The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1865-09-28
Twin Children in an Overflowed Base.
ment--.A Thrilling Scene.
From tho Philadelphia Press


The tremendous waterfall ON Monday
afternoon seems to have been confined to
a very small space of Philadelphia, COM
paratively speaking. The vein of clouds
from which the water fell so copionsly ex-
tended in northeas:erly and Southwestern
~ direction. 1t would seen, as though the
sun had drawn the water from what may
he considered the horizon of Philadelphia.
and then emptied it along the common
mon center. The heavy rain appeared to
be a couple of miles wide, and about seven
miles long. There were doubtless many
scenes of thrillinginterest during that wa
terry hour. How people who reside or the
lower grades of the part visited by the
storm. hurried to and fro to save their
household effects. might form 81 theme for
q large volume. There was one scene full
of terrible ond thrilling interest. In the
southwestern part Of the city there are To-
Gated twelve houses with basement kitch-
and respectable. the families being those OF
pretty we'll to do mechanics. Into these
easements the water flowed with impetu-
osity, and so fast that families in the up
per parts of the houses did not know their
cellars were full until going down stairs.
In one of the basement kitchens couple
of twin children, little boys, were asleep
in cradle. The mother, Mrs. Sarah John
son, was upstairs attending osome house
hold duties, not being aware of the inun-
dation that had taken place. Hersurprse
may he imagined, upon descending, to find
the water even with the top step of the
stairway leading to the basement. r...
Terror of the most thrilling Kind seized
upon her mind, when she thought of her
innocent babes. In vain did she attempt
Ia go down stairs. but the water reached
her neck as her feet touched the lower steps.
1t Was n time ofhorror for her. She hasti-
ly ran 10 the street, screaming at the top OF
her lungs for help. ..s
~"Help! help! holpr she cried, and hel
Of the pitiless storm.
Two officers went to hor. aid,fb wading
through the ovcrliowed street.
"What is the matter? what is the mat
ter?'' they ,h,,rriedly asked. The-po
woman presented the picture of despair.
Save my babes was all that she ejacu
lated, as she -swooned and fell. Theoffi.
GERS rescued her. or She would have beer
drowned the next inoment in two feet o.
water. - - ~fa2
"Where, madam, are your babese" hur.
riedly inquired the officers, rs the poor
woman partly recovered from the shock
that she had received. ~ .'
''rherc!' said she, rs her eyes gazed
wildly. "I'herer' pointing to the over.
flowed basement. .-...F
"GoOd heavens!' exclaimed the officers
"they are drowned -'.'.. +'.
As the word drowned fell upon the cal
of the despairing mother she again tainted
and was carried into a neighhoring house
The officers entered the dwelling where
the twin children were, and presently the
little ones began to cry. 1t sounded like
the voice Of spirit coming from the water
Other people arrived, for by this time the
rain had ceased to fail. It was ascertained
the twins were in acradle and that it must
he floating with them. The force of the
water had buoyed it up against the ceiling
hut where conld not be exactly told.
The mother had by this time become
moro reconciled to the situation; sherneigh
bors cheered her; the men already at hand
spoke words of encouragement. ''The
children still live" said they, "for we
heard them cry, and they are floating in
the cradle" The anxious maternal told
Il. 1acx Al,
the center of the basement. Ears were
strained to their utmost power to catch the
sound of the voices of the seemingly
doomed babes; but nota breath nor a sound
could be heard save the dripping or the
gurgling Of the. water. 1t was now a time
of despair and terror to all. The men pres
ent, however, preserved their presence o
mind, and did not relate their doubts and
misgiyings, although they believed ther
that the stilincss Of the babes-for the cry
ing had ceased-was that of death. The
| carpet on the first floor was removed, anG
one Of the police officers, being a hous,
carpenter, procured n Ratchet, chisel, saw
and auger, and in five minutes had a por
tion of the floor torn up The precise po
sition of the cradle was ascertained, and i
was drawn beneath hole that was Gu
through the floor and ceiling between the
joists. This was momentous period
The babeswere still in the repose of slurn
Der and sucking each others thumbs. 4
smilo played upon their chubby faces, a
though the little innocents were enjoying
the dreams of angels. The mothers 10,
may be imagined at the restoration, but i
cannot be described. .,.. '.....- z,
EsrIn Paris heard several queer ru
mors; one, that Guizot would soon an
nounce himselfa convert to Roman Ca
tholicism; anotser, that Edmond Abou
will era long be appointed to office. Alex
ander Dumas has begun to say soft thing
of the Emperor in the Petit Journal.
shall be curious to see A bout sfirst attemp
in that line. The rumor that the Empero
is about TO launch out upon general sys
lter, Of freedom. etc, has become chroni