The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1874-08-13

In the meantime the water had
reached such height as to upset
it and he found it impossible to get
the articles, he being compelled hastily
to vacate tie apartment. The Evensng
OAronicss has the following: From
Ben Mangold, q German living . short
distance from Schanappert's, whose
house proved the tomb of family of six,
we learned the particulars of this sad
episode in the history Of the Butchers
Run tragedy: schanappert's house stood
Immediately below the oil refinery of
Holdship & Co., and was struck by the
food with force enough to carry it COM
avenue and hurl it down the torrent.
rend the air, looked out from an upper
window on the doomed house as it was
carried along within stones throw. At
the upper window stood poor Shanap-
pert and his wife; each holding aloft, q
child over the raging water, and shrek
ing, God Almighty, help us! God save
us! In a few seconds the building
reached the bend, where the flood turned
south at the foot of Buena Vista street.
Here it struck against slaughter-hOuse
and dissolved like pile of snow in the
boiling waters. The shrieks were silent
and only the crash and the grinding of
the timbers were heard.
The Branigan family live on O'Hara
street and occupy the last house saved
on the left going down the street. The
family consists Of Mrs. and Mr.. Brani-
gan and four children. A neighbor, Pat
rick McManus, was alone in the house
when the water tore open the back wall
of the ground floor and dashed toward
the front of the room on O'Hara street.
Had the couple not speedily opened this
door and broken out the glass the whole
family would have been drowned like SO
many rats. Across one of the windows
was an iron bar used for securing the
shutters. Swiftly the water rose until it
stood five feet in the room, with current
like mill-race setting through the apart
ment. Mr.. and Mrs. Branigan instinct
lively seized each q child and chung to
this bar with . grip of despair, while the
cold, muddy torrent swept over them.
For four hours these two hung to that
providentially-placed bar and were all
rescued. McManus, who, with the re-
naming child, rushed to the street, was
swept into an alley and on to the roof of
shed, where they were also saved.
"One singular feature of the flood has
not been alluded to, so far as we are able
to ascertain. Only one person who es-
capped from the food was injured. The
dead all bore marks of bruises and mang-
ling, but, Notwithstanding the topping
of houses and the avalanches of timber
and debris, those who escaped from the
wreck came out unhurt.
"a baby was found in crib floating
in the Ohio River, at the head of Mont
gomery Island, thirty.two miles below
the city, yesterday afternoon, and was
recovered by Mr.. Allen, who lives near
the island. The child was living, but
has not been identified.
Among the many heroic acts reported
are the exertions of Frederick Schultz
who resides on Item street, high above
the reach of the flood. Item street
runs from the hill to O'Hara street
Schultz heard the piercing screams
of the drowning victims at his
home, and, rushing out, attempt
ed to make his way through to O'Hars
street. Finding that impossible, he swan
down to Center street and made his way
down nearly to Ohio street, where he
found a skiff, and, Notwithstanding the
swift current, he made his way up tC
Center street and Spring Garden avenue
and with the assistance of two other mer
who got into the skiff succeeded in re-
covering eleven bodies. His description
of the scenes which transpired during the
night was thrilling in the extreme. The
boat in which they were riding was
caught in terrible maelstrom, and was
whirled about with such violence thai
the occupants were forced to lie down or
the bottom to save themselves. Fortu
nately the sweep of the water was
changed, the floods having forced chan
mel through to the r1ver. Then the
wrecks of houses, board piles and house
hold goods began to sweep down, and
clinging to them or struggling in the
surging waters could be seen by the flashes
of lightning the victims. On one occa
sion the body of woman was seen or
a pile of lumber. Mr. Schultz made
grasp as the pile swept by and secured
the body. Several similar incidents oc
CURED, but Notwithstanding the effort:
of this heroic crew they were not able
W EcSCuc SluSlc OuC aAASC. "ASA SA<
water had abated the crew were com
pletely exhausted, and for time it wa!
feared that two of them would not re
cover"
The disasters in Charters Valley were
perhaps, half an hour later than those a
Butchers Run and Woods Run. TIT
weather observer rejects the theory of {
water-spout, and thinks that, owing to the
peculiar geographical formation of tn.
section of country such disaster coult
be caused at any time in those sec
tions by what he terms an extraordinary
rainfall."-From Pittsburgh Dispatches O
the 10th.