The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-10-06
HARPER'S FERRY HORROR.
THEdPP4LLTNG GsPECTACLED DrRJyg
IHB SHENANDOAH FLOOD,
Tho Rushing Of q Devastating Torrent
Throueh the Streets - strong Houses
swept AwaJ md whole Families Drown
ed-Basket Suspension Bridre.-nIaryel-
Ious Adventures on the stream,

The scene at Harper's Ferry on Saturday was
one to be remembered. Shenandoah street and tie
low grounds lying between II and the shenandoah
river were entirely submerged. The edge Of the
street Il washed by the canal, and between the
canal and the river are three islands, separated by
bitches. The upper island Ia called ovcrtor, tAe
next Halls, and the next tie Island OF virsinius
On the inner side " snenandoah street Is Il pre-.
ciptous ledge perhaps 200 feet hish. which formed
barrier to the food and hommed II In, bu, II went
rushing down the street oil the more violently and
swept away or greatly injured ali the buildings on
the water side. Among them was the Government
stable with walls immensely thlck and strong
which we're lned from their foundation, the brick
being thrown about as though they had been sand
Fifteen other buildings. mainly dwelling, were
swept away with all their contents the nmstes
barely escaping with their lives and ton were badly
damaged.
A. the lower end OF the village near the BaitI.
Wore and Ohio Railroad. IL short street. runniug
parallel with Shenandoah street, and between It End
the river, on which were several stone aud brick
houses. On Friday evening the water suddenly rose
sir feet, nng the frrt noors OF these houses and
driving the inmates 10 the upper stories. The Webb
family were In the greatest peril, the water
stanty rising and the foundations, OF their house
giving way. Mrs. Webb stepped TO window With
an infsnt n her and held It MP appesling for
Its rescue. young man suggested
BASKET rERRY,
and forthwith large clothes basket was procured
rope drawn through tile handles, aud one end was
thrown to the window Of the house. A small rope
was tied TO each OF the basket handles spd the free
end OF the one held by the men on the bridge and
| the other by MIR. Webb at the window. The basket
was drawn over the passenger tied in. snd then
drawn back. In this way seven persons includinR
two twin babies, rescued Three other fnmi-
lies, the w lliamees ana the Reevoses and Arder.
sons. wto had taken reinga In Mr. Wnlianlss house
| a strongly built stone structure ooncuded 10 70.
main rather than risk the peril- OF the basket ferry.
Al night long they waited snd watched while The
flood RACED without, and rose inch by in>h. until
nnahs they retrcated TO the attic,
| rrs L,sr PLACE % GLruGs.
Tie house remained firm un' morning; then the
foundaln lon wall next tie canal gave wnv, then Tho
rear wall f hut The imprisoned sous suli c,ung to
the front When morning came tncy very wildly SIG
no msn could throw aiope seroas Al ,as', s.tcr
many trials hall. TO which twine string Was at.
house aud br means OF ,iis strirr rome WAS riwb
across snd tasket ferry ri god up ~ before, by
orc chubby litlo fellow, two years old. put IN
the basket without being Ted, and w. being pu Cd
across when he began to make the :, lively col,s
| back T. the window aud tied and hi, uVlo log,
bound frmy together, AMI with th-.e ictcrs on hs
siurd! liuDs he WAS taken over the cuif.
upRoIc woN,N.
It, o'e Of the brick houses IN Herr. Island lived
the Rev Or Dutton. r1s,or Of The prc.bstcr,r
.,hntth. his lie md two csiJed servants. On
| rvc wsy, ard s,copin; out in'o the nall he was
struck by \ aluu- timber and Knocked son'ooss to
the floor. Mr. DGi'n si:ualirl to the house i'm.
| mediatcy opposite. suorg ou'lding. and RON N,
second story rore was thrown 4, hor Sic uci
tui- around one oi the servant girls, and she
draSn ncross t'e street to the next house through
the water fneen feet aeer. TIE rnpc.wss returned,
| then he stl urcon-"ou- husband ant las, the
."i.ie VIC /" i-ci ctn--'i ptrieJs n'1i alter
| she had N7rF ~ l"r hoH-oh'll slfiy over. The
t.uu4' a., W.al- blew anl thc NO A., cu.u-. 10 fr,
| not. on SATURDAY t"". were taken oG iho island.
| Errours ot \ l.-N3 ursuNSb ro saw NJ. wirr.
hccu wctdct about i've months. orr over Jfi'-
! I.l.d Wien t.p Hood rWr.t t.ny +. (. rYp.- ON
| FriJt, nisht. striprsJ tnsl, frI, u,gb ~, n,
| ans, King hi- VII, on hl- bacS, plunged out iio
the RACING voter. lo wing 20 .riAr ,rrr. some a.
;Lc strvrg htU.cs that had not y,t yirhIod 20 tla
| waves. lie bruycly struggled along hoOing 10 his
precious burden AMI sc.zing one object aficr anO
| tier, only 20 hnd it give Hly under his 2 r-sr
| At last he cau-ht by the water trrk on Iislr,
I-i9nd, ard at least tou time, he cndcyo-ed TO gc'
| h Id of IL but Frs often hcat, tscS b, ~,
| ,Nlycs th.s 'urEed around i Hi, vie entrcst'
| hlm to let her e., and save himself "Eou are not
prep. red to dc nv dear husband and tru-t that
| am were o, Words I've next caught The hrahc3c.
| OF lOating tree on which lie SUPPORTED h.usf n
| for Il lev minutes, and lfng up hs Nifo'. head.
which he had Teen unable to keep above the water,
| he lound that
| sue WAS pR,p.
tt beloved nUrm which ne hd borne for Ave
hunorrd yards, now cold ami iifelc,s, dropped from
Li, erp,p and G,arrcarrd beneath he yellow waters
| :, An cIciteL multitude ~eir gathered on Boiv
intcfes, tie iea'lu -rctcs r. moonlight vas not
sunicont 70 enable them 10 500 distinctly but ,hey
| heard the cTash Oi the buildings, and tne
| cas- or MpS1AL AGONY
| o' their inmstc-. Before Shipes hoasc VI. SWEPT
away cries iorr9' oyed too.tFuly hata hu al be-
in; "Ns SorClcs'i5 si,asglnsia, ns wa,er ~.
near shiPes house, HE w'fo had gone To- the
land and he preferred trying 10 swim ashore to "a.
| peri AZ, lne Ner would hsvc Vapcd still gre,t,r
fo:ee. he Na- swept .T'y and drowned.
wuoLg FAMILY DROWNED,
A large bricS hou.e of the group Owned by Mr.
| Mnfphy, but from which ho lad o-,apel ia lime,
was next OYER urnei and carried away An I'D
! and very WORTHY yolored man named Jerry Harris
had fed 10 ii with his iIaily from his own house
to be destroyed. When Ni.. Over'on's hou,s di..
appeared harfis heard TO moan piteOu-'y aud
pray, and soon he and his amily, with tae house in
which the} had sought ieiu e. disnppe red Ia The
oIoNned-Hrris aud his wife, daughter, and two
| grandchildr n Next went the remainder OF shpo
| house.
Ol the people living between Shenandoah Cts
| end tie mouth OF the river
THIRTY -THRga HAvE B,kS LOST
a. follo"i; Bcr AMIN , Ba'snan' his VIE snd nse
| Adm Blteman, ledon Myers, w.'c snd three chil.
| drcn John Bfaiy, Bee ie Harris. 'Ulorcd
Mr.. O'Hton,, daa3h'ol aud granqchiid ,Jyrr,
Harris, coiorcd; wift, daughter tUd grInlchld;
Mrs smfc Samuel IluT and IrE Elifa Carroll, .
| daughter Of Harry Eu-k culorrd, and Ler clild
The body of SIR leWis. -four merchant residing six
| miles AZ We here, has been found. rne body OF an
unknown colored " oman Was found iasti the roo,-
OF a sycamOrc Tree.
SEVENTY NILKs on KAFT.
On sunday morning Dn old and ycly corr fulrUt
ncgte6- wHs picked ~ from tne river at McVerlou.
shoui three m.le' below llarpcr's FcrrS Shc wac
sailing down tic river On - piece Of root aud Wus
cOmposcily smoking sDOrt Pipe, She hall from
PIE county. some sky nv, milb- ~ the valley
and had iide OF uoarly soVvnty mile, 10 all
TUE sCENK AyrPR THE TlOOD
Shenhr l,lh street and tlr islands beyond pres cnt
a melancholy spectacle. Ihcrr the un. l,tb
ruins, the great hoaUs u fUul rubbish thu ue onfrd
homes, aud, worse han ali, the homes that haye
been blOtted out. All ug the street rre weeping
women standing In TIE oOIY Wire aud 10 king stead
iaSt'y Ut heaps of rlud which nov Llara the s?ols
where late all their affections clustered. They have
no place else. They are homeless, Nilhout she ter,
without food, W.lhou, clothing except the sa,er,
soaked garments lhCy wear.
rug LATEST.
LExINGTON, oct. 5.-All tho bridges on the North
| river have been washed away. Every UuHciug,
| eight IN number, on Jordans leland, near here,
along win the greater portion Of the Island its.h,
| were carried on and the store cuu~cNay between
GIhs0n'a mill and the island utterly destroyed,