Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1863-01-21
From the Conneaut Reporter.
Records of the Past.
BY JOEL BLAKEsLEE.

unQallOn OF waters IN tnlS region, since
the earliest settlement of Ohio in 1888,
was experienced in February, 1893, car
rying devastatip> destruction down the
large rivers -ie great Atlantic, destroy
/ ing life and great amounts of property
The waters of the Ohio at Cincinnati rose
some five feet above the freshets of 1872
and lSl5-according to hydrometry, six
| tY7three feet above low water mark, ins
undating a large portion of the city
Northern Ohio felt the effect in the de-
struetion of cattle, mills and dams, fen
+ces, bridges and other property. On
Saturday morning. at 4 o'clock, the llth
OF February, | think, a stage, two days
from Caledonia, New York, arrived at
COnneaut Creek 1t was dark, the creek
was swollen 10 large river and the road
over the whole distance of the low lands
was submerged, except a portion of the
bridge. There was no crossing with the
stage, but the mail must he passed over
to the Post Office in the village. Leaving
the stage and all ths passengers except
three on the east side of the creek the
driver took the mail and started on horse
back, accompanied by my brother. Fede-
raj Blakeslee, and the other two men,
and made hazardous attempt at cross
ing, single file. The driver, taking the
bridge ahead for guide, plunged in
The water over the road ran with strong
current, and was about stirrup deep. At
the east end of the bridge the food had
cut broad, deep channel, and the Wa
tiers were rushing downward with fearful
velocity. The drivers horse madea pow
erful plunge and gained the bridge; my
brothers horse struck the bridge with
one foot, when the water swept his body
round, but with a strong effort he gained
the bridge. Mr.. Brown, one of the pas
sengers, was timid, but finally made the
plunge, and the foaming tide swept him
and his horse under. Soon a dark spot was
seen to rise one or two rods below, and a
voice, i" My God-l ! shall drown" was
heard, The dark object again disappear
ed and Mr. Brown was gone, The three
survivors rushed ahead up hill into the
village and gave the alarm, and the vii
layers started with torches on the west
side of. the creek for the unfortunate
man, but without success. The nextday
the horse was found aliye in deep water,
wedged into q quantity of food-wood,
but the body of Mr.. Brown was not found
until the first Sunday in April, half way
between the bridge and the Lake, % 90 1
Wishing to see friend, Jeremiah
Dodge, ESQ.,, merchant in New Lyme,
during the freshet mounted a young,
spirited horse and rode some l00rods from
my dwelling in Colebrook to spot where
was generally viyulet, some three steps
across from which the ground assembled
some 30 rods each way. ! found the riv-
ulst swollen toa river, above fording depth,
with logs and fence rails sluggishly NOV
ing on the surface, and l rode home.-
Next day ! tried it again. and seeing clear
passage, plunged in and was soon at swim
ming depth. Thinking was going to
the bottom, l dropped the rein and seized
the horses name. The animal plunged
ahead, and as ! thought vent straight
until he reach terra frrns, Once on land
dared not go ahead, for there were other
high waters beyond, and to recvoss the
stream was hazardous although / wished
myself back. Looking around me, every
thing was strange-I was lost-but finally |
discovered my whereabouts-when gave |
the horse rein. instead of going across, he |
went down a short distance, and came I
out on the same side. 10 /
In the spring of 1900, and 1909, were
sudden rises of the Mahoning, caused by
the breaking up of the ice by heavy rains,
which overfowed the wilderness country
to n wide extent. Very few inhabitants
we're then settled on the Reserve. Judge
Ephriam Quinby and Vim. Fenton only
were on the Warren Flat, in Trunlbull
county. The rise of the Mahoning was (
50 sudden, as described by truthful old
pioneer, that the few cattle along the bot
toms from Warren to Beaver Pa, were
lost by being hemmed into the ice [
In later freshet Judge Quinby lost has
cattle and swine, and Mrs. Q. went from {
her door about sunset, on dry ground, to {
place some loaves of bread in an outdoor |
oven, some three rods distant, and when
they were baked was obliged to 90 to the F..
dwelling in q canoe. This freshet is said {
10 have raised the water some Two feet {
above the loft of Judge Quinby's mill but
the old pioneer fabric withstood the food,
md like the inhabitants then, was capa-
Dable of withstanding almost everything, Il
except the ravageS of time. II
During the food, JAS. Drake from below I
he Salt Springs, in Wethersfeld, eameto
Warren for Medicine for brother nearlYl
1t the point of death, and on returning Il
N attempting to cross the MahOning ON [.
horseback, was drawned. The horse was ]
ound the next day on cake of ice, but |
IS rider was not found until Just one year
rom the day he was lost The body was
ound by Mr. Fusselman, when prepar-
ng to make sugar, and although much
lecayed, was recognized as being that Of
I1r. Drake from the singular circumstance !
,f having six toes on each foot. 1t Is
tated that the widow of Drake during
he twelve months mourned the death of
nc husband and coGrted another-thel
Law of her marriage with the esecond being
ppointed for the day after the funeral
f the first, but for decency's sake was
short time. -- .A.i--7'-
Those who passed by stage from Buffalo
o Canandaigua and vice versa, while the
,enecas inhabited their Genessee' 'reserva-
ion may remember that the stage road
,assed Immediately by the Cuymewago :
indian Castle, one mile, west OF the Cen
sse Bridge on the edge OF the rising
round. The intervening ground was so
much of the celebrated fats extending =
Iearly from the Pennsylvania north line
o Rochester. The northern boundary of
he reservation was marked by shallow
northwesterly, in u direct line
yer the flats to s. beautiful round hill,
overed with whortle-berry BUSH 1-l a
Upon crossing the flats on a September
ay, in 1914, my ears were suddenly
reeted by burst Of silvery music in the j
Erection of the whortle-berry hill, pro p
eeding from n multitude of youthful a
oices, Looking in that direction I be- f
eld beYy of Indian girls rushing from
he hill to the flats, with baskets on their $
rms, in pursuit of one of their number, v
, a r,r.t r.,orr.,r frolic and aaf Or, NV | I.