Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-02-06
A NARROW ESCAPE
FROM AN AWFUL DISASTER IN "BACK
RIVER, LAST MIGHT.
4 Large Mass Of Shore Ice, Crowded With Skat-
srs, Broke Up and Many Were Thrown lntO
the Water-Rsscusd With Difficulty.

There was very narrow escape from
terrible accident, on Back" river,
between the two bridges, at nine
o'clock last night
More by good luck than anything
else, dozen or more young people
were rescued from drowning. Several
were dragged from the ice-cod water
more dead than alive, and all were bur-
rIed into nearby houses on the Island,
or taken TO their homes at once, when
they did not live at too great distance
from the scene Of the accident.
Several who lived as far away as the
Sonth Side were taken to their homes
in hacks, aud were pretty well chilled
before they got an opportunity to change
their water soaked apparel.
There was long stretch Of shore ice
along the Island side of the river,
stretching from the Wheeling and Bel
mont bridge north to point above the
bridge of the Wheeling Bridge Com
pany. All during Yesterday many young
people were engaged in skating upon
this stretch of ice, which was quite
narrow, not reaching near to the middle
of the river.
As evening came on the river rose
slightly, and a stretch of water appear
ed on top OF the ice, along next the
IslaLd shore. This ought to have been
considered dangerous sign, especially
whea the river was not entirely frozen
over, but no heed seems to have been
been given to the circumstance, and a
plank being procured to reach from the
shore out onto the dry ice, the skating
went on as merriy as before.
In the evening quite large number
Of boys, young men and young ladies'
gathered on the ice, several parties
coming from town and others from
various parts of the Island. The sport
went on in the darkness until about nine
o'clock, when the ice suddenly let go Of
its frail hold on the shore, broke up into
fragments and began TO drift off. A
number of the skaters fell into the
water and others plunged in in an
endeavor TO reach the shore. All sue
ceeded, after running very great risks,
in getting to land. but about dozen or
more had been entirely submerged, and
three young ladies In particular were
only rescued With great difficulty in the
darkness. One of these was said TO
be Miss Alice CowelI, of Delaware
street, Island, and the other two also
lived on the Island.
A number of the wet and half-frozen
skaters were taken to Mr.. O'Hare's, at
the east end OF the Wheeling and Bel
mont bridge, where hot coffee and slim
ulants were given them, and then hacks
were called for such as lived a consider
able distance away, two girls and
young man being taken to the South
Side In such conveyance.
Down about the scene OF this acct
dent IL was stated there were other par
ties OF skaters on the ice all along up
to Martins Ferry, and rumor had it
that some of them had also re-
ceived a dnrsing, but careful in
quiry along the river failed to elicit any
loss of life.
Skating in the darkness upon ice of
the character described, and with ris-
ing river, was certainly great piece
OF foolishness, and those taking part in
the sport have every reason TO congrat-
ulate themselves that they got out as
well as they did.