Through the generosity of Gloria Bradbury Cruppi, an article from 1925, found in her grandmother's (Florence Poole Cadieux) papers
Body discovered Monday afternoon near Dark Island. With Brother attempts
to cross river--caught in ice floe with disabled engine Brother saved
at Indian Camp Local Men ardent in efforts to recover body.
Joseph Cirtwell, age 32, who resides on LaRue Island, a short distance
above Rockport on the Canadian side of the River, lost his life and his
brother Thomas Cirtwell was miraculously rescued from the icey waters of
the River last Thursday afternoon.
The sad accident occurred in the afternnon when the two brothers left
the home of Joseph bound for Alexandria Bay where they were to purchase
lumber to build a trapping boat. They first went to Rockport and at
about twelve o'clock left that port for the Bay. When about half way
across their propeller struck a cake of ice and tore the shaft loose
from the coupling and it was while attempting to repair the accident
befallen the motor, and trying to stop the flow of water, that they were
caught in the ice jammed water.
They drifted until they were down near the Sister Light and it was here
that their plight was observed by George Heffron who operated Captain S.
B. Massey's Farm on Grenadier Island. Immediately he realized that to
attempt a rescue in a small boat would be ridiculous, and he set about
to put the disabled telephone lines on the Island to repair as they were
damaged by the high winds and within a short time word was sent to Capt.
Massey.
The brothers were working meanwhile to save their lives.
In the meantime the boat neared Pilot Island and when within a short
distance, the brothers thought they had their chance, and getting out on
the ice started for shore. The ice would not hold them and Thomas
started back with Joseph following. Thomas succeeded in making the
launch but the ice gave way under his ill fated brother and he fell in
the icy waters. He managed to surface and got on a small cake of heavy
ice. The ice and boat, each bearing a brother rapidly separated, owing
to the swift current and heavy winds.
About 3:45 the boat was near Indian Camp where several of the Bay boys
were camping, who with the aid of a line brought Tom to shore. He was
nearly exhausted from exposure but was able to explain the perilous
position of his brother. The party immediatly produced their field
glasses and when he was at a point opposite them they put out in a boat
but the waves and ice immediately taught them they would lose their
lives if any further attempt was made. The figure was watched until he
came within a short distance from Dark Island and them it seemed as
though he disappeared from view, and their opinion is that he thought he
could make Dark Island by swimming and he slipped into the waters to get
to shore, and in his efforts, lost his life.
At the time, word was sent to the Bay, the Thousand Islands Estate was
notified and the Squab, a tug boat, was not in shape to go, but the men
at once started the installation of the necessary parts of the engine
and after tirelessly working, at 11:00 at night in a gale and a mass of
floating ice, the Squab with Capt. Earnest Porter at the wheel plowed
her way through the dangerous waters for the place the man was last
seen. In the party was Chauncy Yerden, Charles Gore, Ross Visger and
Carl Miller, besides Capt. Porter who was familar with eith every point
of the River in that section. These men are deserving of much credit,
spending most of the entire night in search of the missing men until the
grey dawn revealed nothing but the barren shores. In the morning the I
Wonder belonging to contractor J.B.Reid, left with a party of men but
within a short time the party on the Squab had learned the story and
both boats returned without any traces of the missing brother.
Among the ardent searchers for the body were his brothers, who kept up a
constant effort to drag the body from the waters, and on Monday morning
a large searching party left with skiffs and the boat I Wonder for the
neighborhoold of Dark Island. About 2:00 in the afternoon Fred Ivey and
Henry Hunt who were in one skiff grappled the body from the icey waters
and the remains were taken to the undertaking parlors of N.A. Houghton
here, and later removed to the home of his brother, William Cirtwell of
Rockwell Street.
Joseph Cirtwell was well known in this vicinity, being a man everyone
admired, and held a position of caretaker and Captain for Andrew McNalley
Co. of Evanston, IN. In his spare time he he conducted a small farm on
LaRue Island and bore a reputation of ambition and thriftiness.
He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Cirtwell of Ash Island and was
married, his wife being Miss Mabel Hanley before marriage.He is survived
also by Dorothy age 4, Marion age 2 and Joseph Jr. age 1. He is also
survived by three brothers, William of this place, Frank of Clayton and
Thomas who resides with his parents at Ash Island. There are also two
sisters Mrs. constance F. Kehoe who is now in Florida and Carmell
Cirtwell who resides at home with her parents.
The funeral was held Wednesday morning at 10:00 at the Catholic Church
at Rockport, Rev. Father Scott officiating and interment was made at the
Rockport Cemetery.
Singular enough was the feeling expressed by the surviving brothers when
told that the remains probably never be reclaimed but with a brotherly
feeling and instinct went about their efforts with a confident spirit
and through the days that intervened between the time of the tragedy and
the day when the body was found, never lost hope but that the body would
be found. And singular enough, as expressed by the older residents is
the act that never has a person been drowned here but their body has
been recovered.
The sympathy of the entire community is extended to those who are left
in their bereavement, and especially to the widow and the children of a
tender age who need their father's care and protection, but fate in it's
cruel way seemed to mark the path that led to death of a man in the morning of his day.