CANAL DISCOVERY: Story of ‘Fat Man in a Berth’

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Doug Farley is director of the Erie Canal Discovery Center. His column runs every Saturday.

January 15, 2011

The Lockport Union-Sun %26 Journal Sat Jan 15, 2011, 07:55 PM EST

Last week, we looked at some of the Erie Canal wisdom of Marvin Rapp, author of “Canal Water and Whiskey.” This book of Erie Canal stories was first compiled in 1965 and has recently been republished by Western New York Heritage Magazine. Rapp discovered a wealth of information in his research that might otherwise have been long forgotten. This week’s reflection is entitled, “Fat Man in a Berth.”

“I awoke in the night with a dreadful feeling of suffocation. Cold perspiration stood on my forehead, and I could hardly draw my breath; there was a weight-like lead on my stomach and chest. I attempted to cry out — in vain. I lay almost without consciousness. At last, I became quite awake and remembered where I was, and in what circumstances I was placed. The weight remained immovable. Above me was a noise like distant thunder; it was my companion of the upper story who lay snoring over my head and the weight, which pressed on my chest, was caused by his body, no longer remained a doubtful point.

“I endeavored to move the Colossus — impossible. I tried to push, to cry out — in vain. He lay like a rock on my chest, and seemed to have no more feeling. As all my attempts to awake him were ineffectual, I bethought me of my breastpin, which luckily I had not taken out of my cravat the night before. With great difficulty I succeeded in moving my arm and reaching the pin, which I pressed with a firm hand into the mass above me.

“There was a sudden movement, which offered me momentary relief; but the movement soon subsided. The weight was growing heavier and more insupportable, and to prevent being utterly crushed, I was obliged to reapply the pin. ‘What’s that?’ ‘Murder!’ ‘Help!’ cried a deep bass voice above me. Feeling myself free, I slipped like an eel from under the weight, and saw by the dim light reflected from a lamp hanging under the deck, a sight of no common occurrence. A stout heavy man, who slept in the upper frame without a mattress, was too much for the canvas which spanned the frame and it had given way under the weightiest part of his form, which descended ’til it found support on my chest. The thrust of my breastpin had caused him to make an effort to move, which gave me that opportunity of making my escape I so gladly seized.

“As he returned to his former position with greater force and weight from the exertions he had made, the support being gone, the canvas split still wider and, more than half asleep he was sitting on my bed, while his head and feet remained in his own. He soon began to call out, ‘Help!’ ‘Murder!’ Everybody started up to see what the matter was, and to laugh heartily at the extraordinary attitude of this stout gentleman.”

Doug Farley is the director of the Erie Canal Discovery Center and his column runs every Saturday. The Discovery Center is closed for the season and will reopen May 1.

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