River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1886-03-11

4 tended business devotedly, and no one
noticed any change in little Mark Farm
ham.
! The winter passed Late in March
the ice in the river began to move.
Soon "A tremendous roaring filled the
/ ears of the citizens of Oxbow. People
gathered on the bank to see the ice 90
\ out. Ii was a grand sight, as the huge
cake, nearly a foot iii thickness, went
/ crashing down over the dam with a
mighty seething, grinding roar.
On with irresistible fury swept the
mighty mass, hurled with tremendous
/ fury by the rapidly rising waters, which
I the warm spring rains had augmented
/ to mighty flood. Close behind the
/ ice came a mighty jam of pine logs.
The river was fast clogging, and huge
I jam was formed against the dam which
/ had lately been built across the river.
"A jam must not be permitted to form
I there cried John Lyon, rs he saw the
( rolling and tumbling masses of logs
/ hating, choking the river on the brink
I of the dam.
I Among those gathered on the bank
/ was River Dan from the Dam.
I Get yer pick-levsrs, boys" he cried
I in loud voice.
( The logs had already formed lam.
and men in red shirts with picks aud
4 peeyies, were docking to the danger
Gus jam, working with might and main
I to keep the mighty mass of pine NOV
4 Ing.
( The female portion of OXbow was
out watching the movements of the red
( shirts. Right in the center of the river
not far from where the water boiled
and >eethed over the dam. was Dick
/ Wellington, giving orders in stcntorian
/ voice. Ii was danger place, and Janet
\ Lyon face blanched rs She saw him.
The logs on the further shore were
/ kept moving, and the current of the
river swept that way with the fury OF
| the avalanche The red shirts had
been working an hour with desperate
energy and many of them were eX-
/ hauSted.
go ashore, boys, and get a lunch
the greatest danger is past; Wellington
and | will hold the fort until you re.
I turn.
1t was Mr.. Lyon who spoke. lie
/ had gone TO the center of the river
with the GOODNESS of an old log
driver The men obeyed. The
greater part OF the logs had passed the
/ principal danger was over. Half the
river was yet blocked with logs piled
to great height forming a jam that
looked impregnable.
Scarcely had the last man reached
the shore, when wild cry rose above
/ the roar of the foaming water:
My God! the whole jam is going!"
Then came loud cracking, terrific
roar, the logs went with a mighty
rush over the dam on the OXbow shore.
Good heaven! they are LOST
This cry went up, as all eyes were
turned upon Mr.. Lyon and his foreman
now tine only occupants of the jam. 1t
did seem as though they were doomed,
but they were saved for the time.as by a
miracle. In the center of the dam a
few logs held firm, and soon all had
swept through but this bit of Jam in
the middle of the stream. An expanse
of fOaming water on either side aud
the narrow jam swayed and trembled
As it hung suspended over the dam.
Below. ten feet, was a sea of foam.
where the water, in pouring over the
dam, was dashed to wild fury on rocks
and stones.
Both men felt the awful danger, al
most certain death, thai stared them in
the face
There 5 no chance for them fellers;
they're as good as gone, that's sartin,
uttered River Dan.
Swaying and grooming, the floating
island seemed every moment ready to
90 over into the boiling waters below.
A dumb horror rested over the crowd
of startled loggers on shore.
A pallid- checked girl, with stream
ing hair, reached the waters edge and
stood with outstrctched hands appeal
ing 10 the strong men for help. No
one moyed.
Are you all cowards?' she cried,
facing the multitude. Brawny men
with red shirts were there, but none
moved at the appeal from the girl 5
blanched lips. mo use. Miss" said
River Dan. That ar jam won't last
many minnits. Nobody can help EN-;
they re gOners, sure"
Take yonder canoe and 90 10 the
rescue.
Janet would have rushed to the
rescue herself had MT strong arms
held her back. Weak, moaning,
almost fainting, the girl pleaded in
vain.
mo use; a boat would 90 over in
iitfy Them fellers can't be saved.
'There is one chance in a hundred. !"
\ low voice uttered the words, and
Janet saw a slender form glide past
toward a small Indian canoe that
rested on the bank. About the mans
arm was a coil of rope. When the
man gained the foaming edge OF the
water he swung his arm aloft and
cried:
'Some of you take gu end of this
rope. am going to rescue those men
if possible.
Goodness! its the little book
keeper.
He'll drown, sure. "
But Mark Farnham needed not the
comments of the crowd. He seemed
TO realize that time was precious, and
at once pushed the light ashen canoe
into the river. Selling the paddle,
and fixing his rope so that it would
pay out from between his thin knees,
the little bOokkeeper began padding
up the stream. Strong hands had
z HIdSDtl Niit tuu VI lnt IOIt anu IL
began paying out rapidly, when
Farnham turned and shot swiftly into
the centre of the stream.
He managed so that the canoe came
down on the upper side of the sway
ing Jam. Instantly the canoe was
tucked under and lost, but Farnham
sprang to the surface of the logs, rope
in hand, and quickly made one end
fast to an upright log.
Quick, Mr.. Lyon! There's no time
to lose
The mill owner demonstrated and
urged the bookkeeper to go ahead.
This he absolutely refused to do.
Mr.. Lyon went forward, grasped
the rope and passed, hand over hands
to the shore. A great shout went up
when he landed.
Next came Dick Wellington. He
was heavy, and the rope sagged badly.
Farnham felt the jam tremble at each
surge of the foreman's body. Suddenly
the log 10 which the rope was attached
gave way and fell. Instantly the rope
flew far out in the stream. Dick was
near the shore and was rescued.
The little bookeeper stood alone on
the Jam which was now tumbling and
threatened TO fall to pieces. Farnham's
face blanched. He seemed to realize
that he was doomed.
-.