Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1858-06-25
THE ROSCOE CALAMITY.


r,p,c, IN, o.,
Inc 'ochior' N'il.') REGISTER OF June 9th'
gives the following interesting account of the
terrible calamity by food, at Roscoe.
we now proceed with the Key Mr.. llsley 5
history OF inc occurrence, which he gave be-
lore the inquest. lie says
me ram commenced to tall at about .
CLOCK on Thursday afternoon, and increased
IN N force until about ~. AT this time they
uic not leel alarmed although the creek was
rising very iast they ana not know anything
ABOUT the railroad or the culvert then; at
O'Clock the water was up around the house.
ana rushlng py with great iorce; Mr.. l. pro-
posed 10 MS family to leave the house, but as
men VINO were IN the nelghborhood had told
them they had seen the water much higher
than IL was now, they concluded not to go out.
Al ABOUT ii clock, Messrs Thompson, Lane
anu lowers got up 10 the mouse and told
them they thought there was no danger, as
the water had lowered Mr.. llsley went to
.ne door and measured u, the height OF tho We
tII' anu louilo IL i'io iaiicl iour OF h,e ihches
lilo nuu previously measured !he he'ght Oh
Ine " "l'cF' anu iharheu where IL ,heh STOOD.
rom soiic vi .hosc Scitiei,iah VINO were at
.lie mouse at TINS liihe' we learned that they
.ooh lhe ci1lles on ,ne Iihe ana named them
W the i.niiy' anu -hr' Laiic sa'o 'ila' II .hey
,l Ti'nou ~ ie"Nc Inu nouse ne Mouiu carry
t,iclh oul throu5n ''Ic "aer) having CON
oiGuiu ~ ronia'n i'i tile nous lle younger
cLlii'lGi were sen. 70 ga, ana, sior,iy ater,
uio o'n'ngc S , VI .ne illn'iy met IN the iower
room; ana nad prayers, preparatory to retlr-
ing also. Inc other children went un stairs,
ana Mr. llsley proposed to his wife to remain
up short time longer. This must have been
about IL or hall past ii O'Clock. Just after
alter the three children went up, there was
! great rush OF water past the house, and Mr..
l. went to the hall door with lantern and
looked out. lie found the water rushing by
win tremendous force on al sides OF him,
ana coming IN ut the door. lie called loudly
for help several times, but the water was too
deep, and rushing with such tremendous
iorce that no one could get near the lll-iated
house Mrs. llsley called to Ioratio, the
eldest son, and ran up stairs Immediately.
she then called to her husband to come up,
which he dld, and opening one OF the win
| dows again screamed for help, but in vain.
At this time he was Just coming out OF
his study, and was standing in the entry
when he heard the children cry out 90 Fa-
ther, father ~ and, at the same moment, he
saw one end OF the house fall out with a
crash. lie then felt the whole house sway
| ing up and down, like boat on wave, and
then 1t tell into ruins. Just as it fell he
heard his wife scream, and that was the last
he heard or saw of his family. lie immedi-
ately found himself in water, not know
| ihi how he got there, and with no power
10 heiP himself, "a' tossed about and hur-
ried along with great velocity to the river
nc TOOK IN some water tneh, OUT hau presence
OF mind enough to guard against taking IN
any more ana try to keep ms head aDove wafer
Ills own simple ana touching words oest ues,
crlbe his feelings at TINS awiui moment, ana
show is ialth In tnat uod ne SO long ha,
served. lie SAID, . then commended my SOU
ana my family 10 pod' expecting 10 mee'
Him and them In eternity IN moment
and almost wish | had" lie was carried
on until he struck against some hood-wood,
and soon alter was thrown against tree
INTO which he climbed, ana managed tc
MAINTAIN himself Tor TWO hours, during whlcf
time the people had discovered him, and wer'
making raft to rescue him, when Mr kich
ardson swan out to him and got hold OF hin
Just as MS strehgtn ialleu MN, anu lie w"
dropping of the limb. When 1t Is remem
bered that Mr.. |. has but one leg, and wa
in delicate health, his escape from death u
almost miraculous.
The family thus suddenly cut OF have only
resided in Roscoe short time, Mr. Isle.
having come from Beloit to take charge O
the Congregational Society in that village
The family consisted OF ten persons-iather
mother, four sons and four daughters In
eldest son was engaged IN the bank OF Mar
snail ilsley' IN milwaukee, ana was nom
on visit, D. r. llsley, oil MILWAUKEE,, Is III
uncle. lie was to return to his business to