Democratic standard. [volume] (Georgetown, Brown County, Ohio) 1837-1850, 1841-03-16


ecirg the logs ia had not reached their
i estimation, aud had tue mUre pleasure
hal it was seen in company with my liule
amily. | wish Tor your sake, reader,
that could describe in an apequAie
manner, The scene which | viewed; but
although not so well qualified as could
wish, rely upon it, that the desire which
| feel to crafty you, will induce me to
us all my endeavors 10 give you an idea
Dl it.
1t was the month Of September. At
The upper extremity Of Dsnnieville, which
is Itself pretty village, are the slw-milIs
and ponds OF the hospitable Judge Lincoln
and other persons. The creek that con
yeys the logs to these ponds, and which
bears the name of the village, is inter.
rupted in its course by many rapids and
narrow embarked georges. One of the
latter is sitauled about half a mile above
the mill-damS, and is so rocky aud rugged
in its bottom and sides, as 10 preclude
the possibility of the trees passing along
it at low water while as conceived, it
would have given no slight labor to an
army If woodsmen or miIIers, to move the
thousands Of large logs that had acCumn.
lated in it. They lay piled in confused
he ps To great height along an extent
Of voral hundred yards, and were in
some places 30 close as to have formed
kind Of dam. AbOyo the gorge there
is large natural reservoir, in which the
head waters Of the creek settle, while
only small portion of them rippIes
through the gorge below, during the
latter weeks of summer aud in early au.
tumn, when the streams are at their
lowest.
At the neck of this basin, the lumber
ers raised temporary barrier with the
refuse of their slwn logs. The bOlrds
were planted nearly upright, aud supper
ted at their tops by strong tree exlen.
ded from side to side Of the creek, which
might there be rboulIorly feet in breadth
1t was prevented Glom giving way under
the pressure of the rising walters, by
having strong abu'ments OF wood laiI
agaihst its con,rc, while the ends Of these
abulmenrs were secured by wed res
which could be knocked off when nee,
essary.
Tho temporary dam was now finished
Little or no water escaped through the
barrier, and that in the creek above i
rose in the course of three weeks TO lis
top, which was about ten feet high, for
ming sheet that extended upwards fully
mile fron the dam. My family was in
viied early in the morning, t" 60 and
witness tho extraordinary effect which
would be produced by the breaking down
0fuhe barrier, and we all accompanied
the Iumberers IN the place. Two of the
mon on ronching il, Ihre oIftheir ilck.
els, lied haudkerchierj round their he IdI
and fastened TO their bodies Il long rope,
The end Of viii, h was held by three or
four others, who stood ready 10 drag
their companons ashore in case Of dn.
ger or accident. The two operators
each bearing an axe, walked along the
abulments and at given signal knocked
out the wedges. A second blow from
each sent the ahutmenls themselves, and
the men, leaping with extreme dexlerily
from one cross log 10 another, sprung to
the shore with almost the quickness oI
thought.
Scarcely had they effected their escape
from the trighful peril that threatened
them when the mass ofwarers burst forth
with horrible uploar. All eyes were
bent towards the huge heap of logs in the
gorge below The tumulluons burst OF
/ tho waters instantly swept away every
object that opposed its progress, and
/ rushed in Guamng wives among the tim.
her tina, every where blocked up tbs pas,
sage. Presently slow, heavy motion
was perceived in the mass OF logs: one
might havetmagined some mightymonster
, lay convusively wrlhing beneath them,
, struggling with a fearful energy to extri.
cate himself from the crushing weight
= As the water rose, this movement in.
. creased; the mass nf timber extended in
i all directions, appearing 10 become more
I and more eniangled each moment; the
logs bounded against each other, thrust
, ing aside, demersing, or raising INTO the
/ air, those with which they came in con
, tucl:-il seemed as ifthey were wlgin.
a war of destruction, such as ancient an
lhOrs describe The Efforts Of the Titan
the C0amiDgs Of whose wrath might to tht
eye Of the painter have been represanrer
by tho angry curling Of tho waters, Will
the tremulous and rapid motion orrhr
logs, which at times reared lhemselve
almost perpendicularly, might by tn
poet have been taken for the sinking
Of tho conrounded and discomf;o
giants.
( Now tho rushing element filled up III
gorge TO its brim. The logs once unde
way, rolled, tossed, and tumbled ami,
the foam, as they were carried along,
Many of the smaller trees broke across
from others great spIinters were sen