, 1874-05-18

The rldo OF that gallant horeemau from thu
aoahou 1Iilla down iuto tho pleasant Connocti-
out Valley, on tho morning Of tho terrible Hill
Niver catastrophe. is almost unparalleled in tho
records Of disaster and destruction, It was n
race with death in it's most violent and irreast-
/ lole form, fearful than tho fire, for it
travelled faster, and moro fearful than tim or.
clone. because it spared nothing which stood in
the Tay OF its dense and huge bulk. The story
| OF this ride reads like page taken from some
strange tale Of felton, and tho reader invariably
recalls tho rido Of the horsoman from Boston to
Lexington in the curly gray OF morning to ca]l
tie farmers to arms; of the gloomy ride
OF the Erl King and the child; Of tho tramp Of
tho Wild Huntsmau; OF the gallant feat of Ro-
land as he carried tho news from AK to Chant
Of shoridan's ride down the Valley Of Wincuos-
ter; of tho ride Of Charles Reaae's horaoma,
IN front Of q bursting dam in the novel It PM
Yourself in His Placo" and Of Victor Hugo's
unearthly rush md sweep Of tho Djinns. But
none OF these possess that thrilling human in
forest which centres about this gallant horse
man in his raco with death. 1t was not his own
lifo that wns ut stake. There we're hundreds Of
men. women, and children down in the valley
commencing the labora Of the day, IN
the pleaeant littlo manufacturing town.
oil unaware Of tile n1onBter that was
tearing .itB way along towards them at rairoad
speed. Ihore .was no timo to halt or parlev.
There WAS no ray Of hope for them, unlcaa tho
rider could yet to thom before tho flood, which
was every Instant gathering volume and mo.
montum, and increasing ito own immcnso
"oght aud battcring powor with troee, aud logs,
and rails, and all kinds of deadly debris. an #
plunged down tile emile deo'iylty He rode
like the wind, with the torrent roaring behind
him, eager for ita victims, and sweeping oyery-
thing array In fits course. The steel wae
worthy Of Ais rider, aud gave his own Afe to
aava thoao Of othors, but the 1orscmou n,onnt-
Cd fresh ono, and WAS of again to other vii
lages. 1t nas d gallant oonsost with death. apd.
though Ito or 900 poor victims wore wauhed
away like feathers by the torriblo food, mud
houHes, mills, bridges, und trees diBap-
pcarod like grass boforo tho scytho, yet he saved
tho ]iyos Of hundreds who, but for hy dotor1nf-
milton and clear grit. would also have baen
Swallowed up. Ho rodo for tho lives of others, |
aud he outrodo death In the race. lind ho boon |
beaten, no lMnau being would have been loft in |
the swath cut through tho valley By tho torrent,
There is, however, no dlaaster 10 great bpt
that 1t suggests contingencies In w]lioh IT might
have boeu moro torsble,-no catastrophe 80 dire |
but tlera aro componHationa connected with Il
which inspire foollng Of gratitude. 1t is sp.
palling to think what the consequences might |
AAyo heon ii q less decided and enorgetlo nan |
had boen on guard, or one who would haye lost |
Ais presence Of minl In the face Of tho terrible |
danger confronting lf.h. 1t ia still moro ap- |
palliug to reflect upon. the consequences which
would have enHuad Lad the treaohorous dam |
given way In the dsrkuosa OF tho night when 1t I
would have been impossible to have aroused the |
a|eepers in tho vil|agos bolow in time to have |
saved them. Aa It was, in tho broad daylight,
he had hardly timo to warn people Of their dan-
ger before the flood was upon them. Had such
= contingency happened, not one aoul would !
ha9e been left IN the throo villages.
Although tho reports aro conflicting, tho most |
trustworthy dispatches ax tho oauss Of thin dla.
Attet very uhulslAkan1J. Thass oxn bs ho