Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1857-01-29
How Sandusky was Saved from
---a.-a- Famine. ir
Az HISTORICAL RExnS1scEscr.

we copy from the Buffalo Republic:
One of the mostagreeable duties Of Journal
ism is to chronicle the heroic deeds ofthose
whom chance or unusual natural develop
ments have rendered benefactors to the hu-
man race. 1t is part of our legitimate
province TO rescue the fame of such indi-
viduals from oblivion, and by enacting the
historian, to hand their names and the re-
cord of their achievements down to the
admiration and gratitude Of future genera
tions. The village philanthropist, or the
benefactor of local community, is as much
part of the history of his time as the he
roes of State, or as the sacred geese
whose gabbling at the rock Tarpeia saved
Rome from the horrors of a sack. Our du-
ty in this instance is TO. relate similar oc-
currence, which transpired much nearer
home.
Years ago, when the course of trade ran
in counter direction to what we now be-
hold, owing to severe drouth, the city of
Sandusky underwent all the horrors OF a
protracted famine. The water on the bar
at the mouth of the Bay was so low. that
the vessels were unable to reach the port,
and as there was no land transportation at
that time which could be relied upon in a
case of sudden emergency, it appeared as if
Providence had forsakon the place entirely
and that its inhabitants must soon perish.
For days and weeks their stock of provis-
ions had been gradually disappearing until
soon all was gone, and their only reliance
was upon the few fish which they were en-
abled to obtain from the waters of the Bay
and an occasional meagre supply of game
from the neighboring forest.
AT the time of which we write, the woods
in that vicinity, and in fact throughout the
Western Reserve, were frequented by vast
numbers of wild hogs which obtained a
beautiful subsistence and grew fat upon the
shack which everywhere abounded. These
hogs were doubtless originally estrays, but
the spareness of the population in the inte-
rior, and the rapidity with which they multi
piled, rendered them strangers to man, and
very shy of his presence. During the
drouth, of which attention has already
been made, large droyes of these animals
wended their way to the lake, in the neigh
borhood of which they continued to re-
main. Sandusky Bay in particular was
fayorite place of resort for them, in the wa
ters of which they were accustomed to wal
low, after shaking their thirst. Those who
are acquainted with the locality of which
we speak, will remember the annoyance to
which the early settlers were exposed in
the shape of fine, red sand which covered
the beach, and which, in times of high wind,
was not only exceedingly troublesome, but
dangerous, Thousands of hogs, in conse-
quence of frequenting this spot, became to-
tally blind; but still, with ali the cunning
which belongs to this perverse race in their
natural state, they continued to elude the
hunters. -
One day when the famine in that city
was at its height, and when it was appa-
rent that even the strongest must suecumb,
Joe took down his gun, and resolv-
ed'to make a last effort to rescue his wife
and little ones from fate the most horri-
bic of which the mind has any conception.
All day long had their sunken eyes and
shriveled hands implored him in vain for
bread-and alas he knew too well that
not within the whole city was there amouth-
full to b. had, though he were to offer thrice
its weight in gold Nerred to desperation
by these reflections, but stiH with feeble
steps, he took his way to the forest, resolv-
ed not to return without relief in some
shape. .o-.-eE .,,s7---.a.--r.- --,T
For long time he hunted in vain, trav-
ersing miles of weary pathway, without SO
much as even seeing an evidence of anima-
ted nature, until he was on the point of
yielding to despair. at this moment a
noise, as of approaching footsteps, attracted
his attention, and he paused, with every
faculty rendered keen by hunger, to listen.
Nearer and nearer came the tramping, and |
just as Joe, to screen himself from obserya-
ton, took shelter behind q tree, wild hog
emerged from the thicket, advancing direct
ly toward him, followed Immediately by
another and another still. The hunter trem-
bling wi h anxiety and excitement raised
his gun, but suddenly paused in astonish-
ment.at the singularphenomenon before him
The drove-for drove there was-was ap-
him in Indian file, and headed |
directly for the Bay. The second hog
held IN has mouth tie tail of the first, the
third that of the second, and so on, to the
number of sixty end upward, each was
holding fast to the caudel appendage, of
his predecessor, and all were being led by
he foremost of the drove, and he, being
he only one that could see, was thus con-
'oying his afflicted companions. Ii
The hunter comprehended the scene in a
and instantly decided upon his
curse. Raising his gun deliberately, he
ired, and severed the tail of the leader close
o the. roots. His afrighted leadership, Ii
With loud squeal, bounded into the thick {
t and disappeared, while his blind com
anions came to a dead halt Joe quickly
ivested himself of his boots, and crept I
tealthily up to tie first of the band. which {
TODD quietly holdingin his mouth the am 1
utated tail of his former conductor. This {
be hunter seized and commenced gent v {
ulhng upon it. First one hog started, 7
hen another, then another, until soon, like '
train of cars, all were in motion, and with ]
ut pausing to rest for single instant, Joe 4
ID them quietly into a huge pen near his t
'sidence, where they were slaughtered, and j,
'e city soas saved! . ef .i.'I.9 }" as In
SANTA ANNA Misunderstanding to one b
the ministerial papers of Madrid, Of oath il
'ecember, General Santa Anna, Of Mexi-
}, has sent agents to Madrid to pro-