Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-10-11
Correspondence of the New York Sun.

scene at Hsrper's Ferry on Saturday was
one to be remembered. Shenandoah street
and the low grounds lying between it and
the Shenandoah river were entirely sub
merged. The edgeof the street is washed
by the canal, and between the canal and
the river are three islands, separated by
bitches. The upper island is called Over
ton, the next Halls and the next the
Isl nd of Virginius.
Ca the inner side of Shenandoah street
is a precipitous ledge, perhaps 500 feet
higl, which formed a barrier to the flood
an hemmed it in, but 1t went rushing
down the street all the more violently,
an swept away or greatly injured all the
bu.i lings on the water side. Among them
was the government stable, with walls
i'm. lensely thick and strong, which were
lifted from their foundation, the brick be-
ing thrown about as though they had
been sand. Fifteen other buildings,
ma My dwellings, were swept away with
all their contents, the inmates barely
esclpng with their lives, and ten were
badly damaged.
At the lower end of the village, near
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, is a
shrrt street, running parallel with She
nandOah street, and between it and the
river, on which were several brick and
stone houses. On Friday evening the
water suddenly rose six feet, filling the
fast floors Of the houses and driving the
inmates to the upper stories. The Webb
family were in the greatest peril, the wa
ter cons antly rising and the foundation
of their house giving way. Mrs. Webb
stepped to a window with an infant in
her arms AID held it up, appealing for its
rescue. \ young man suggeS: ed
a BASKET FERRY,
and forthwith a large clothes basket was
procured, a rope drawn through the
handles, and one end was thrown to the
window Of the house. A small rope was
tied to each Of The basket handles, and
the free end of the one held by the men
on the bridge and the other by Mr. Webb
al the window. The basket was drawn
over, theAPassenger tied in, and then
back. In this way seven persons, in
GLIDING two twin babies, were rescued.
Three other families, the Wllliamses and
the ReevCses and AndersOns, who had
taken refuge in Mr.. Williams house,
a stTongly-built stone structure, concluded
to remain rather than risk the perils of
the basket ferry. All night long they
waited and watched while the flood ragged
without, and rose inch by inch, until
fnally they retreated II the attic.
TIE LAST PLACE OF REFUGE.
The house remained firm until morn
ing; then the foundation wall next the
canal gave way, then the rear wal; but
the imprisoned souls still chung to the
front When morning came they were
wildly signaling for help, but the distance
was so great that no man could throw a
rope across. At last, after many trials,
ball, to which tTine string was attached.
was thrown to the window of the falling
house, and by means of this string IOpe
was drawn across and a basket ferry
rugged up as before, by which fifteen per
sons were safely brought to land. One
chubby little fellow, two years old, was
put in the basket without being tied, and
was being pulled across when he began to
make the most lively efforts to climb up
the sides and jump out. He was hauled
back to the window and tied, and his
little legs bound firmly together, and with
these letters On his sturdy limbs he was
taken over the gulf.
A HEROIC WOMAN.
In one of the brick houses on HEIRS
Island lived the Bev. DR.. Dutton, pastor
of the Presbyterian Church, his wife and
two colored servants. On Friday night
the foundations of his house began to give
way, and, stepping out into the hall, he
was struck by falling timber, and
knocked slnseless to the floor. Mrs Dut-
ton signaled to the house Immediately OPP
posite, a strong building, and from the
second story a rope was thrown to her.
She tied this around one of the servant
girls, and she was drawn across the street
10 the next house through the water fifteen
feet deep. The rope was returned, the
other servant was sent over in the same
way, then the still unconscious husband,
and last the heroic wife herself crossed
the perilOus flood after she had seen all
her household safely over. The house
proved to be a strong house of refuge
and, although the winds blew and the
floods came, it fell not. On Saturday they
were taken off the island.
EXPORTS OF A YOUNG HUSBAND TO SAVE HIS
WIFE.
James Shipa lived with his wife, to
whom he had been welded about five
months, on Ovcrton's Island. When the
flood swept away his house On Friday
night, he stripped himself for mighty
swim, and, taking his wife on his back,
plunged out into the raging water, hoping
to strike q tree, or some of the strong
houses that had not yielded to the waves.
He bravcly struggled along holding 70 bis
precious burden, and Selling one object
after a. other, only to find it gave way un,
der his grasp.
At last he caught by the water tank IN
Halls Island, and at least ten times he
cndeavoTcd TO get hold of If, but was as
often beaten back by the waves that surg
Cd around it. His wife entrcated him 10
lei her g, and save himself. 'TOu are
not prepared to die, my dear husband,
and I trust that | am" were her words.
lie mex caught the branches Of a floating
tree, on which he supported himself fOI
a few minutes, and lifting up his wife's
head, which he had been unable to kecT
above the water, he found that
SHE WAS DEAD.
The beloved form which he had borne
for five hundred yards, now cold and life,
less, dropped from his grasp and disap.
peared b meath the yellow waters
An excited multitude were gathered on
Bolivar Heights on Friday evening, watch.
ing with agonizing' interest the fearful
scenes. The moonlight was not sutfi
Cient to enable them to see distinctly, but
they heard the crash of the buildings,
and the
CRIES OF MENTAL AGONY
OF their inmates. Before Shipe's house
was swept away cries of terror proved
too truly that human being was hope
lessly struggling in the waves l. is now
known al this was Samuel Hoff, who
resided near 6hipe's house. His wife had