Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1865-03-23
TRIALS OF A FBAVELER.
Of the Great Flood at Mead
Vile, Penn.


EDITOR LEADzR-After being water-bound
in Meadville for three days, on Saturday
morning last notice was posted up in the
McHenry House, that a train would start for
Cleveland at eleven o'clock A n from the
Franklin Junction. Immediately an
anxious crowd Of oil seekers, many of whom
had arrived in Meadvflle on their way to
the oil regions, and could get no further,
and many others who were there returning
home, started on foot for the appointed
place. The only way the junction could be
reached was by the tow-path, as the rail-
road was inund ated with water to the depth /
of, in some places, ten feet. From nine |
o'clock in the morning until twelve the |
tow-psth was lined with crowd of men,
carpet-bags and satchels in their hands |
and over their shoulders, making quick
time to get to the junction before the train
should leave. About eleven o'clock your
correspondent first became aware that
train was going to Cleveland, when he
started for the junction. 1t being about
the time reported for the train to leave he
double-quicked it the whole way, deter
mined not to remain in Meadville over
Sunday, and thinking if the train had gone
he would forage upon the country until the
next train should leave.
was told when left Meadville that it
r was three miles to the junction. After
, going about that distance l passed a native
, coming into town, and enqulred how much
further Unjust go. "Three miles, was the
answer. "Not from here" "WelI, guess
P you will think so sgin you git there" The
: next question was, 'can get there before
the train leaves ?" "If you hurry" This
caused me to increase my double quick to q
7 run. Well, alter going about five miles, l
= reached what was once called the junction,
# but could see nothing but a vast lake.
There was a sheet of water half mile wide
:, to be crossed before reaching the French
u Creek bridge, and the only way of getting
g over was by means of small skif. When
g arrived upon the bank opposite the bridge,
1 found to my surprise one hundred and
10 fifty men anxiOusly waiting their turn to
cross. We were assured by the railroad
le men that the train would not start until al
"a got. over. The.skif was manned by a little
speckled-faced boy whom they called Jerry
~ who was an excellent oarsman, and by
/ patient toll and skill gained the applause o.
70 all. Only seven could cross safely at q time
n When the skiff nesred the shore fifty voicel
would cry, "Jerry, this way,-this way =
Once the boat pushed up and fourteen un.
conscious, oleaginious creatures, mysel
l. among the number, jumped in, when som'
, wicked individual pushed the boat out
of consequence was she Immediately sank il
a- five feet of water We all sprang for tn
shore, except one gentleman from Dunkirk
l. n. Y, who was determined "never TO Civ
u. up the ship" He sank with her, and ther
ne he stood in five feet of water, as cool ant
collected as if he had been accustomed t
such occurrences all his life, while tn
S crowd on the bank raised a shout that mad
to the welkin ring. Hats were thrown int
r. the air, and many in their agony Of mirtl
:. were stretched upon the ground. Jerry
~ who was nearly drowned, said if we wer
ps going to act the fool that way we would hav
u to pay for it, and raised the price to fft
he cents, whereas he had been taking then
across for quarter.
All with common consent agreed that W
y should appoint policeman out of our mum
Der, who should make up the boat lOadi
giving those priority who had arrived frs
ed as this would expedite the crossing. Thi
he arrangement was made to pscify Jerry, VIII
= declared that if we sunk that boat again
70 would cost us seventy-fve cents to cross
ieJ On account of getting wet l was allowed {
,e- cross about two o'clock, leaving seventy c
ma eighty yet to come. Some Irishmen wit
= hand cars took us up to where the trai
stood, distance of about one hundred rod
cl- for dime each. Arriving at the cars "
l q were informed that the train would NJ
m leave until all got over. A number Of |
:, started for the next station for the purpos
'ai of getting something to eat, it being ovt
IT. three miles distant. When we got with
OIL | sight of it the railroad for one-h half mi
was under water. We first tried TO col
struct raft, but the wind blew 80 stron
- that we had to abandon it. A few of l
waded, keeping upon the track, whic
ay was submerged to the depth Of three fee
I've Reaching sutton's Station we diseo7
is cred an hotel upon q distant Islan,
he You may well imagine the feelings IL
view of hotel would excite in the mint
oor of men who had been without food sin,
ch, early morning. 1t was now between fl
the and six O'Clock in the evening, but Il
question was how to reach the hotel. The
were two ways: To run the risk of getti1
me ducked by crossing in canoe, and to wad
ON Ny feshy friend B., of Cincinnati, who r
oof fused to wade with me because he did u
wish to get wet, concluded to try the o
landlords canoe. he seated himself in Il
:, bottom, the better to keep it balanced
was pushed out into the water; it began
gh, rock, and over it went, giving him q co
the bath. The landlords canoe had duck
ted almost every one who had ventured to crc
in it. One fellow who had been duck
before, concluded to cross again, and &c
ted ting out into the deepest water he manag
slo- to upset the canoe and throw Mr.. Lam
,nv lord out into the food up to his neck,
\. the infinite delight and amid the shou
of half hundred of US who were spects tol
ner 1t was now about six o'clock, and all &
the passengers having got across to the Jun
/ tim the train and
o'clock we started for Cleveland, after ha
ing wandered up the tow path, on 70,
over water, and through water, and 9
was Just seven miles from Meadvillel DR.. II
en- tle, the very gentlemanly conductor, told t
passengers tnat he would telegraph to 3
~ densburg, the first station on the.other 81
of Warren, and have supper prepare
the When we got there about ten O'Clock, t
cars stopped, and we all ran for the hot
,ts: expecting to enjoy an elegant repast viii
We supposed was waiting for US. But t
y, telegraph was down, and the dispatch b
NC not reached its destination They bul
open the dining room doJr, and as ma
ned as could stand surrounded the emp
tables, shouting for pies, bread and butt,
= The old lady, who had evidently retir
before we came, was in very bad hum,
and wanted to know why we did not Sci
her word that we were coming. She So
ms we would make her break the Sabbsth,
ws: we had eaten up all the bread and pies
the house. The railroad men managed {
m pies and the rest had to content themsely
= with lunch of bread and butter. On q
'' count of our conduct (for 1 am sure it cou
'er- not have been for what we ate they charg
fol- us fifty cents, each. We then started
and got to oLewisburgh about twelve o'cloC
Every body was in bed, but if asleep tn
''' did not remain so long, for we hallooed a
:. hammered at the door of an eating hou
-. 1 until we aroused the proprietor who, wi
... l INDIGNATION seated upon his brow appes
80 ed in his shirt-sleeves aud wanted to kuC
what all this row was about. The cry ",
iIo " Give US something to eatr' He open
the door, and in rushed the hungry crow