The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-04-29
TRAGEDIES OF NIAGARA.
Memories Recalled b, the vedder'PearsOn
Horror.
Nav York Tunes

"To think that should have LETT Niagara
Falls twenty years ago, after having been
witness OF two terrible tragedies OF the
Falls. and then upon my first visit TO them
An that time he there In the midst OF the
excitement OF the Vedder-Pearson horror :.
The speaker was an old man. who said
his name was Andrew Dalrymple, OF Cam
den. He was passenger on an Erie rai'-
way train yesterday, returning from
visit 10 Niagara Fails. where he said he was
q backman and guide for ten years.
81 was greatly surprised 10 see the ola
tree trunk still rising in the American
Rapids, between the small islands on OF Goat
Island and the American shore. guess
no one remembers when that tree lodged
there. but remember 1t for thirty years,
and Il never entered my mind that IL could
be there yet. But there IL was, and as j
stood on the Goat Island bridge last week
and looked down at the gnarled trunk the
thought Of that early summer morning.
over twenty years ago, when was one OF
the frs, pcople at the falls to discover a man
clnging TO the log. came back to me with
a yiy. dness that made me shudder. No one
ever knew how he came there or who he
was. but IL was supposed that he had been
during the night before, and. losing con-
troll OF his boat, had been swept down into
the rapids. and the boat striking the tree
trunk he had, by some miracle, gained
foothold upon IL. News never spread so
rapidly as that of the discovery of this man
In his perilous situation. Word was tele-
rraphed at once to Buffalo, and party OF
life-saycrs came on special train TO TRY
and rescue the man. Before 10 O'Clock
Thousands OF people were gathered every
available spot where sight OF the unfor-
funate man and the efforts TO save him
could be obtained. Ali the railroads ran
special trains, and people came IN
conyeyances OF all kinds from the
surrounding country. No one seemed
10 know at first how to go to
work. but the man chung to the tree,
watching every movement that was maze.
OF course il was impossible to make MN
hear or give him any direction. FINALLY
life-boat was attached to caOle ana iet
down from the bridge toward MN. IL
was drawn toward the log by ropes attach
ed to it and handled by men on the lsland.
The boat was making directly for the spot,
and hope that the poor man would soon
be safely drawn ashore began to be felt by
the assembled multitude. Suddenly, now
ever, IT was caught in swirl OF the rapids,
the cable parted like a kite-string. and the
boat rushed past the man like flash, within
two feet OF him, and was carried over the
falls.
..After this the life-saverS were all at sea
again. Several plans were suggested, ana
one was adopted which it took until late in
the afternoon 10 get in readiness. In all
those long hours OF suspense don't be-
lieye one OF the spectators ever moved
from his tracks. Everything else about
Niagara Falls was forgotten except the ter
rible scene OF fellow-being hanging on
the verge OF death. and patiently awaiting
the success or failure OF the efforts that
were being made to rescue him.
1.-The plan adopted was to fasten strong
cable securely TO the American shore, at
tach a staunch raft to it, carry the loose
end Of the cable over to the island, and let
it belly down with the raft to the tree
trunk. BY this means it was hoped that
the raft could be drawn steadily to the
small island between the man and Goat
Island, from which no trouble was antici-
pated in taking him. Some food and a
glass of brandy were placed on the raft,
and ropes were fastened TO 1t by which
the man was to tie himself fast. The
raft moved down and reached the man
I'm safety. As he stepped upon 1t, lashed
himself fast, and then eagerly seized
the refreshments, such shout as
went up from the thousands OF people
that had watched the proceedings with
beating hearts and bated breath was never
heard before. 1t could be heard above
Niagara. The raft was moved toward the
island. Everything seemed to be working
to charm. The tension that was put upon
the feelings OF the spectators was so great
thai many tainted away. L was strong
man, but / know / wept like child.
Suddenly the raft stopped. The cable,
drawn as II was beneath the water, caught
on some obstruction. All efforts to loosen
IL were unavailing. One grOan OF agony
arose from the great crowd. Finally the
man sprang TO his feet, undid the fasten-
ings that held him secure on the raft, and
kneeling for moment as II In prayer,
sprang into the raging water and pulled
braveiy for the island. but few feet away.
At first he gained visIbly, and the thought
that he would be saved found utterance in
another joyful shout from the spectators.
But when he was almost within reach OF
the shore his strength began to fail, and
steadily the distance between him and
the shore increased. Then every one
knew that all hope was gone. lie
made few more desperate strokes,
but the wild waters seized him, and
pitching, and tossing, and whirlng
him, hurried him over the great
cataract. As he reached the edge of the
falls he was thrown upward from tina wa
ter until his whole length came in view
standing upright, and he disappeared as il
he had made a voluntary leap over the
brink. As he was dashed TO and over the
falls not q sound was made by one of the
vast crowd, and, terrible as was the scene,
not an eve was turned away as he was car
ried along to his destruction. As he disap-
peared In the face Of the cataract one heart
rending shrek went up from the crowd.
The poor fellows body was never found
nor his identity ever established.
"The other agonizine scene that was
doomed to witness was the carrying over
the falls OF young Charles Addington and
little Eva De Forest. That happened five
or six years before the incident have Just
related. The Addingtons and De Forests
were prominent families In Buffalo In those
days, and young Charles was engaged to
be married to Ada De Forest. Miss De
Forests mother and her little sister
Eva, accompanied by young Adding
ton and herself, came to the falls
one day In the summer to spend the
day. While they were on Goat Island lit
tie Eva went away by herself, and Mrs. DE
Forest sent the young man after her. He
found her standing near the shore. He
thoughtlessy stole up behind her, and,
greping her under the arms, held her out
over the water. She suddenly threw up
her hands and slipped through his arms
into the water. He instantly sprang in
after her. and reached her before the
swifter rapids had caught her. He sue
ceeded In getting her back near enough
TO the shore TO throw her on the bank,
but she had not strength sufficient to hold