The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1871-05-05
SANTA FE ITEMS.

There has been some very heavy rains
about Santa Fe the last week, damaging
farms in both crops and fences. There
are acres where the newly planted corn
is washed away, in some of the hillside
fields, and on creek bottoms, it is nearly
as bad. In some places the creeks have
changed their beds, washing away high
and steep banks, making the roads
down the streams very rough and dam
gerOus. A very dangerous accident hap
pened ON Snow Creek last week. Mrs
Tate with another lady were riding down
the creek on their way to Santa Fe, and
coming to one OF those narrow places in
the road where the creek had washed the
bank away leaving only narrow pass
way between the creek and fence where
there had been agoOd wagon road. There
was still plenty of room for one horse to
pass, and in riding by her horse got
scared at something in the field, and
SHE'D back towards the creek, falling off
the bank backward with the lady. The
bank was four or five feet high, and the
horse swan out and the lady floated
down the stream some distance. The
swift water and her clothing saved her
from drowning, until she reached shall
low place, where she waded to the bank,
little damp and little frightened.
There was no gentleman near to assist
her, and she had to save herself.
Another high-water story from Leep-
er's creek is rather funny after it is all
over. Mr.. Rayl had been to Santa Fe,
and going home in the evening found the
creek very full, and he hesitated awhile,
but soon decided to try to cross. He
pulled off his boots and coat, laid them
across his saddle. He also had sack in
vlyhi fSlyn r1inn of 10
plunged boldly in, his mule swimming
bravely tor while, but getting against
log or some brush, sunk, and in the
struggle the girth broke, and off went
Rayl, bacon, coat, saddle and boots into
the swollen stream. The mule struck for
the bank, and Rayl held to his saddle
and bacon, and at that moment q large
log was passing him, he caught it with
one hand, and floating down with it,
managed to get his saddle, bacon and
coat on the top of the log and then got on
himself He thus bOated about quarter
of a mile, when, the log neared the OppO-
site bank where there were some over
hanging Sycamore trees, he managed to
roach some limbs and drew his log i'm till
be run under a bending tree. With
desperate effort he held to the tree and
climbed into it with his bacon, saddle
and coat. The only loss he sustained was
his boots, which he has not yet heard of.
He put his sack, coat and saddle i'm the
fork of the tree, swan to the bank and
footed it home, thinking his mule drown
ed. When he reached home the mule
was there safe and sound. 1t was then
night, and he rested till morning, when
he went back after his baggage as soon
as he could see. The creek had fallen
ard he could get it easily, which he did
and carried it all home safe. He lost
nothing but his boots i'm his terrible voy-
age, but says the trip has given him a
dislike for boating. The young man is a
brother of the Constable Rayl of the LIST
district, who was killed in Columbia last
year. He is a stout and daring young
fellow. Most men would have been sat
isfied trying to save themselves, not so
with him; he did not wish to part so
easily with his hard earnings. Bravo,
Dick.