The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1883-05-30
Two Tragedies Of Niagara.

CARA witnessed a tragedy Which
while Of a heart-rending characte
was marked by an act of true here
ism seldom tquaied in grandeur. Nj
Charles Addingtpn, Il young ma
about twenty-three or twenty-fOu
years OF age. was affianced to Mr.
De Forest. both being residents c
Buffalo. One day a happy party
comprising Mrs. De Forest. Miss ID
Forest, a young daughter. Eva,
beautiful child five or six years old
and Charley" Addin ton, as hi
friends were accustomed to call him
visited the falls.
They crossed the bridge to Goa
Island, and. while resting under tn
trees little Eva strayed away from
the group, and, approaching thu
bank of the narrow, but deep anC
swift stream that rushes between
Goat Island, and the small islanC
lying between it and the main Amer
lean rapids, was amusing herself by
casting sticks into the water and
watching them as they whirled
swiftly away. Mrs. De Forest,
alarmed fol her child's safety, re-
quesud Charles Arlington to bring
her back. Charley at once proceeded
to the bank, and thinking to give
the little one a fright, approached
her steaithily from behind, and
catching her under the arms, held
her over the stream.
The startled child threw up her
little arms over her head, and in
stantly she slipped through Adding
tons bands and fell into the rapids.
T1,n nplfvns ~ ehn lo~ll,
calamity must have come home to
Addington's brain with the rapidity
of the lightning's fash. He saw that
his ra-h act had cost the chi!d's life.
and that one desperate chance of
saving her remained-that tie world
was at an end, fer him, forever.
Tearing off his coat, he rushed along
the bank until he had passed little
Eva who was kept aflOat by her
clothing then, plunging in ahead of
her, he seized the child and desper-
ateiy attempted 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 intervenes
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 hack into the stream and
was hurried to her dreadful fate.
The mother and sister stood power
less and paraiyZed with horror,
while a tragedy, almost instantare~
u III its action; passed before their
eyes, leaving its dark cloud hanging
v e ali their iuture lives. Charley
Arlington had made Il herO's atone.
ment for his thoughtless and reckless
act.
An accident with very dramatic
Accomplishments occurred some very
few years after the sad event that
cost Charley Addington and Eva De
Forest their lives, One morning,
o after daybreak, the early-risers
at the falls discovered something
moving on d huge old log, or trunk
of a tree, which for years had shown
itself above the boiling rapids on the
American side, having been caught
hy and firmly wedged into the rocks
on its way to the falls. Looking
downward from the bridge this log
was ana still! is in full sight, in the
fiercest part of the rapids, consider
ably 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 4;
during the night, while he mirac- ]
ulous'y been cast against the los, by {
which he had managed to stop his i
fearful rush toward death. Dis t
patches were Immediately sent to
Buffalo, to the Coast I.ive-Saving i
and Captain Dorr fastened t
to Niagara by Il special train, carry f
ing with him two metallic life. boats,
and plans to ave the mar were con- @
But, before the arrange
ments were complete the news had S
been spread abroad, and many t
of persons had reached Q
the falls by special trains. D
The iirst attempt at rescue was by O
means of a large Francis metallic o
life boat attached to a cable which Il
was slackei off from a bridge oppo. a
the log and guided by side ropes. c
The boat bad not got far from the
bridge when the fierce rapids seized e.
t, turned it round and round, and b
appeared to be e~ndeavoring to crush "
n its sides. The small cable snapped a
Ike a whip cord, and the poor fell O
ow, who had been waiting tine effort 81
for his rescNe, saw the boat e1
vhir!ed past him and carried over RI
he falls. as if in mockery of his fl
vould-be rescuers. Considerable
ime was then used in deliberating b;
n a new plan, and it was proposed tt
D fasten a cable to some building on &C
be American side, to carry it over to m
he island until it would Sag neal the ia
pg, and then to rescue the man by a,
means of basket let down by rings, in
nd to be let down and pulled in by lie
lmilar ropes. The materials for III
his experiment could not be pro- sn
llred. so at last it was decided to in
down Il strongly constructed
AT IN The same manne as the life sh
had been launched, and if it to
'ached the MA in safety, to ease it he
yer toward the small island, from "
hence his rescue would be COM
arLtIvely easy. The raft was built,
Mt it was 4 O'clock in the afternoon
all was ready.s The day had
assed without flight of time being ~
oticed. tit
lhe excitement was intense. Men Ga
nd women, who had stood for hours
ilhout fooi, were plainly agitated. w
he raft moved. it wi'ltst0Od bravely sal
'e wild assaults OF the angry rapids. ali
neared the log. The man stood
, and waved his arms. The raft I
ne within his reach and he got on ia
1T, ATE the food, drank a small De;
Of weak brandy and water {
had been put aboard. and fasten- me
himself to the lashings which had The
en- prepared, and the intent of we
lich he understood. Then the raft In,
Is cautiously and steadily moved
ward the island with its precious
light. isl
the people shouted, and many We
1T from overweight feeling. the
ddenly the raft came to a stand. SlS
'e rope was fast. 1t had caught in 4
ock. To attempt to force it was to Di,
X its parting, and the fatal conse- snr
cnce could not be misunderstood. ren
G poor victim seemed to take in ful
,., 49, ~