The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1851-06-12
INCIDENTS OF THE FLOOD.

j INCIDENTS OF THE FLOOD.
! The Jackson Go. Democrat narra,es the
following incidents a having occurred du.
ring the sudden rise Of the inland streams:
PGalLous EscArs.-A MI. Sanders and
family, living Oh the North Fork Of the
Maquoketa, were driven from their home
sbou. daylight on the morning Of the sec.
oad lfeshet on that stream. He obtained
. canoe, with which be- landed all tho mem.
hers Of the family except two sous--smalI
boys. Alter taking them from tho house
10 undertaking 70 save some property, the
canoe was upset and al thrown into the
rushing torrent. The father finally sue
ceedeJ 10 getting bis boys and himselfinto
the canoe, aud after drifting some distance
brought up sgainst large black walnut
tree, some THREE feet in diameter. By sup
porting himself against the tree, be succeed
cd 10 getting bis sons among the branches.
Al be seated the last boy safely in the tree
the canoe cid from his reach again, leaving
him Il the mercy Of The swelling GOOD,
lie again reached the Tree, but hero his
case seemed almost hopeless. The tree
was larger than he could grasp With both
arms, and yet he must either climb il, or
again trust himself, nearly exhausted, TO the
mesciless stream, every moment increasing
in height and power. Ia bis tired condition,
It seemed impossible 10 reach the shore,
while the prospect Of climbing the tree
seemed equally improbable. What. how
ever, will not . desperate man dot He At.
tempted, and actually obtained a hold Of
the lower branches by climbing, though in
doing 90 he badly lacerated his breast and
arms, and drew himself up into the tree
with bis sons. Here the three remained
from about sunrise until midday, il being
necessary to send to Canton distance offs
" 8 miles, to get canoe to take them of.
This being done they were rescued from
their perilous condition.
HAIR. BREADrH EscAPr.-Joseph Palm
er, Esq. Judge Of Probate Of this (Jackson)
county, was riding on Saturday last with a
lady "a Mrs. Bartholomew towards the
west side -of the county. Just before reach
ing the Iady's home they came to small
stream, usually no larger than man can
step across-then, however, presenting a
torrent some four 10 six rods wide, It boil
ed and foamed like mountain cataract>-
The Judge was lily disposed to attempt
passage, bu, the lady, protesting and believ-
ing that At certain point she Designated
tho stream could be easily passed, he tried
to force bis horse ina young one-bu,
could not. The lady then insisted on cross
ing. Riding close 10 the brink, she urged
tho horse to enter the water. The horse
stood moment, seeming to examine the
opposite shore, and then with one plunge
dashed into the raging stream, which. in-
stead Of beiag only few inches deep, as
she Supposed, was no, les. th,n ten feet,
as was ascertained afterwards, and she must
have been Instant. drowned, had !, no
been far the noble animal she rode. The
horse after few plunges rose TO the sur
face, and made for the opposite shore, and
would have borne its rider safely out, bot
from fright or some unexplained cause, o
short time nfter they rose TO the surface,
she lost her hold and fell over the right side
II the harse into the stream. Now was the
poin. Of her greatest danger, and so terrific
was il for few moments, that il seems 81
most incredible that she escaped with her
life. When she fell from her saddle her foa'
stuck fas, in The s,irrnp, and her weight in
the water turned the horse completely over
N its back, the lady being underneath, 10
which position they struggled short time,
and then sunk-bo.h horse and rider. MIR.
Palmer was about p'unging into tho water
when thew rose once more 70 the surface,
the lady's loot still fast in the stirrup, and
her neck aud head entanged in the reias !;
in this situation the struggles Of the horse
and the current threw them near tho shore
when the horse obtained footing, and obedi-
snt to Mr.. P.'s voice, stopped until the lady
with great presence It mind, notwithstand-
ling she was suffering severely from the ei
fec, Of the reins being drawn so tight about
her neck, extricated her foot from the stir
rub and her neck from the reins. Al this
time she was standing 10 water up TO her
arms. After resting few moments, grasp-
| ing the horse she was drawn out by the
spirited animal. Mr.. P. was still on on
side and the lady on the other, and alter a..
tempting 10. cross ths stream in various
places, he was obliged 10 allow her to pro.
coed alone 10 the nearest house, S4ths Of .
mile distant, while he took refuge on the
| oppnsite side ofihe stream.
After herring this account related BY Mr..
| P. himself, whose statement would be doubt
ed hs no one 10 the county, We are forced
tn admit ,hst fancy and fiction arc far out.
done bv reality. Truth is indeed stranger
than fiction.
/ s.. vuW9 ~ wHIrH.