Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1874-05-26


lie galloped through the village shout
ing to the people to save themselves.
The bells were rung, but so snddeRly did
the torrent descend through the narrow
gorge that many had Eot time 10 profit by
the warning. Cheney had reached Cni'
ver's blacksmith shop when, looking
back. he saw wall of water thirty fee,
high. mingled with uptoTn Tees and tim
Der. advancing into the village.
In fifteen minutes after the embank-
ment slid away the wall OF the dam burst
out and the waters Of tho reservoir pour
ed oat and down the valley in white
wall, roaring aud Kissing with the loree
Of an avalanche. The opening made in
the dam was about one hundred feet long,
the wall TO lis very base being swept
away by the tremendous volume which
escaped. The torrent cut out the bed OF
the stream from twenty to thirty feet
below the natural bed. and carried the
5ouldeys, great and small, OF which the
dam was composed, half q mile below,
where they were lett in q meadow. now
buried several feet deep under the stone
and gravel. The reservoir empded Itself
in about an hour, leaving black and
muddy bottom covered with the half de-
cayed trunks of trees which grew there
Al
THRILLING INCIDENT.
OF thrilling incidents and interesting
details there is absolutely no end. \
most wonderful rescue, and probably the
only one OF al adult person from tue
flood itself at Leeds. was that OF Mrs,
Mary c. Harding, sister of Miss Maria
Clark OF Boston. She was at work on
the second noor Of the silk factory when
the alarm was given, aud hardly had she
reached the ground when the shout was
raised, Kun across the bridge She
started. leading the whole company, but
soon the cries were Of another sort. and
Come back and Don't 90 overs were
sounded on every side. l, was too late
Tor Mrs, Harding, though she was on the
b,idge, and going back was rs perilous
Is going forward. She raa as woman
seldom ran before, and no sooner Lad
she, and perhaps half dozen others,
reached the farther shore than that inn
luersc mass Of debris struck the bridge
and IL went down with a crash, carrying
with It SIX or seven girls and women.
who were just little too late. Iac wo-
man kept on running FOR Ross store and
making, IS she AYERS, pretty good time,
while her companions. who had crossed
The bridge, entered The faxed boarding
house. She passed the l.t,ie gate near
the bridge aud Just cot through the larger
gate below the steps leading 20 the store.
when the water rushed up. carried OF the
gate aud threw her down near the lower
stair; luckily two men were on the bank.
and she was drawn up, but not . moment
TOO soon, for jus; then The steps went of,
and the three had 10 seek safety higher
NJ the shore. The escape from The
bridge, from the descending debris. from
the chance OF entering the house SIS her
companions did, and from the water after
ward. make Mrs Hariing's case a most
marvellous one. She Only OF all the
thirteen who started over the bridge was
saved. II 50 happened that one OF her
rescuers was Willie Swift, tho lover Of
hoy room mate. Mary Woodward, who
was swept away in the tide.
Ms. Harding los. everything she had,
herp7oper;y being in the boarding house,
bat thoroughly wet aud somewhat bruised
rs she was, she went piuckiiY to WORK.
spending most Of the afternoon attending
to the dead and bcreayed living, and
s.artias Il night with friends lor Spring
field.
Oae Of the saddles. cases was that Of
three French children, none OF them over
nine years old, who sat among The living
and dead in Mr.. Warmers house, 81
Leeds, and told lues,jOncrs that they had
los. three sisters, q brother and their
mother, bu, their father was sale and az.
tending to some OF the dead people, but
many well knew he was among the dead
also, Yet none had lhe heart to break the
terrible news 10 tho children. Two Of
the little ones have been adopted 10y air
Hulett, one Of the oYerscers Of the silk
factory
slr. II. II. Tiiton Of Williamsburg was
carrying his aged mother. widow Sarah
II. SNOW, 10 place OF safety. when the
relentless waters seized them. She was
carried swry, while he svasped a tree
about fifteen fec; high. standing on =
bank, and was saved. though the waters
reached and svayed him.
Harmon and RhoaIes. living in the
same house. got across the street into
another dwelling. the lower story oil
which was flooded, but some apple trees
broke The force Of the wave and the house
stood. Three men, j. NJ. Stephenson
and two new hands whose names are no,
known, fearing tho boarding house in
which they were with 4 number Of Others
would give way, despite the cntrcaties OF
their associates, lett it and climbed an
apple tree near by. The latter fell under
them aud they were drowned, while those