, 1891-03-05
MA. DILLON,s THRILLING MOE.
Rescued In NIdstream. Anil Raging
Wzters. from n Cake CT lee.

Rescued In MldstreAm. AmiI Raging
Waters. from n Cake CT Ice.
Selectman ". J. Dillon, Of Palmer, had
a narrow escape from drowning in the
river below Hastings bridge. and between
10 and II o'clock he balanced between life
and deGth on n slim a OF ice, clinging
desperately 10 some slender bushes In mid
stream. while on the bank had gathered a
crowd Of 200 or more, principally employees
Of the wire mill. Mr.. Dillcn would with
out doubt have lost his life had there not
passed just HJ the time James Raiche and
Thomas "hnlen, linemen OF the Postal
Telegraph and Cablc company. Mr.. Dillon
was very much exhausted after his trying
experience, but he suffered 10 such injury
as job Desmond, who in running to get
the selectman dry clothing fell and broke
his collar bone
The Qunboag river had been on the ram
page for several days, having spread over
the meadows for miles around, and having
overlooked the road adjoining Hastings
bridge for a depth Of seven feet. More
over, the ice Jam at the bridge became SO
serious that it was a question IL the bridge
would not he washed away. 1t was in an
effort to protect the town property that
Mr.. Dillon got caught in the predicament.
He walked out, axe in hand, on the firm
ice below the bridge, and chopped for a
time to make a clear channel for the
stream. While with his back TO the open
water he was %chopping he felt the ice
loosen, and almost before he knew it his
i~iIFruTaptu raft had swerved OH into the
current. Besides thedark water all around,
the cake on which Dillon hoated proved
rotten and leaky, so when he approached
a iirmer cake he gave u mighty leap and
luckily landed all right. Then his new
raft noated down for II distance of seventy
five yards from the bridge. and ut last the
sclectman was enabled to anchor by catch
ing hUll Of "a tree at a distance OF seventy
five feet from the shore. Although the
buzz Of the wire. mill could be plainly
heard, and he could see men passing in and
out, they did not hear his frantic shouts.
Just then Linemen Raiche and Whalen,
out fixing tue telegraph wires, happened to
pass over the bridge, and they Jaw the Sc
lectmun's prcdicament. They took prompt
action. As the stream had flooded the road
beyond the bridge. cutting off approach, il
became necc- sIry for some one to swim
across. so Whalen unhitched the horse.
and tying m end OF n long coil Of wire to
his waist he mounted the animal and
drove straight into the water. Raiche
managed the wire from the shore. Their
idea was TO run n wire across the stream
below the man, so that any craft put out
TO his rescue hould NJ be swept down.
WhRleu and the horse struggled desperate
ly for a time, the wire nearly pulling of
the man and the turbulent water nearly
dragging down the horse. At last dry land
was reached. Luckily by this time the EN-
ployes OF the wire mill had discovered the
plight of the selectman, who was still
shivering IN the ice cake. Headed by the
superintendent they hocked to the shore.
The superintendent ordered n raft to be
built, and lumber wa 5000 on the spot and
a siztble lout was launched. Attached to
1t was the wire, which James Raiche still
held on the upper shore. Then a young
man volunteered to be the boatman. and
armed with "A long pole he showed of; the
stream caught the raft and nearly sub
merged 1t, but the wire kept it from float
ing down stream, and 1t was kept clear OF
the ice by means of the long pole. With
infinite difficulty the boatman at last
reached Mr.. Dillon, who was almost ex-
hausted, and grabbing him by the coat col
lar lie pulled him OF board and then started
back. The return trip was watched with
brcathless interest by the crowd, and the
superintendent and other employees of the
wire mill rushed into the water to pull the
raft ashore when it was near enough. Mr..
Dillon was taken to the nearest farm house,
where he WIS tenderR cared for, and tho
linemen Of tho telegraph company were
warmly thanked for their efforts. Spring.
ield Republican.