Men Make a Business of Searching for Bodies
Thrilling Moments in the Awful Swirl of the Waters-How the Brave Men do their Work.
[People’s Press, 27 December 1898]
[The following much of which will be news to our readers of Niagara Falls, we clip from a U.S. exchange. How true the old saying-“Go way from home to learn the news.”]
There are men at Niagara Falls who make a business of searching for dead bodies of victims of the ruthless waters. They are thus described in an article in an American paper:
The men who follow this weird call are almost the only inhabitants of the lonely and mysterious section of the shore known as the “Unknown Niagara.” It is a wild stretch that lies at the base of perpendicular rocks, and at whose feet the waters that whirl and whirl eternally, that have never ceased for a single moment, never calm, and where the debris and the wrecks of life have been known to float around for days, and even weeks, with that same continuous, monotonous rotary motion. This sketch is somewhere just below the whirlpool proper on the Canadian side, and few and hardy are the tourists that venture down those Alpine sides to taste the
WILDNESS AND GRANDEUR
of the spot. It is here, however, that this curious class of men, with their few hardy wives, live from day to day, dulled to the fearful roar of the water, and but little impressed by the spectacle about them. Here they lie in wait, and watch the turbulent tides like hawks or eagles watching for their prey, and no upheaval, no relic of tragedy, nothing vomited up by the submarine eddies of that unrestful stream ever escapes their eager attention.
By a system of daring on their own, by a series of evolutions by which they have long studied to laugh and mock at death, they enter the very clutches of that grim element and bring out entire the thing for which they entered. It may prove to be log worth nothing, or it may prove to be a body laden with wealth. But whatever it is they grasp it, and back again they leap through the buffetings of death and upon the shores where the perpendicular rocks rise sheer to the skies.
HOW IT IS DONE
And this is how they do their work, what they have done for years, and will continue to do, and think nothing of the awful daring of the thing and the fearful risk they run in the weirdest of all callings:
One man, bolder and more daring than the rest, stands ready on the shore with the stoutest of ropes about his breast, waist and portion of his limbs, and so arranges as not to interfere with his movements when he takes the leap into the whirlpool. And that leap! Those who have seen him say they hold their breath and their hearts beat as he disappears beneath the raging surface. Seven strong men hold that rope, away-in shore, and then when he rises, to be tossed and buffeted about, they take a double grip and shut their teeth. More than once, the rope strains and every face is anxious and pain is plainly visible in the features until the swimmer is seen above the surface again. And when he appears again it is only for a moment, and the face is white a gasping, but even then plainly showing the grit of this strange race, as they might be called, who hazard life and all in this weird way.
But for the object which they are striving. It has been seen by the man on the lookout but a few minutes before the swimmer took the leap. He has indicated in what part of the whirlpool, and the swimmer is now
IN THE SAME CURRENT
in the same eddy, and finally the two bodies –the warm and the cold, the pulsating and the lifeless, the quick and the dead, life grapples death, and the two are hauled in. It is a long and strong pull, a pull altogether, and with a shout the daring swimmer is strained away up on shore and out of the rapid whirl.
Then the bold-swimmer man that he is-faints, and a drink of whiskey is brought. It is poured down his throat, and he quickly recovers, When he is able to move about, in a moment or two, he is the most active in the work of preparing the remains for inspection. The body is then put in shape for the reception of relatives, and if that of a rich man, the daring rescuers are made the recipients of a handsome compensation. It may be a body laden with treasure-rings of value, costly jewels, of money in dank soggy wallets and if no one calls, the money is held awhile, and then divided.
[Welland Tribune March 18, 1947]
The funeral of the late Charles Eugene Steele, prominent Port Colborne civic leader and businessman, twice warden of Welland county, whose death occurred at his residence, 296 Fielden avenue, Port Colborne, on Saturday in his 82nd year, was held privately yesterday afternoon from the family residence to Overholt’s cemetery. Rev. Ralph P. Clark, Pastor of Port Colborne Baptist church, of which the late Mr. Steele was a deacon for many years, conducted the service.
During the service Mrs. C.W. Shore played and sang two hymns which had been favorites of the late Mr. Steele, “Jesus Savior Pilot Me” and “Nearer My God to Thee.”
The pallbearers were Charles M. Steele, Charles Ott, Donald Ott, and C.W. Shore, Port Colborne and Douglas Hebert and T.H. Baker of Welland.
Many Floral Tributes
The many beautiful floral tributes from organizations in which the late Mr. Steele had been active or interested, included those of the Port Colborne Conservative Association, Welland County Council; Port Colborne and Humberstone Boy Scouts Association; Port Colborne Board of Education, His Worship the Mayor and members of the Port Colborne council; officers and directors of the Union Gas Co. Of Canada, Chatham; officers and directors of the United Fuel Co., Hamilton; the board of governors of Niagara Peninsula Sanatorium; Beacon Lodge, I.O.O.F., No. 201; officers and staff of Dominion Natural Gas and Petroleum Association; Thorold Conservative Association; Port Colborne Baptist Church and the Baptist Ladies’ Aid.
Over the weekend many friends and former business associates of the late Mr. Steele, acknowledging the family’s wishes for a private funeral service, called at the residence to pay their last respects to the widely known business and civic leader. They included representatives of the gas industry with which he had been closely identified; the Conservative associations of the district; the board of Niagara Peninsula Sanatorium; the council board of education and Hydro commission of Port Colborne; Warden George F. Broadley and officials of Welland County; representatives of the former Peace Bridge authority and others. Relatives attending the service included those from Toronto, Buffalo and Welland.
During yesterday flags in Port Colborne were flown at half-mast in tribute to the late Mr. Steele.
[Welland Tribune March 27, 1947]
Wainfleet, March 27-Mrs. Mary Hoag, a well-known and respected resident of Wainfleet passed away at her home on Saturday, March 22 after a few weeks’ illness. She was born in 1855 at Buffalo where her father, David Jones of Devonshire, England, was a wagonmaker by trade. They moved to Marshville as it was then called about 75 years ago to the house now owned by Dr. Marshall. She is the last of the family of five girls and one boy.
She leaves to mourn her family of four sons and two daughters, Edward, Alfred, George and Louise at home, Benjamin of Buffalo and Florence of New York. There is also one grandchild, Beverly Hoag. Her husband predeceased her some years ago.
Mrs. Hoag was a great lover of home and her hospitality was widely known. She was a member of Christ Church and until recent years took pleasure in its services.
The funeral was held Tuesday afternoon from her home to Morgan’s Point cemetery. The rector, Rev. F. Sutherst conducted the service. The pall bearers were Joseph Willson, Chas. Sagert, Walter Jones, Russell Brown, William Simpson and David Gilmore.
[Welland Tribune March 27, 1947]
Wainfleet, March 28- Private funeral services were held at the home of the deceased, Tuesday afternoon for the late Mrs. Mary Hogue, of Wainfleet. Rev. F.C. Sutherst of Christ Church, Anglican, officiated and interment was in Morgan’s Point cemetery.
The pall bearers were Joseph Willson, Ward Simpson, Charles Sagert, Walter Jones, Herbert Jones and R.C Brawn.
[Welland Tribune March 26, 1947]
Death occurred at Roosevelt Memorial hospital, Buffalo, N.Y., on Monday night of Wilfred O. Snider, former resident of Humberstone and son of Lemuel R. Snider, Humberstone, in his 51st year.
The late Mr. Snider was born at Humberstone and had resided in Buffalo for some years. Death followed a lengthy illness.
Surviving are his widow, Mae Doan; a daughter, Mrs. Arthur Ferdinand; two sons, Milton and Lemuel and three grandchildren all of Buffalo, N.Y.; his father Lemuel R. Snider of Humberstone and two brothers and four sisters.
The funeral will be held from the Les Wing funeral parlors, Jefferson and Delevan, Biuffalo, N.Y., on Friday afternoon. Interment will be in Buffalo cemetery.
[Welland Tribune March 26, 1947]
Beckett’s Bridge, March 25- Fifty-four guests were present from Buffalo, N.Y., Toronto, Windsor, Norval, Beamsville, Wainfleet, Welland and Port Robinson to extend their congratulations to Mrs. Cyrus Brown who celebrated her 80th birthday Sunday at the home of her son Ernest Brown, in Beckett’s Bridge. Presentation of a radio was made to Mrs. Brown by the family. Two daughters, Mrs. J.F. Warwick, of St. John, N.B. and Mrs. D.B. Hicks of Omemee, Ont., who were unable to be present, telephoned their congratulations.
Mrs. Brown has 64 direct descendants, 10 children, 36 grandchildren and 18 great grandchildren.
[Welland Tribune March 21, 1947]
The funeral of the late Mrs. Herbert Lynn of Stop 17, who died at her home on March 17, was held on Thursday afternoon from the Sutherland-Thorpe funeral home, 152 Hellems avenue to Fonthill cemetery. The funeral was largely attended and among the many floral tributes noted at the graveside were those from Thomas Steers and the boys, the teachers and pupils of the senior room at Quaker Road School, and from the employes of the John Deere Plow Company. Rev. A.H. Davis officiated. The casket bearers were John Weiss, William Martin, Tom Stickles, Ernest Coulter, Tom Nichols and Arnold Bartlett.
[Welland Tribune March 21, 1947]
The funeral of the late Hugh Cameron Asher, 819 East Main street, who passed away in his 50th year at his home of Thursday, March 20 was held on Saturday afternoon from the Sutherland-Thorpe funeral home, 152 Hellems avenue, to Doan’s Ridge cemetery, and was very largely attended. Rev. L.R. Ballantyne of Central United church officiated, both at the funeral home and the graveside. Mrs. L. Hazel Skinner presided at the organ.
Among the many lovely floral tributes noted at the graveside were those from the Goodfellows’ Club, Electro Metallurgical Company of Canada Limited; the United Electrical Workers’ Union, the shipping department, Page Hersey Tubes Limited; Welland Rifle Club, and one from “Friends and Neighbors,”
The casket bears were Elwood Watt, E. Burton, L. Culliford, Norval Lynn, C. Dixon and Tom Potter, all members of the rifle club.
[Welland Tribune March 20, 1947]
Fonthill, March 20- The funeral service for the late Mrs. Grace Rowe was held on Tuesday afternoon from her residence, and was attended by relatives and a large number of friends.
Rev. W.J. Wismer, pastor of the Fonthill Baptist church, officiated at the home and brought a comforting message to the bereaved family. Arthur Dilts, at the piano provided the music.
The many beautiful flowers showed the affection and esteem of a large circle of friends.
Interment took place in the Fonthill cemetery with Rev. O. Simmons assisting with the burial service. The bearers were Ernest Kinsman, E. M. Pitkin, J.C. Emmett. J.B. McClellan, D. Kinsman and Wm. Pitkin.
[Welland Tribune March 20, 1947]
The funeral of the late Mrs. Annie Woram, who died suddenly at the home of Mrs. J. Goodwillie, 37 Griffith street, on March 17, in her 66th year was held on Wednesday afternoon from the Sutherland-Thorpe funeral home, 152 Hellems avenue, to the Church of England cemetery, Smith street. Many neighbors and friends attended, and among the many beautiful floral tributes noted at the graveside were those from neighbors and friends, McCormick street, the employes at the Joseph Stokes Rubber Company’s plant, the Foreman’s Club, Joseph Stokes Rubber Company, and Quaker Road W.I.
Rev. A.H. Davis, rector of Holy Trinity church officiated both at the funeral home, and the graveside. The casket bearers were N.P. Haist, Fred Tufts, Walter Emmons, C. Peskett, Jack Morwood and W. Lane.
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