The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1901-01-26
UNDER THE DOCK.
By John Milton Stoddard,
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.

SCCCCCCSCCCCC C00GCCCCCC
X ) the swift lake steamer
n swung from her dock at De-
~ troit and, turning northward,
began the long trip to Mack
lnaw. sat with young man, a new
acquaintance, on the promenade deck,
and leisurely surveyed the long panor-
annie river-front of the chief city of
Michigan. The sun, already halfway
to the horizon, swan In blue, autumn
nal haze, its slanting beams gliding
the tall buildings that broke the sky
line and blazing with binding refiec-
tion from their countless windows.
The soft land breeze brought family
the roar Of the streets to intermingle
with the pulse-like beat Of the machin-
cry below us, and the whole scene was
one of such autumnaI pIacidity and
peace that I watched it in dreamy
silence until my companion spoke.
do you see that building over
there" he said, indicating tall
structure at the waters edge. THAT
Is the Grand Trunk Elevator, and
never pass it without shudder, for
1t marks the worst position I was
ever in"
He paused. but seeming story, ]
begged him to continue.
"Well." said he, at was eight years
ago. / was then a telegraph operator.
and had the night trick in the yard
office at Detroit. / had come up
short time before from a little station
In the country. 1t was early in the
spring that l was ordered to 'Yd,' and
the Ice had begun to go down the river.
but the nights were still very cold. The
old yard Waterman groaned nightly
svery evening about the delayed warm
weather. but he kept my stove hot.
and as my duties were all inside ]
cared little for the temperature. My
work was light. the city was new to
me. and l was enjoying myself huge
ly when 1 got into the trouble I'm 60
Ing to tell you about.
''Just at sunrise on one particularly
chilly morning my telegraph-sounder
became mute. 1t wouldn't respond to
the key. An examination of the bat
terry showed that the water in the cells
had evaporated so much that it did not
touch the zines, and SO it gave no cir
cult.
II rumaged through the cupboards
and found a large empty bottle.-it
was the only thing could find to car
~ water inland went down my two
pair of stairs to the tap from the city
mains. And / found the tap frozen
tight.
"Here was trouble. Water I must
have. and that quickly. for at six
o'clock q dozen yard conductors bound
for West Detroit and the Junction
would be changing for orders, and the
idea of depending upon a weak little
relay to work with a tired, nervous,
and therefore easily angered dispatch
er was q far from agreeable one. l
considered for a moment, and the
thought of the river came to me. Go
ing back upstairs, I secured some
Irvine, and with that and the bottle,
] made my way TO the dock beside that
elevator yonder.
"There l lowered the bottle by the
string to the water and tried to fill 1t,
but it Is not easy to dip up water In a
slender-necked bottleiNwhich insists on
staying upright when it should be tip
ping over. 1 was leaning far out from
the edge of the dock. bobbing the bot
tie I'D and down, when my foot Slip
ped. my hand lost it's hold. and
down I went, splash, into the Ice
cold current of the Detroit River. And
I could not swim.
"Of course 1 sank deep and struggled
wildly in the current. A few seconds
later l came up gasping and choking
and as / threw my arms wildly about
they struck something hard and soiid'
This 1 grasped. I sputtered desper'
ately and choked. but chung to my sup
port, and soon managed to catch my
breath and tried to think of how to
get back to my instrument.
'"To my surprise, l was In almost
total darkness. / shouted. and the
tones rang hollow and confined. Crop
ing about, found other supports sim
liar to the one l was holding. and then
the horrible truth came to me. l was
under the dock.
II realized my position instantly
The wharf was faced with plank ex
tending down under the surface. but
not to the bottom, and the current had
carried me under the planking from
outside the wharf. To escape by div
ing would have been easy for an ex
pert swimmer. but my only hope was
that some one might come by before
my numbed fingers relaxed theil
grasp.
"The water was fearfully cold. Only
my head and shoulders rose above it
below, it was numbing every nerve
Frantic with fear, ] wrapped arms
and legs desperately around the icy
pile. Occasionally l shouted for help
but only the sullen crash of the ice
foes replied. Once l heard the roal
of a passcnger-train speeding by. Ii
Imagination. l saw the passengers IL
the warm coaches talking and laugh
Ing.