Year: 1866

Fearful Adventure on the Niagara River.


The Buffalo Express of Jan. 10th, contains
the particulars OF one of the most thrilling and
fearful adventures that we ever remember to
have read, affording an additional ilustra-
ton OF the fact that "truth is stranger than
fiction" 1t is the account of the fearful float
ing upon cake ofice, in that river, of two
men and boy, aad the rescue of two of them
as by miracle, the bare mention of the fact
having been communicated by telegraph
We copy from the Express:


We have to recount this morning one of the
most fearful and extraordinary stories of peril
Gus adventure, death and suffering that it has
ever been our lot to make public. OF the three
actors and sufferers in it, one is prominent
and widely-known gentleman of this CITY.
William A. Thompson, esq.,, the proprietor and
now Vice-President of the new Erie and Mag
ara Railroad running from Fort Erie to Niaga-
ra. We have obtained our particulars of the
story from the lips of Mr.. Thompson, who
survives to relate such an experience as few
men in the world have passed through.


1t seems that on Saturday afternoon the
quantity OF ice passing down the river from
the lake caused the ferry-boat plying between
Black Rock and Fort Erie to suspend her
trips. Mr.. Thompson, who was on the other
side and desired to cross to this, accepted the
offer of a colored boy named William bartlett
to row him across in small boat, not realiz-
ing at the moment the difficulty of the pas
sage occasioned by the movement OF the ice
Subsequently he was joined for the trip by a
man named Warren, foreman under the con-
tractors of the Erie and Niagara Railroad
who was very anious to reach this side in
time for the 6 p. m. train to Suspension Bridce
going home to his family at Prescott. G. w
On reaching the river side Mr.. 7. saw the
hazards OF the attempt at crossing, and would
have receded, but Mr.. Warren pressed him to
so on, end ne was prevailed upon by his COM


About half past five o'clock the three pushed
out into the stream. They found much DIFF
hculty IN making their way through the ice
which ran close to the shore, and again Mr..
Thompson advised a return. But presently
getting through the shore pack of ice thew
found clear water, and went forward confident
ly, meeting no obstacles until they again near
ed the shore on the American side, near the
Erie Mills, when the ice pressed about them
thicker than in the first instance. Mr.. Thomp-
son then gave an imperative order to the boy
to back away and return. but it was too late.
They had entered so far that return was i'm
possible. They were caught by the ice, wedg-
ed fast between its grinding cakes, and could
go neither forward nor back. Another mo-
ment it had crushed the sides of their boat, so
that it began to fill rapidly and sink.


The three Immediately leaped out upon
cake of ice nearest at hand, which proved to
be but small one, scarcely larger than a door.
and drew the boat partly upon it after them
Their hope was in being able to turn the craff
bottom up and mount its keel, in which nosi-
ton they might be foated by it; but the pass
was not strong enough to permit such an on
Grafton. Mr.. Thompson then attemn.ed 10
bail out the boat with his cap; but while do
ing so, the boy Bartlett cried out that the ice
was upon them again, and they mad barely
time to throw themselves into the balf-filled
boat when the piece upon which they stood
was crushed by another mass coming down
upon 1t. An instant more and the boat was
also struck, turned bottom upward, and Mr..
Thompson and MIR. Warren plunged into the
water. The negro boy succeeded in leaping
upon an ice cake Mr.. Thompson sank once
and come up, when he clutched the boat,
made his way to the stern and climbed upon
the keel. Hesaw his companion Warren sink
ing for the last time, short distance away, and
drowning before his eyes, whi-ehe was utterly
powerless to help. He had scarcely witnessed
this when death rushed upon him again. The
boat was once more struck and rolled over
Again he sank, and again, on rising, he clutch
ed the boat, which again had righted ITSELF
Climbing to its stern it sank with his weight