Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1895-04-18
BOTH ARE LOST.
Two Young Men Go Down the River
in n Canoe.

| in n canoe.
S. N. Alexander, jr., popularity known
as "Ned," and James Fitzgerald were
carried down the river in a canoe Tues
day afternoon and nothing has been
seen of them since.
Fred Thompson and James Busby
had been out in the canoe short time
before and tipped over. They swan to
a tree that stood up in the water and
were taken ashore by William A. Hall,
who was also out at the time in a
canoe. Mr. Hall then brought Thomp-
sons canoe ashore but the paddles and
air cushion "a rubber bag filled with air
to keep the canoe afioat should it tip
over) were gone.
Ned then proposed to Fitzgerald that
they go out AID were advised not to by
the boys who had just tipped over.
They got another pair of paddles, how
ever, and started out. Seeing the air
cushion floating short distance from
the shore they went out after it and
came near being capsized, though they
secured the cushion. They then tried
to turn and go back to shore but the
current was too strong and they appar-
emily did not understand the manage
ment of the frail craft. Mr.. Hall called
to them to paddle hard and they would
make it, or if they got carried down
stream to land at SaXton's river. The
next minute the canoe with it's two
passengers was in the swift water and
going down stream like an express
train calling back to Mr.. Hall that they
were going to Westminster.
Ten minutes later they passed a gang
of logmen about mile this side of Wal
pole and as they passed they waved
their hands to the men on the shore.
They were apparently all right then
but were in the middle of the river
where the current was very strong.
The next heard of the canoe was from
a man near East Putney who saw it
pass there and the occupants called to
him that they were going through to
Putney and come up on the o'clock
train. That was about o'clock, an
hour after leaving here.
Until late Tuesday night anxious
friends awaited for news of the missing
men and every town along the river
was called up by telephone but no one
could be found who had seen or heard
of them.
Yesterday morning two crews went
down the river in boats searching both
banks and questioning people along the
way. 1t appears that the section men
at work on the tracks near East Putney
saw them and tried to get them to
come ashore. AT that time the canoe
was going along smoothly on the over
flowed meadows. The boys said they
were going through to Putney and take
the night train home.
There is also a story which cannot be
verified that they made stop at J. V.
Shaw's above Putney but refused his
invitation to come ashore and stop over
night. A short time after this the
canoe was seen to pass Putney, after
which all track of them was lost.
About three O'Clock yesterday after
noon a telephone dispatch from Carroll
w. Black, who was with the searching
party, announced the finding of the
canoe. After that even the boldest
gave up all hope of ever seeing their
friends alive again. Up to that time
their hopes rested on the one slender
thread that if the canoe was overturned
the boys might escape to some tree and
were waiting for the water to go down
or a rescue party to come and take
them off.
There can now be no doubt of their
sad fate. The accident probably hap
pened soon after passing Putney and
in such current as was running at the
time the strongest swimmer could have
survived but few minutes.
S. N. Alexander, ijr., was born in Sax
TONS River q years ago but the family
removed to this place when he was
small boy and he has lived here ever
since. He attended the public schools,
graduating with the class of 1856, the
other members of the class being Miss
Marion p. Davidson and Edward A.
Shuttleworth. After leaving school he
went into the office of George X. Rus
selt's paper mill, where he was en-
ployed until Mr.. Russell sold the mill
He then entered the employ of the Fall
Mountain Paper Co., and has worked
for them about three years, the past
year as cashier. He was young man
of excellent habits and popular with
all classes. He was a member of the
Lodge of the Temple, and Abenaqui
Chapter, F. and A. NJ, the Wes.min-
ster and Wheel clubs.
James Fitzgerald was born in Prince
Edwards Island, and was about 26
years old He has been here a few
years as boss in the paint mill operated
by William A. Hall. He had one