The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1870-05-19
From. Me Waterbury Comm American, April %.
A Night Of Horror.

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AN INCIDENT OF THE RECENT FLOOD IN CON-
NECTICUT-A TRUE HERO.
-s--s
The rain on Monday was unusually severe
further North, where it fell during the entire
day, melting the snow drifts and swelling the
streams and rivulets to large size. The Nauga-
tuck commenced rising about noon, and after
sunset filed its banks and came pouring in
torrents over the roads, As usual, it filled the
space between the iron bridge and the Manhan,
covering the road to the depth of several feet,
washing out the earth, and rendering travel
impossible. This place was the scene of a
tragedy during the night, which resulted in the
death of one man and the hair breadth escape
of another.
Andrew Gillian, the line repairer of the
Western Union Telegraph Company, left this
city on Monday noon for Newton, to repair
break in the line. He took with him as an as
sistant, a friend named John Ray, poor man,
somewhat advanced in life, whom Gillian has
furnished with home for some time past. At
ter accomplishing their work at Newton, they
started to return, about o'clock in the even
fhg, and came through without trouble to West
| Side hill While descending the hill, Gillian
saw through the darkness. the meadows all
white before them, and, not thinking of fresh
ct, called the attention of his companion to
| them. and both pronounced it mist or fog
a yery natural inference. The horse walked
across the bridge, and on reaching the eastern
side started or brisk trot. He had hardly
gone two rods, however, before he plunged into
the boiling waters of the food, dragging the
carriage with him. The remainder OF the sto-
ry we will give in the words of the survivor {:
"I said, Immediately, Good God, John, it's
water; I would give anything if we were back
on the bridge IT'S too late said he, pray for
your soul, Andy Then the water commenced
to swing the carriage down stream, and as it
swung turned the horses head up stream, as
the carriage kept swinging, hoping to get. him
headed for the bridge again, but it was no use !;
the stream kept carrying us further and further
back, until horse and all were carried over the
side. Then tried to say my prayers, and /
heard John praying. Heard him say, God
have mercy on Mary Gillian that's my wife)
and her little children Then the carriage
went over on Its side and carried us both under
water After some trouble, broke through
the side curtain and got my head out OF water !;
then reached in and got hold of John, and
pulled him up, too. I told him not to give up,
that we had one more chance, which was to
catch hold of tree near by. We were carried
out of the carriage then, and as we passed tree
7 caught for it, but missed the first one. There
was another one close by and got my arm
around it, and got hold of John by the neck
and drew him to me. Then the carriage float
ed down to US, so that we stood on part of it.
Just about this time the horse gave his last
struggle. Then / hallooed for help and told
John to halloo But he was nearly nsed up
and said he had not time to halioo. He told
me told me to think of my soul 1 told him to
halloo and We might be saved yet. He said it
would do nc good, that the cold was killing
him. Then / told him to halloo and it would
warm him and make his blood circulate, but he
was too much exhausted. About IL o'clock,
after we had been in the water about half an
hour, man came with lantern from the Ma
han, and went, as supposed, for help. About
two hours after, as near as l can judge, Iheard
voices near the Mahan calling to us, but could
not understand them. / called to them if they
could send any help to do it soon, as We could
not hold out much longer. About this time
John began to let go of the tree. changed
my hold, and lifted him up, and held him by
the collar of his coat until found that he was
entirely dead; then, as was nearly tuckered
out, did not try to hold him up any longer,
butfastened my finger through button hole to
try to keep the body near me. held him this
way until nearly daylight, when either faint
ed or slept for minute, and woke with start
which loosened my hold, and he disappeared
At daylight, Mr. John Clark came from West
Side hill, and after seeing the condition of
things brought another man with some ropes,
which they. .foated down to me with rail, and
after got hold pulled me ashore"
Gillian managed to drag himself to his home,
on Maple street, where his strength failed him,
and his friends relieved him of his drenched
garments and put him to bed, where he must
remain for some days. We have given his sto-
ry nearly in full as he tells of such night as
few men ever endure, and none ever forget. 1t
also tells of wonderful endurance, and of self
sacrificing effort to save the life of friend
Gillian has the stuff in him of which heroes are
madej. When our reporter visited him, yester-
day, he was lying in bed. faint and weak, but
he seemed chiefly affected at the fate OF his
friend Ray, and by the fact that, when the dan
gerwas most imminent, the deceased found
time to pray for the wife and children of his
friend.
AS the water subsided, the body of Ray was
found in a hole near the tree, alongside the
horse and buggy.
WARNING TO HusBANDs-A persecuted