The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1874-05-29
Remarkable Feats of the Flood.

H. NJ Brewster, paymaster at Hayden,
Gere & Co. S factory, had gone to the mill.
lie ran for his life aud in a few moments
after his escape the food was twenty feet
deep in the street. and the mill office and
bank building, known one of the finest
structures i'll Western Massachusetts, was
shaken in pieces and borne away like
leaves on the swollen tide.
The flood picked UP heavy boiler of
the factory, and hurried it uacermonious-
ly across the street into the yard of Lieu
tenant Governor Hayden's house as though
it had been a plaything. The safe of the
saving bank was found in the river to-day,
below the scene of destruction, bat has not
been opened.
The devatation at Leeds is indescriba-
ble Only three houses on the east side
of the river remain in their original posi-
tions. The water first struck the Mono
tuck silk dam, a solid structure, and
ploughed through it is if it had been a
bank of sand. The dam was built twenty
five years ago. and had twenty-six foot
fall in the centre. 1t originally cost $780,
900, and was -efaeed few years ago. The
stone wall of the mill facing the stream
was nearly swept away.
The mill was damaged but slightly, but
work win not be resumed on it for months,
thus throwing many hands 0ut Of employ
ment. The silk mill clearinghouse was
: totally wrecked. All the inmates escaped,
. except Captain Naughn and Miss Wood
ward, both of whom lost their lives by re-
turning for some valuables. The flood i'll
its course took Selectman Quigley's house
down the current a few rods leaving only
the old L part on the site. In this l. part
Mrs. Quigley, two daughters, and Miss
Marble, a teacher at the Leeds school,
were sitting, having just completed break
fast. They flew into the upper story and
so escaped.
! 1t was while they were standing here
that the main part of their house parted
from their tower of safety, leaving them
with thin partition to fence out the surg
ing sea. Gazing out Of q window they
saw Walter Humphreys on the roof of
house, that appeared q ship on the sea.
Happily it floated near the window, and
] Miss Nellie Quigley and Miss Marble
raised the window, grasped him, and drew
him into the little harbor that bravely
stood out the storm, and he was saved
/ Mr.. Humphreys knew nothing of the way
he came upon the roof. His family,
wife and two children and an aged lady,
were all saved. Mrs. Humphreys was sur
I prised by the flood, and she and the old
+ lady took each a child and stood upon a
/ bed holding the little ones above the waves
/ that were clamOring for more life to des-
troy. These women in saving others were
+
carried away, and from this point the
/ water poured down into the drowned vii
/ lagos, bearing on its bosom the form of
/ destruction. House after house crumbled
/ in an instant.
/ One house lodged by a large maple tree,
/ and another dovetailed into an adjoining
/ building. Frederick Clough, foreman at
I the button factory, heard the roar of the
/ coming flood and hastened to Mrs. Bon
I " JaA
all those present there to flee. Mrs. Bon
! ney obeyed, running to the hills. Clough
seized one of Mr. Ryau's childIen, a grand
/ daughter of Mrs. Bonney, begged Mrs.
Mary Ryan and Carrie Bonney to follow
him, but they stood fixed to the pot in
! terror and fright. He fled with the child.
/ They remained with another child and SO
/ were swept away.
The village chapel followed the way to
destruction. The current now reached
/ George p. Warmers button factory, which
was totally ruined. The alarm had been
! given and the employees, except Carrie
Bonney and Evelyn Sherwood, escaped
/ These two became bewildered and started
1 for home, when they were swept down the
/ current.
One little boy came floating down to
| Leeds on board, from somewhere above.
Luckily he steered for little knoll, not yet
covered, and throwing away his board he
climbed to the highest point of the knoll.
/ Still the water rose and only a spot as large
as table remained, when the water reach
ed its greatest height and the plucky fel-
! low was saved.
The widow Knight, so years old, and
Jerry Ward, who was helping her out of
her house, were carried down by the cur
rent and were seen no moro. The widow
Shaw, aged 70, was carried by her son-in-
/ law, Deacon Tiiton, into a tree, where she
tainted. MIR. Tilton held her weight until
his strength utterly failed, when she drop
ped into the seeehing flood.
A French Canadian, pointing to two lit
tie boys, said, Il had eight children, but
only these are left" He was afterwards
made glad, however, by the news that a
bright little son, thlee years OLD, was res
cued while floating down the river on a
mattress.
A baby was seen sailing down the current
in its cradle but it was soon engulfed
and never seen more. A boy six years old
f1oated down from Leede clinging to the
roof of a house and was finally rescued
OF the large family of Leeds, all were lost
save the youngest child.