Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1893-01-13
An EXCITING ADVENTURE.
A HOTEL CLERK CROSSES THE lei
BRIDGE At NIAGARA FALLS.
Two Philadelphia Men Meet With 1
Very Serious Accident.

The trip OF Harry >argeani, one Of tn,
clerk, at the Prospect House, Niagara Falls
on the ice bridge the other day cClipses any
thing in past feats at Niagara. Jack McCloy
the well-knOwn guide, who has been ascot
atcd with the state reservation for nearly ],
wears, WAS the first person TO cross the last
bridge formed; he did il early on the morning
Of Jan. :. Sergeant, when he heard Of Nc
ClON's exploit, resolved to eclipse it, Alone
with the assistance OF q heavy walking cane,
he started out. First he made the trip tC
tn Canadian shore, opposite the inclined
railroad on the American side, at the edge
OF the American falls. He then carefully
picked his way pnst the edge of the Ameri
can falls with the mist driving against him
then on pasi the little falls, over the Cave OF
the Winds, until he was abreast of Goa,
Island, on a smaller ice bridge. which en-
tended along the shore and ran over toward
the Canadian shore under the Biddle stair
case. near the Table Rock.
Across tIis narrow stretch Of ice Sergeant
now began m king his way. Hundreds OF
people watched his progress as he cautiously
CraNlcd along. Every now aud then large
sections of ice would break away from the
slender strip. but this did NOT seem to daunl
him Al characterized the effort rs fool
hardy aud ScnSelcS>. but The interest was in
tease al the same. suddenly young Sar
e,aat disappeared, and the cry went up
"Hr hns gone" For minute he was out Oi
>iglil, hat again rCappcarcd, and continued
on coward Canada
Tie sid that the grandcu Of the scenes hC
witnessed along the shore well repaired hin
for the danger he underwent. When hC
reached the Canadian shore under the Bid
die staircase he round that the ics he wa:
climbing over was slowly moving down
stream. He thought then that 1t was about
time for him 10 get back. Between the striI
of ice he was OH and the Horseshoe Falls he
saw number of ducks swimming around
and could easily have shot them had he q
gun. The ice emery. along Goat Island
was beautiful beyond description.
To give an idea OF the danger Sergeant
passed through, some of the ice that floated
on from the narrow strip on which be stood
went whiring down until il reached the
large ice hri,lge. when it disappeared under
the ice and came out on the other side. Had
the Young man been caught on one OF these
pieces his death would have been certain
Three hours after hr returned 10 the shore
| all tie stationary ice which he had traverscd
| broke away aud was sucked under the lee
bridge aud went on down the stream. The
trip II the Maid u. the Mist was the pat
taken by the intrepid young man.
The first serious accident since the ice
scenery formed about the falls occurred sun
day afternoon. At that time Frank =. War
nCr and Harry Rowland o Philadelphia
who had descended the Biddlc stairway on
Goat Island. leading 10 the cave of th'
Winds, were walking along the path lead
| ing fl m the spiral stairway toward the cave
! when huge iciClc which hung suspcndc,
| from the elf dropped upon their heads
| II nth men were instantly shocked down on
| the ice.
II e were other people below the Clit
who saw the accident and the work of res
/ cuiag the men who had been carried 10
dangerous place was begun. When struck
! Warner WAS Knocked in n southwest direc
/ ton away from the falls and he was easll,
/ reached lie was able to walk with assist
/ aud hurried To- DIR. W. III. Hodges Office
where the wounds were dressed.
The work Of re>Cuing Rowland was NOR
hazardous. When the icice struck him
sent him tlying down the ley mound towar
the river where | e lodged. Jack Nee loy
the famous guido, was sent for, aud, arme
! with ropes. he hurried to the spot. Super
intrnlent Welch of the reservation, wa
there, and directed the men in their perilou
task. H!gh above their heads huge icicle
hung suspended, and there was no teln
when they might become lOOsened and pro
upon their heads. Then there was til
dnng-r Of slipping into the river But
rope was tied about Met lOy's waist, an
slowly he descended toward the prOstrat
form of HowIand FAR bccw mm. lie cal
RED blanket, and when he reached How
land he picked him mp tendrrly aud wrappc
him in it, The load was too much fU
McCloy to hoist alone and others went I
the rescue Then the men above pulled o
the rope and gradually the uncOnsciou
form was raised. Rowland was taken t
lr IIurl n nil a. horn hn roll IN
His left arm, collar bone, and shoulder blad
were broken, and he was badly bruise
about the body. 1t is thought that he wi
live