OPEN RIVER MENACE TO SKATERS; WATER OPEN UNDER THE BRIDGES

Many Narrow Escapes From Drowning in Last Few Days by Skaters — — — Barney Gray Breaks Through Ice at High Line.

That all is not smooth skating on the Sheyenne river this fall has been demonstrated in the past few days by a series of acidents {sp}, and narrow escapes from drowning by young men and boys who have gone through air holes, broken through thin ice, or unwitting skated into unfrozen water under the various bridges.

The most serious accident and the narrowest escape so far repotred occurred Sunday evening about ten o'clock when Barney Gray, member of the firm of A. H. Gray and Son, broke through the ice at the high line bridge north of the city, and but for his courage and determination would probably have drowned.

Mr. Gray was skating with a number of companions near the High line when the others returned to town, walking, he decided to skate to one of the lower bridges where he left his shoes, the skates being attached to the shoes he wore at the time.

The others had hardly departed, and he started on his return trip, when the ice he was skating on gave way, and he was plunged into the icy water. In falling, he struck the far side of the broken ice, severely cutting his lips and face. For a few minutes it seemed impossible to get clear of the water, for as fast as his weight was put on the ice it broke under him.

Finally reaching thicker ice, he gained his footing, and was able to return to town where his wounds were dressed, several stitches being taken.

Under the bridge on East Main Street, there is an open hole extending almost the length of the bridge, into which several skaters have been precipitated, and were only rescued by a narrow margin.

J. C. Caughlin, a travelling man who makes his headquarters here, was also caught by the lure of the glistening ice, and pumped the depths of the river at the boat landing near the power house.

Mr. Caughlin visited the river a few days ago, to watch the merry skaters gamboling on the ice, and desiring to test its smoothness, unwarily stepped from the landing onto the river. An instant later he emerged from the mud and water of the stream and commenced to remount the landing. He decided it was too cold for a soaked spectator to watch the proceedings.

With the exception that the ice is thin in places, the skating has not been better in years. The water froze when the air was quiet, and in many places the river is like glass.

Valley City Times-Record, 12/18/1913