Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1858-06-15
Ths Calamity a. Roscoe.

Never has IL been our lot TO chronicle TO the
world an event 50 distressing as that which oc-
cured IL the town of Roscoe, III, on Thursday i
night June , 1895. For DAYS and even weeks 4
The great and frequent rains had swollen the 1
streams and caused various interruptions 10 the I
travel on roads aud railroads IL this vicinity
bat the damages were generally slight, and ca
SLY repagegi. On the afternoon and evening
above named. the rain poured down IN torrents, /
and caused the streams already full, to overflow
their banks and produce much greater disasters
to bridges and other property t..,in had been be-
fore witnessed since the great freshet in 1851.
By this sudden rise the stream running through
the village Of Roscoe into Rock river became 50
swollen as nor TO find room TO pass through the
culvcrt Of the railroad near the village and be-
ing thus partially obstructed. It's waters aecunu-
lated n large body, east of the railroad en-
ban ment until their force became so great as 10
sweep away the eulveri and about $50 feet of
the Railroad erubankmeUt, thence rushing with
tremendous volume and power down through the
village to the riyer, and carrying away IN It's fu-
rious march three dwelling houses, one store,
and two stables, together with their respective
contents.
Fortunately only one of these dwellings was
at that time the residence Of human beings; bat
that one contained ten per-ons-the entire fam
IIy Of Rev Horat5o Illsley, formerly OF Monson,
Ne. but more recently OF DIXON, Ill Mr. |.
had recently removed to r., and taken charge
Of the CONGREGATIONAL Church in that town I'M
son who had been absent ten months in Mil
waukee had inst returned home on a visit, and
now for the first time in ten months were his
family all home.
At about nine O'clock the waters near his
house began to assume rcateuIng aspect, and
excited the fears of the father FOR me safety Of
I his family bat after consulting neighbors who
had often seen his dwelling apparently in great
T er peril by the waters, and who assured him
+ there WIS 10 danger, he decided TO remain Ia
I the house.
/ In tits condition The family remained during
+ the evening. At about IL O'clock the divine
blessing was invoked and the children retired
leaving their anxious and deyo ed parents 10
watch the progress of the threatening waters
which then had begun to abate, when suddenly
the waters hitherto held in check by the Rail
road elIbans menr, of which all ignorant,
now having born away the sandy barrier, came
rushing against the house and began to fill the
lower rooms.
At this Instant the father called the eldest son
/ from the chamber hoping, If possible, to ind a
way of escape for his family, but SO rapid was
the influx OF wafer below that all were comPeA-
ed to hasten 10 the chamber, " here the father
raised the window and called aloud Tor assist
ance At this moment his attention was arrest
ed by the anxious cry OF "Jafhef' IRON ms
children. On turning to 20 TO them, he feit the
floor sinking beneata him, and saw the walls
Of the house. which were built of brick, falling
before him, amid the shrieks OF hI7 wife and
children All were now at the mercy OF the
relentless torrent, and nine Of that devoted house
hold, the mother and eight children persisted
together
i He now found himself struggling and choking
+ under the rushing waters, and raising his heart
in PRAYER, committed himself and the souls OF
his family, to his Saviour, expecting in q few
moments to be with them in eternity; but
proyidentialv some floating substance passed
beueath him, that raised his head above the
water, to which he clung with the tenacity Of
a diving man. In this position he was carried
by the rapid current abOu- half a nile towards
the river. without receiving any serious injury.
1t this point he came in contact with limb
of n tree Standing~fn the water which he seized
and by which he was enabled TO climb to n po-
sitton above the water. His first effort now was
by vomiting. 10 relieve his lungs and stomach
which were nearly filed with water. Here he
remained about two hours in the awful con
seriousness of his own condition, and that of his
family, expecting every moment that the frail
tree to which he was clinging would Weld to the
terrible force Of the rushing waters and consirn
hmm to the fate Of his dear family The dark
ness concealed his position, but bis cries for as
-sisfauce were lizard, and brought ' persons
to the shores Of the wideHed stream, who sought
in va "a to reach him, till at length a tall, ath-
letic roam who could swim, finding point from
which he thought he could reach HIM laid aside
his garments and took a lantern in one hand and
the end of a rope in the other that was held bv
others on the shore, and succeeded in going TO
the tree. Vow committing the lantern 10 the
hand IF the almost exhausted man he took him
carefully upon his shoulders and bore him safe
Is to tie shore.
During tie night every possible effort was
made ~ the citizens To find the lost ones but
! no traces Of them were disco, cred until morn
ing. when the bodies of four cf the children. the
eldest son and daughter, Horatio and Charlotte
aud Susan aud the infant son Charles Merrill,
were found among and near the ruins of the
building Susan WIS lodged near the house
cnveioped in flannel blanket. The Infant
was IN bed. The two latter exhibited no
marks Of external injury, but the Oldest son
and daughter were badly bruised and 1nangled
having been undoubtedly killed 10y the falling
building.