The Story of the Abandoned Barge Above the Falls
It was on Tuesday afternoon, August 6th, 1918 that the scow, now abandoned in the Niagara River a half-mile up river from the Canadian Horseshoe Falls, was engaged in a dredging operation in the fast currents on the American side of the river at Port Day in Buffalo. During the operation the scow struck a sandbar and the rope that held the scow to the barge snapped.
The powerless scow, with two deckhands on board, quickly started drifting out of control towards the falls .In a lucky twist of fate the scow became grounded on a rock shoal at 767 metres (2,500 feet) upriver from the falls where it still sits today. Much of the scow has rusted away. Over many years severe Niagara winter weather has failed to move it from its original location.
The two crew members on board were successfully rescued.
To learn more about this accident and other Niagara accidents, rescues and tragedies go to the excellent Niagara history site
