Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1865-09-14
Gbs Daily aunpuaI.
JOURNAL RUILplNGSs
LOCUST STREET,
between FTRsT AND WATKk.
Twin Children in an 0Tern0Hed
Basement-A Thrilling scene

Basement@A fnriItiDS cSO@~'
IRON the PbizdSphiA Press-I
The tremendous waterfall on Monday
afternoon seems TO have been confined
~ = verv smaIl space Of Philadelphia,
ororars,;vsIv speaking. The vein of
oIa,,5s tom which the water fell so copi-
e,'s11 extended in northeasterly and
so.tb wssterly direction. Itwould seem
= : sbough the sun had drawn the water
from What might be considered the hofi-
ION of Philadelphia, and then emptied it
along the common center. The heavy
rain appeared to be couple of miles
wide, and ABOUT seven miles long. There
were doubtless many scenes Of thrilling
interest during that watery hour. How
people who reside on the lower grades of
the part visited By the storm, hurried to
and fro 70 save their household effects,
might form theme for a large volume.
There was one scene full Of terrible and
thrilling interest In the southwestern
part of the city there are located twelve
houses with basement kitchens. The
occupants are tidy, industrious and re-
spectacle, the families being those of
pretty well.tC-do mechanics Into these
Easements the water flowed with impetn-
osiiy, and so fast that families in the mp
per parts of the houses did not know their
cellars were full until going down stairs.
In one Of the basement kitchens o
couple of twin children, little boys, were
asleep in cradle. The mother Mrs.
Sarah Johnson, was up stairs attending
TO some household dnties, not being
aware Of the inundatiou that had taken
place. Her surprise may be imagined,
upon descending, to find the water even
with the top step of the stairway leading
into the basement. ava
Terror Of the most thrilling kind seized
upon her mind, when she thought of her
innocent babes La vain did she attempt
to 90 down stairs, but the water reached
her neck as her feet touched the lower
steps. Il was time of horror for her.
She hastily ran TO the street, screaming
at the top of her lungs for help.
/ aHelpi helpl helpr she cried, and
her shrill voice was heard above the pelt-.
ing Of the pitiless storm. -r..str
Two officers went 10 her aid, by wad-
ing through the overfowed street II
"What's the matter1 what's the mat
ter2' they hurriedly asked. The poor
woman presented q picture of despair.
"Save MP babes" was all she ejacula-
ted, as she swooned and fell. The off.
GERS rescued her or she would have been
drowned the next moment instwo feet of
water
"Wbere, madam, are your babes2'
burriedly inquired the officers, as the
poor woman partly recovered from the
shock that she had received. -
"Therel" said she, as her eyes gazed
| wildly. ThereT pointing to the over
flowed basement.
GOOD heavensf' said the officers;
"they are drowned"
As the word drowned fell upon the
ear Of the departing mother she again
tainted, and was carried into q neighbor-
ing house
The eEicers entered the dwelling
where the children were, and presently
the little ones began to cry. It sounded
like the voice of spirit coming from
the water. Otber people arrived, for the
by this time the rain had ceased to fall.
| II was ascertained the twins were in a
cradle, and that it must be floating With
| them. The force of water had buoyed IL
up against the ceiling, but where could
| not Be exactly told. org a tiiAHi
/. The mother had by this time become
more reconeiled to the situation. Her
neighbors cheered her; the men already
at hand spoke words of encouragement
/" The children still i've" said they, ''for
we heard them cry, and they are floating
10 the cradle" The anxious maternal
told the men that she had left the cradle
near 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 not q
breath nor q sound could be heared save
the dripping or the gurgling of the wa.
ter. It was now a time of despair and
terror to all. The men present, however
preserved their presence of mind, and
| did not relate their doubts and misgiv,
ings, although they believed then thai
the stiffness Of the babes-for the crying
had ceased-was that of death. The
carpet on the first floor was removed
| and one of the police officers, being 9
house carpenter, procured Ratchet
chisel, saw and auger, and in five min
utes had q portion Of the floor torn up
The precise position of the cradle was
sscertained, and il was drawn beneath o
hole that was cut through the floor and
ceiling between the joist. This was q
monentous period. The babes was sill
in the repose Of slumber, and sucking
each others thumbs. A smile played
upon their chubby faces, as though The
little innocents were enjoying the dreams
Of angels. The mothers joy may be i'm
agined at the restoration, but cannot be
described.