
water and bob up again possibly $50
feet from where he went under.
Old river men tell us that the
chances of getting through safe in
such a manner are as one to thou
sand.
Marriages.