The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-03-07
Mr.. piLLows THRILLING RIDE.


Resc.ea in Midstrsa.. A.id Raging
Waters, from . Cake ef lee.
Selectman n. j. Dillon, of Palmer, had
Q narrow escape from drowning in the
river below Hastings bridge, and between
10 and IL O'Clock he balanced between life
and death on slim eake Of ice, cinging
desperately to some slender bushes in mid
stream, while on the bank had gathered
crowd of 800 or more, principally employees
Of the wire mill Mr.. Dillon would with
out doubt have lost his life had there not
passed just at the time James Ralche and
Thomas Whalen, hnenen Of the Postal
Telegraph and Cable company. Mr. Dillon
was very much exhausted after his trying
experience, but he suffered no such injury
as John Desmond, who in running to ges
the selectman dry clothing fell and broke
his collar bone
The Quaboag 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 depth of seven feet. More
over, the ice jam at the bridge became so
serious that it was question II the bridge
would not be washed away. 1t was il an
effort 70 protect the town property that
AR. Dillon got caught in the predicament-
He walked cut, axe ID hand, on the firm
ice below the bridge, and chopped for
time to make q clear channel fer the
stream. While with his back to the open
water he was chopping he felt the ice
loosen, and almost before be knew it his
impromptu raft had swerved off into the
current. Besides the dark water all around,
the cake on which Dillon foated proved
rotten and leaky, so when he approached
4 firmer cake he gave mighty leap and
luckily landed all right. Then his new
raft floated down for distance of seventy
five yards from the bridge, and at last the
selectman was enabled 60 anchor by catch
ing hold of tree ct 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 m and
out, they did not hear his frantic shouts.
Just then Linemen Raiche and Whalen.
out fixing the telegraph wires, happened to
pass over the bridge, and they saw the Sc
lectman's predicament. They took prompt
action As the stream had flooded the road
beyond the bridge, cutting off approach, it
became necessary for some one to swim
across. So Whalen unhitched the horse,
his waist he mounted the animal and
drove straight into the water. Raiche
managed the wire from the shore. Their
idea was to run wire across the stream
below the man, so that any craft put out
to his rescue should not be swept down.
Whalen and the horse struggled desperate
ly for 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 selecsnan, who was still
shivering on the ice cake. Headed by the
superintendent they Hacked TO the shore.
The superintendent ordered raft to be
built, and lumber waceoon on the spot and
a stable float was launched. Attached to
it was the wire, which James Raiche still
held on the upper shore. Then a young
man volunteered to ss the boatman, and
armed with long pote ne showed off; the
stream caught the raft and nearly sub
merged it. but the wire kept it from float,
ing down stream, and it 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 he pulled him on board and then started
<. The return trip was watched with
baeathless 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 was tenderly cared for, and the
hnemen of the telegraph company were
warmly thanked for their eforts.-Spring.
Geld Republican.