Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1874-06-03
In the Jaws of Death.

Tho marvellous escape of young
Dunning at Leeds has already been
alluded to, but his story is so interest
ing that it 10 worth giving in detail
When the alarm was given he was at
work in the spool room of tho Mono
tuck silk works, and, rushing out OF
the mill, his first thought, of course,
was for his family. Ho found that
his father, wife and three children had
left the house. He shouted to them
to run for their lives, at the same time
pointing to them what direction TO
take, His wife and children obeyed
him and were saved but his father
an old man Of seventy-eight thinking
that something might be got out Of
the house before the flood reached it.,
went back. In dashed his son after
him, begging him to leave the doomed
building. While raising one of the
windows tho floor gave way beneath
their feet and his father disappeared
from his sight. The young man had
just time TO Chamber out of the window,
and as tho house tipped over crawlvd
up its side to the roof just as the build
ing broke up, leaving him but frag-
ment to cling to for his life, and on he
went sailing down that awful flood
in full sight of wife and children,
who, as they looked on IN terror and
agony, expected momcntarily TO see
him sink beneath the surging mass
In few seconds his frail raft was
crushed like an cgg-shell, but his pres
encc Of mind never deserted him. He
jumped for another, and when that
was gone, for yet another. lie was
fastening down with the current at
terrific speed, and intent on the fear
ful task he had on hand, never once
thought of the dams toward which
he was Fastening. The first one is
reached in the awful crash and jam.
lie is hurled seemingly twenty feet in
tho air, to come down and bo sub
merged for the first time far beneath
the wave. AS he came to the surface
again and clasped another piece Of
drlft-wood he realized with an intensi.
ty unimaginable by those whose lives
have never been imperilcd that an.
other and higher dam was but short
distance below and that he had abso-
lutely no hope for life unless he es-
capped from the food before that point
was reached, but fortunately the swol-
len mass of water and debris at that
moment surged toward the shore, and
seizing an opportunity, which seemed
to be providentially presented, he
clambered across some broken roots,
which served him as a bridge and
with leap again had foothold on
the earth. The feelings of man,
who, like him, had scarcely hope Of
life, on finding he had escaped from
the jaws of death cannot be depicted.
Only cool and intrepid man could
have passed through that experience,
and possibly Mr.. Dunning could not
but for his experience as raftsman
in Canadian waters. He had been
swept half mile down the river and
was utterly exhausted by the intense
strain on mind and body, nerve and
muscle, yet as he lay on the bank for
moment to get his breath he could
not suppress smile at the appear
ance of q man who escaped from the
flood near tho same place by seizinG
hold of the limbs OF large treo oil
the bank. Flcshy though he was, this
man went up that tree ike squirrel,
and did not stop till he was at least
thirty feet above the water. Mr..
Dunning describes,as the most appall.
ing incident of the memorable ride,
tho heart rending screams and groans
of women and children in houses that
were swept down with him and seemed
to be beneath him. He says they
will ring in his ears till the end of his
| life.