| Show DASHED TO HEATH II Five Persons Swept Over the Cas cades of the Columbia The messenger for the United Carriage I and Baggage Company who arrived here I yesterday says the Portland News of the 10th inst reports a frightful accident at the I Cascades at 2 oclock Saturday afternoon A party of five souls consisting of M Hanson I a carpenter Mr Schneider a saloonkeeper with his wife and baby and John Sliter another an-other saloonkeeper attempted to cross the river a short distance above the Cascades The object was to sail from the north to the south side of the Columbia river in order to catch the train on the Oregon Railway and Navigation Railroad which was bound for The Dalles where they intended to visit Robinsons circus in the evening Full of life and fun and happy in the anticipation of passing a pleasant night at the circusthe party embarked hoisted their sail and were soon in the middle of the river when the wind suddenly gave out and not realizing the awful danger that lay down the stream only short distance allowed the boat to drift towards the rapids It was not till their frail craft began to move with great I swiftness owinc to the narrowing of the banks that they realized their extreme peril When they saw that death was staring them I in the face the only pair of oars in the boat i were put into active use and these might I I have saved them but unfortunately an oarlock oar-lock broke and the boat shot like an arrow into the surging waters For awhile it kept I an even keel while the terrified parties shrieked in terror and prayed loudly for preservation Then the boat shot beneath the raging rapids and five lives disappeared I and were lost in the twinkling of an eye I Where a few moments before there was a boat load of happy people nothing was to be seen but the angry rapids with the white I mists rising above them as though the souls of the dead were ascending heavenward j The government lifeboat was manned and I tried to save the unfortunate people but their efforts were abortive The boat was picked up in a badly damaged condition four miles below the Cascades but no trace was found of the bodies of the drowned Quite a number of persons have been swept over these falls in times gone by but their remains I I I re-mains have never been found |
