Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1870-10-18
More Freshet News.


"a and die-alone
q More Freshet News.
d The following details ofthe destruction cause
10y the freshet in Page County, we extract frou
! he Page Valley Courier, of the 7th inst
q Our sad record commences at the extensiV
Iron Works, known throughout the country a
4 he Shenandoah Iron Works, and which b,
q oug to Messrs. Fields, Johns, Mines & Go
q ormerly the property of MIR. Henry Forrer
9saud situated in the southern end of this county
land bordering on the line of Rockingham
s1county. The present owners purchased th
ssproperty since the close of the War, for whlct
hey gave the SUN of $240, 600, and have pla
iced improvements there since amounting Il
lnany thousands of dollars, over a huudret
q thousand we are quite certain, and they wer
ss>tlll improving Indeed quite a town wa
& sgrowing up there, and it bid fair. with tn
zl.comp pletion of our railroad to it, to become ON
!: f the largest manufacturing points In th'
sswnole southern country. They had a larg
ssstore-house with quite full stuck of goods
ss>ay $40 0O0. all were lost. The furnaces, for
ages, &c were all materially Injured We hav
ssnot lhe particulars, but from their extensiv
81 operations, dhubtiesS, their damages VIII
ssamount 10 S75 00O
d The dwelling house of L r. Deacon, E q
with all of his furniture. clothing. &c. wer
sicstroyed Rev. Mr. Bondes house, &c
5tiito. MIR Smith S house, &c., in fact all tn
ihouSes Immediately on the river. Such wa
q he euddenness and rapidly of the rise an
ssru>h OF the water that lt-reached from to L
sitret in less than that many rninures. The girls
!, and saw mill of Mr. Jno Wefsy were entire
ssly carried away At small place called Slab
ssiowu, 8 houses were reported as moving eft il
ga body AT Newport the houses of Emanue
.Folfz and some four others were washed off, a
8 veil as the mill belonging to Isaac koonz ant
& ,thers + Lucas lost his saw-mill w II
szShnmo, his house and black shop; Hen
Cry Lucas, his dwelling house; Wm Lrcas, hi
Hnsru; w. NJ Darragh lost his house and ev
sery thing in it.
4 The Columbia mills, belonging to our enter
saaprIsing youDg fellow CITIZEN, Mr. Jarvis Martin
,aaand winch he had recently purchased of MI
q Hiram KITE, were destroyed aud carried away
aas well as his dwelling, and all other house
8 i'uated near to and upon his mill property
3fortunateiy, Mr. Martin wife was absen
5arom home, or she too would have been sub
81 ecled to all the pers and dangers which fe
q o the lot of her husband, If Indeed she had es
capped with her lite.
3 Mr. Marin had boat tied up at his mill
Noaded with about $50 barrels of h3lr, whlc
s. was just ready to be cut loose, and sent dow
3 he river, but on Thursday night, seeing an
Tahearing the rapid approach of the water. h
Band several other gentlemen In the mill, work
ssed away nanfully, threw the -four over board
4 and he hastened to the residences of Mr.. Bert
fraud Petty and Mr. Charles Rogers, near by
aawoke them up from their sleep. hurried thef
swit h their families into the boat, aud they wit
4, Mr. Martin. Mr. Aleshlre and others, cut III
i T.,
sd on the boiling and seething food. to 'ak
81 heir chances and trust alone TO HIM .'Wh
ESrides on the whrlwiud and directs the storm
aBut before they had scarcely cleared the wall
s;;uf the MILL Mr.. Martin cast an eye back, In
9crush came, aud he saw his mill move oil
such Was the rage OF the waters that he friend
sS IS boat with her ftelg hit of soul-, was only
sstew minutes In reaching large drift about
sznile and half below the mill, whsre it lodged
81 throwing all on board upon it. The boat re
;smained with them only few moments, beconl
ssaDg disengaged in some way, it was whirIe
sSarouDd, went off and was seen no more
.#portiou OF the drift gave way, upon which wer
aMr Alfred Kite and Mr. Stoneburner, an
8 hey foated off Mr. Stoneburner Was drown
saea, but Mr.. Kite fpated off aud was fortunat
enough to catch a tree oa the farm of Mr. lsaa
..aLong. hung to it all through the day an,
hight Friday and Saturday morning, III "a mos
q teillou> SITUATION, when he was rescued. Tn
awas quite firm. MIR. aud Mrs Petty with a.
Ein ant child about one year old Mrs. Roger
.ssand her little girl, MIR. Martin, M Aleshir
IssaDd Others perhaps, were fortunately lodges
q here. This was perhaps about | or 2 cloc
|..on Friday morning Alter daylight on tha
isnarning they were immedIai ely discovered an,
sspans for their relief were instantly suggested
ssdand the perllous expedition entrusted 10 gal
Giant, whoe-souled lrshuan-an old boatman
The name OF Robert Flannery, who launch
q his skltf on the dark and stormy SEA,
ssand made tor them, but the swell of the wave
55swas so great, and the surf broke with such re
aaslst e-s fury against his boat hat he had TO re
turn discounted trom his erraEd OF mercy
q But undaun.ed and determined not to fail a
astne peril of his owu life, he went up the rive
sa;.t least mile. We understand, launched hl
ssScrait in another direction, came down and neat
I'D the island. Mr. Marun ard MIR. Aleshlr
aJ,wam TO him, succeeded IN getting on board
s35and then sought the shore.
q The lockers on" describe the scene as In
q en,ely exciting. Fanuery Commanded th
q ship coolly and caDly, though at ever
ssheave she would jump on the waves from 25 1
$50 feet aud bury herself down In the troug
sawheD all would seem to be gone, bur Flanner
E.understood his business, and brought thel
d -afely within len feet of the shore, when Maj
81 il aud AIeshire jumped overheard to SWIM
II Martin made good his effort; AieShire Wa
%drowned. This body has since been recovered,
ss>upposed TO have been struck by log, o
sIsnmet hing of the kind. FIannery thinks the
would have ali landed safely had they held On
81 Then there were lett the lonely and anxiou
q party, composed of Mr.. Petty, the ladie, an
s%Schldren, with another dark and dreary nlgh
Eclosing around them without food or fire, bu
kfortuna'eiy they had feather bed and tw
quilts, which had landed with them, and thes
8 served TO keep them and The little lambs il
8 xtolerable comfort through the night BY tn