P.S. NIAGARA
Death on the Ice By Andrew Hind
Eldridge Stanton held his wife close, knowing there was nothing he could do to save her. The ice floe they huddled upon swept down the raging Niagara River, the whirlpool in its path. What was revelry a few minutes ago had turned to horror. Eldridge gently wiped tears from Clara’s eyes, caressed her face, and awaited the inevitable end. Eldridge and Clara Stanton died that day, Feb 4, 1912. Dying with them was a century-old tradition of partying on the so-called Ice Bridge of the frozen Niagara River. The ice bridge, usually appearing in January and lasting until mid-February, is dependent upon specific climatic conditions to form. It’s created when a mixture of ice and slush flows down from Lake Erie, drops over the falls, and is forced up alongside the shores. The frozen morass jams with more and more ice and slush, gradually increasing in size and density. Eventually, the mass builds up to such an extent that the river becomes encased in a thick layer of ice, creating a ‘bridge’ that reaches across the Niagara River, in places as much as sixty feet thick. Throughout the 19th century, locals would venture out onto the ice to view the Falls from an exciting new perspective. Eventually, word spread and by the beginning 78
Inspire Niagara & Beyond
of the 1880s the ice bridge became a popular attraction that lured thousands every year from across the United States and Canada. Businessmen, eager to exploit the opportunity, even set up concession shanties on the ice where one could buy drinks, hot dogs, and souvenirs. There was dancing to live music. Tourists could even get a tintype picture taken of themselves on the ice bridge. That all changed after Feb. 4, 1912. Eldridge Stanton, 36, a confectionary company executive from Toronto, and his wife Clara, 28, ventured out onto the Ice Bridge on a bright and clear, though bitterly cold day. They were among 25 or so others. Everyone was in a joyful mood, despite the chill. Suddenly, a loud and horrible cracking sound echoed through the gorge. The ice began to shake underfoot. Moments later, there was another rumble, followed by the shriek of ice buckling. Cracks began to appear in the ice, tearing jagged fingers across the frozen sheet. The ice bridge was breaking up. Everyone raced to the shore, and most made it. Clara and Eldridge had the farthest to run. Clara struggled, and Eldridge desperately tried to urge her on. Not far away,
