Great Falls weekly tribune., 1895-07-26
FROM BIG FALLS TO BENTON
j. II. Ewing Tells About His Trip
and the Drowning of Hall and
His Partner.
He Thinks He and His Partner have
Been Unjustly Criticised in
That Matter.

companion some days ago. On the re-
turn of the rescue party to Great Falls
some criticism was made on the two
men who saw the barber in the middle
of the river and failed to rescue him,
although they had boat. 1t would
seem from the communication printed
below that they did make every
effort consistent with their safety,
aud that, as they say, is easy to
say what should have been done, espe-
cially by those not familiar with all the
circumstances in the case. AS. The
TRIBUNE in its report of the circum-
stances printed some of these comments
it publishes the following letter from
the two men in their own defense:
FoRT BENTON, July %, 1895.
Editor Great Fulls Tribune:
Dear Sir: In your paper few days
ago you published piece in regard to
the drowning of Hall and partner, in
which you criticise The actions of Ew-
ing and Hooper. The following is cor
rect record OF our trip from Great Falls
to Benton; On Tuesday, July lG, We
Ewing and Hooper, were hauled from
Great Falls to the big falls We
launched our boat just below the falls
aud camped there that night. On We'd
nesdhy, the l7th, about noon Hal and
partner arrived and launched their boat
"A few hundred yards below our camp.
They had light boat and heavy load.
Hall having trunk full of shoemaker's
tools, lasts. etc. They started down
stream at , o'clock p. IN. We took up
what fish lines we bad out, pacted our
boat and started about p. M. just
about two hours later. You can talk Of
the bravery of tho early nnvigalors, but
think some of them would have white
hairs in their heads if they made the
trip from the falls to Benton. Our
boat dipped water several times and We
we're within an ace of being dashed
against the rocks more than once, after
we had descended about three miles
We saw white caps at the head Of the
rapids and decided to keep close to the
north shore, as We could not make the
other side at this point. The mountain
side comes straight down to the water
and the water has washed in under the
rocks, SO that it is impossible to make
landing, as there is no footing at all.
| When just at this point we saw man
yarIs he,ow With , ,nna noIe j., h;o hands
,r,,,arar,l,, Ge,,;,r il ,y.'a h.,Iian,;,,c,
- tbo tnn of hi, ,,n;,o .od n,a s,,r,,nea5
Va u-.s wprn,nr,u. r tho ronnor oha,d
} Just opposite him g were able to make
Il landing and we then saw that it was
| Halls partner, the barber, He was stand
| ing on Il rock about 80 or 300 feet from
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