Niagara Falls in Niagara Region, Ontario — Central Canada (North America)

Stranded Scow

Photographed By J. J. Prats, October 15, 2014

1. Stranded Scow Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

On August 6, 1918, this dumping scow broke loose from its towing tug about 1.6 kilometres (1 mile) upriver, with Gustav F. Lofberg and James N. Harris aboard. The men opened the bottom dumping doors and the scow grounded in the shallow rapids. They were rescued the next day by breeches buoy, on a line shot out from the roof of the adjacent powerhouse.

Erected by The Niagara Parks Commission.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1918.

Location. 43° 4.238′ N, 79° 4.318′ W. Marker is in Niagara Falls, Ontario, in Niagara Region. Marker is on Niagara Parkway close to Dufferin Isle Road, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 7530 Niagara Parkway, Niagara Falls ON L0S 1A0, Canada. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Burch’s Mill (about 90 meters away, measured in a direct line); Toronto Power Generating Station (about 240 meters away); Niagara Park Greenhouses (approx. 0.4 kilometers away); Bridgewater Mills (approx. half

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a kilometer away); Wm. B. Rankine (approx. 0.8 kilometers away); Nik Wallenda & Niagara (approx. one kilometer away in the U.S.); The Niagara Parks Commission / Commission Des Parcs Du Niagara (approx. one kilometer away); Niagara Falls Park and River Railway Powerhouse (approx. one kilometer away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Niagara Falls.

Also see . . .
1. Wikipedia Entry for the Stranded Scow. “There are conflicting reports whether Luffberg and Harris were able to release the false bottom of the scow to dump their load of sand and silt - but regardless, the boat got caught on a rock shoal 838 yards (766 m) from the edge of the falls, leaving the two Niagara Falls Power Company employees stranded in the middle of the raging torrents of water. Later reports suggest that Luffberg had tied a rope between himself and the scow as a safety precaution lest he fall overboard while the scow was still beached, while Harris tied one between himself and a free barrel.” (Submitted on December 20, 2014.)

2. Wikipedia Entry for Breeches Buoy. “A breeches buoy is a crude rope-based rescue device

Stranded Scow and Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By J. J. Prats, October 15, 2014

2. Stranded Scow and Marker

The scow is the black object to the right of the fishermen at the fence.

used to extract people from wrecked vessels, or to transfer people from one location to another in situations of danger. The device resembles a round emergency personal flotation device with a leg harness attached. It is similar to a zip line.The breeches buoy was usually deployed from either ship to ship, or ship to shore using a rocket, kite system, or a lyle gun, and allowed single person evacuations. A line is attached to the ship, and the person being rescued is pulled to shore in the breeches buoy which rides the line similar to a zip line.” (Submitted on December 20, 2014.)

Scow Stranded in the Rapids of the Niagara River, Above the Falls image. Click for full size.

Photographed By J. J. Prats, October 15, 2014

3. Scow Stranded in the Rapids of the Niagara River, Above the Falls

<i>The Life Line</i> image. Click for full size.

Oil by Winslow Homer, 1884

4. The Life Line

This painting shows a breeches buoy in action. It is in the George Elkins Collection at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. This photograph of the painting is from Wikipedia Commons.

Credits. This page was last revised on September 27, 2019. It was originally submitted on December 20, 2014, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. This page has been viewed 381 times since then and 29 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on December 20, 2014, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio.