American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1846-07-23
Correspondence of the Baltimore Clipper.l
NIGHT AND DAY AT THE WILEY
HOUSE.

NIGHT AND DAY AT THE WILEY
HOUSE.
NoTcH HOUSE, N. H., June &c, 1916.
Invited by my obligng host, H. Fabyan, to
ke seat by his side in wagon built to suit the
rupt declivities Of this mountainous region,
d kept solely for the convenience of his
ests, and learning that the ride was to be to
celebrated Wiley House, seven miles on
return road, concluded to take my carpet
g and remain there till the stage on the NOR
W should pick me up. The company was
imposed, beside ourselves, of six others, bril-
party from Boston, who had been on tour,
spend their festive honey moon, to the Falls,
e Lakes and Montreal, and had taken this
lutte on their return.
AS our drive lay through the "Notch," we
ld ample time and opportunity to view and
famine the wonders of this far-famed "sun-
bring Of the mountains, " as some fancy it to be,
former CONFUSION of nature; as we'll as the
unte, gigantic water passage down a deciv
leading through rocks chizzled out appar-
billy with the nicely of art; and also a repeti-
on of falls from an elevation of thousands of
pet leaping from height to height, in such
pick succession that the water is kept in a
ontnual foam from top to bottom. Before
brrents, and so cold that it made ones teeth
halter again. But bright blaze was soon
[ackling in the hearth, which made us forget
ur late discomforts. The "addition' for the
accommodation of visitors, not yet quite COM
leted, | was indebted to Mr.. Fabyan's infu-
nce for permission to remain; and in the end,
aust have put them to much inconvenience, as
ext morning marvellous bustling about with
uge bundles of hastily rolled up commodities
q learly told how the dozen or more workmen,
ogether with several teamsters who had arrived
uring the night, had been mapping it on the
,ar-room floor, their only sleeping apartment.
The only made up bed, | have reason to be-
zieve, was allotted to my comfort.
Among those who came in for shelter from
he ptiless torrents of almost endless rains, was
z5ne who had been acquainted with Calvin Will
ey prior to the calamity which on the 2Sth
august, 1926, swept the whole family, consist
ing of Mr.. w, his wife, five children and two
|yorkmen, from a living world. Although the
events relating to this visitation have been re-
3terated till nothing seemingly new remains to
be raked up, still few facts coming direct
from the lips of an eye witness, as one may say,
carries freshness with it, if no more. This ira
weller tells me that he was at the house not
Fonly day or two previous to the catastrophe,
hut again the day following it, and took charge
|of the deceased's effects for time.
1t is generally known, that had the family re-
manned in doors, no harm would have come
|apon them, as the house remained uniniured.
Mr.. Wiley had expressed to my informant his
fullest confidence, that the rock-seated some
four or five rods in the rear of his dwelling, on
the declivity of the mountain, at the foot of
which stands the building-was part of the
primitive rock, and that il would withstand the
slide, which from sundry indications was more
or less expected during the continuance of a
long rainy season. But to quiet the fears of his
family, Mr.. w. had erected tent at some
twenty rods distance, under the shelter OF a
huge rock, to which the family were wont to
resort, notwithstanding it was contrary to the
wishes of Mr.. W., who placed all reliance to
their remaining within doors, in case the slide
should take place. But it is supposed that the
uproar of the surrounding commissions and the
horror of the moment were too great for them
to remain quiet, and in terror and dismay they
rushed out and met their end. When it is
known that the mass of matter which came
down covered the side of the mountain to the
extent of from half to three-fourths Of mile
square, loaded with dense forest and myriads
of rocks of huge dimensions, some faint con-
ception can be formed of the terrific horror il
occasioned in rushing down declivity of &C
degrees, and plunging into the channel OF the
Saco River, which was choaked up till an over
flow forced itself a passage.
Towards the close of the following day, q
traveller, my informant, came through the
'Notch," and after much difficulty, in pursu
ing his way,-the road was now buried fathom'
beneath heterogeneous mass of rubbish, sucl
as rocks, mire, earth, water, and trees twisted
up and riven to spnters-at length reached thu
house in safety. Finding it tenantless, but feel
ing too much fatigued to continue his journey
he tarried there the night 1t appears that wher
the dread rush of water took place, Mr.. w
was engaged in reading the Bible, and his wifi
was at her sewing, as upon light stand place.
between two chairs, lay the open book and TIN
thimble and scissors of Mrs. W.; her work be
ing cast hastily aside. The candle was burn
to the socket, and the melted tallow had flowed
across the stand, dropped to the floor and cool
ed. To make his meaning more PLAIN, my IN
formant placed the chairs and stand in the pc
sition he found them, and from the very spo
ofwhich am taking down these particulars =
AS if the doom should not be otherwise com
plete in an adjoining room lay three of thei
children asleep, as supposed by the impression
left in the bed; the clothes from which wer
hurriedly thrown back, the little ones snatclie
up, and they then rushed out to meet thei
fate.
In the morning following the nights rest {
our traveller, finding the rock against whic
had been erected their tent of safety, was sweI
some forty rods below, he pursued his cours
towards the next house some twelve miles di:
tant with the information. Quickly the alart