Norwich bulletin., 1912-02-05

Niagara Fails N. T., Feb. 4.-The
great ice bridge that has choked the
river channel between the cataract and
the upper steel arch bridge below the
falls for the last three weeks broke
from ns snoring just at noon today and
went down the river. taking with 1t to
their death a man and weman, said to
be Mr.. and Mrs Eldridge Stanton of
Toronto. and Burreu HeaCVcls, II years
old. Of Cleveland, Q,
-Four Reached Shore Safely.
Four other persons were on the ice
ct the time. but managed to get ashore
IN safety. The bridge was considered
entirely safe For weeks the great
fields Of Zee had been coming down the
river. piItng up against the barrier un-
iii Il was from 90 10 so feet thick and
under the influence Of zero weather II
had become firmly anchored Co the
shore.
Attracted Many sishtseers.
The Jam was about 1000 feet In
length and IN some places a quarter Of
a mile IN breadth. For two weeks It
had offered safe passage to the hardy,
and today. a great crowd Of excursion
lists came(to view the winter wonder OF
the rivgf Had the accident happened
an hour later hundreds would have lost
their lives. for the crowd was moving
down into Prospect park in the ele-
vstors which run down the CLIFF to so
out upon the Ice.
Died In Effort to Save Wife.
Somewhere deep in the great whirl-
pool tonight lies the man partially
Identified as Mr.. Stanton. He twice
thrust aside chance Of rescue to re-
main with his terror-stricken wife, and
iu tho shadow OF deeth-1ust at the
break IN the rapids-spurned assistaNce 70
for himself and tried vainly to bind
around his wife a rope, one end OF
which dangled from the lower steel
arch bridge. The lad. Heacock, was
cast In the same mould. Had he not
turned back on the ice to assist Mr..
Stanton, he. too, might have made the
shore.
Others Ran to Canadian Shore.
On the bridge at the time 1t tore
free from the shore. beside these three,
were Monroe Gilbert Of this city, Igna-
dus Roth OF Cleveland. Heacock's Gm-
panion. william Hall. an old riyerrien
who had a shack on the ice, William
Lsblond rivsrman, and an unidentified
italian. Hill in HIS shack was nearest
10 the American shore. When he heard
the grinding and crashing Of the ice
dian shore, calling 10 the others to
follow him. Lablond gave them warn
ing that sefety lay In that direction
Gilbert and the Italian followed their
lead, but the others became confused
by the time they regained their COM
posure the bridge was moving fast
down the river.
Mrs. Stanton Dropped of Exhaustion
Mr.. and Mrs Stanton started frst
toward the American shore, but were
stopped by g. lane of open water. Bach
they rau again towards the Cana diaI
ride, turned about and made for The
American side. When hardly more
than SO yards from the rocky shore
Mrs. Stanton fell on her face utterly
spent. L can't go on; can't go on,
she cried. Let Us die here
Hssoook Helped Her and Lost His Lif,
And all the time the great field o
Ice. driven onward by southwest gal,
and pressed by a tam broken free from
its anchorage near the base Of the
Horseshoe fall went on breasting tn,
terrible outrush of the Niagara Fall!
Power cOmpany's tunnel outflow, III,
inightiest current in all the river. with.
out being broken. When Mrs. Stantol
fell her husband strove to get her oil
per feet again, and then tried to dra4
her along the fee. He also called Il
Roth and Heacocls. who were nearest
tor help. Heacock turned back ant
helped support the woman, and tn,
act cost him his life.
Roth Saved by Lablond.
Roth struggled along over the hum
b1Ocks Of ice. getting close 10 the opel
stretch Of water at the Canadian ent
II.
shore ready TO give him assistance. La
Plond. William Cook and Supt. Harr!
King Of the Ontario Power company
They we're stationed at the bottom o
the cliff just at the foot Of Eastwood
street Niagara Falls, Ont. Roth wa
afraid TO trust himself in the Icy wa
ters. but LablOnd jumped out upol
the ield OF ice with a rope and hal
carried, half dragged the boy ashore.
leo Field Split in Two.
Ader getting Roth safely ashore, tn
men made an effort to reach the othe
three on the Ice foe But at a. poin
about 90 feet below the upper stee
arch bridge the ice field broke into tw
great fields. One section went toward
the American shore and grounded ol
II rock near the hydraulic power house
The other foe with the three helples
human beings on it passed slowly dow
the river.
Firemen Threw Ropes.
Meantime the fire headquarters true
had been called out and q genera
alarm Of fire on the Canadian sid
called out the men there. They too
station with ropes along the shore, bu
the foe was far beyond their reach
The Niagara avenue firemen were sen
to the lower steel arch bridge an
there took station with rope. Th
Canadian iiremen had two ropes dow
from the cantilever bridge. which i
about 500 feet above the other struc
ture.
Floe Splits Again.
Just above the old Maid OF the Mis-
landing, a quarter Of mile from tn
whirlpool rapids, the foe on which tn
three were borne broke into two sec
tons. each about 200 feet square, tn
~ AZ and yoman on one. Heacock o
tle other. Heacock waved his hand I
hla com noanlons IN distress as his no
moved clear OF the other and. caugh
in current raced down the river. Th
otner foe then shot towards the Amer
an SHORE, was caught in an eddy, an
Whifiea about there fur about five min
utes- This was within sight of tn
tumbling waters which marked tn
beginning Of the rapids and death.
Hsacook Clutches Rope.
Heacock saw the ropes dangling froI
the bridge and made ready to cate