The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1875-03-26
A Hace sctth the Flood.
an EXCITING RIDE FROM ROSES TAVERN
TO F0IT yERvIs-A TOUCHING INCIDENT.

tCOT9espg pgrldsHst Ne1O fS5ss SuR-
PORT JERvTs, n Y, March 19.-The
which was destructive throughout the
Delaware Valley yesterday and the day be-
fore, was discovered by Supervisor Near
pau, l.. .. Rose and James Buchanan
about O'Clock yesterday morning. They
went up along the Sparron bush road TO
the camp GROUND, and thence to Rose $
tavern, about two miles from hero. The
road runs close to the dge of the river
bank, which between Rose S and the camp
ground is eight feet above the river, a
quarter OF mile. 1t then rises to fifteen
feet high. Between seven and eight o.
clock they noticed that the river was rising
very fast. Looking up stream they SAW,
half mile above: q wall Of ice as high
the banks moving down toward them.
The ice i'll the river where they were began
heaving upward, and WAS soon almost up
to the road. Tie advancing food from
above was throwing cakes of ice high in
the air and hurting them over The banks
on either side. 1t WAS plain TO the three
spectators that unless they could put the
quarter OF mile Of low ground between
them and the flood of ice, they would be
cut OF from communication with Port
JcIvis.
TIE RACE.
They instantly jumped in their sleigh.
Buchanan put his horses on a dead run.
The ice had now raised above the bank
and great cakes began to fall in the road
behind the sleigh. The ice moved with
such velocity that the running horses could
not Increase the distance between it and
the sleigh. Before half the distance was
accomplished the ice received new i'm petus
from the wave frciu above which had
overtaken the smaller flood. Buchanan
saw the ice gaining on him. lie piled the
whip at every jump, and bis horses almost
hew. When they reached the foot of the
bill, which carries the road to higher
ground, there was less than q yards space
between the sleigh AID the ice. The Oc-
cupants of tie rear seat jumped forward,
expecting that before they were mp the
bill the sleigh would be crushed beneath
tie pursuing ice. The higher bank was
reached in safety, however. For half a
mile the food kept abreast of them. Now
and then cake OF ice would be thrown
over the top of the h0Ek, falling sometimes
within foot II :. - -ieigh. When they
came TO the h.l! b.:aud Buckley's, on the
outskirts OF Gem tatCwn, tie river for
some q stance leaving the road, they felt
that they had escaped the flood. What
was their dismay, on looking of 70 the
right, TO see that the ice had bsen stepped
IN the channel of the river, and was MAX
ing new one through gulley across
i'SNNS . iltis dtl'l u etS Idt.ils dppADdSII~
ing the road at a point a hundred yards
ahead Of tie sleigh. The distance to be
made by both sleigh and ice to pass that
point was abont equal. Buchanan kne "
that lie must make a last effort to outstrip
toe ho0d. Putting the whip to his horses
the race was renewed. The sleigh passed
the disputed point not more :han a yard
ahead OF the ice, which a second afterWard
rushed across the road and carried destruc-
tiun into Germantown.
SAVING HER CRIPPLED HUSBAND
Patrick Creighton lived with his wife
and nine children in little house on the
Germantown flats. He lately had one of
his legs cut oil on the railroad. on which
he was employed. The food came so sud
denly that the ice was knocking holes III
CreIghtOn's house before he knew II, and
the water was pouring in. Being unable
10 escape III his crippled condition. his
vile started her nine children ont of the
house, aud then took her helpless hus band
III her msaud hurried him away to a safer
place. This poor family lost everything
they possessed.
Mis-. Mary NOlOley, an aged widow
lived alone in Il small house OH the flats
In the morning Policeman FIsten vent to
her house and told her she must move.
She refused to go. Your house VIII be
knocked all to h-ll," said the officer
I4th ii = , :" lu IL. SHuEe, sue re co,
and did not leave her house. 1t vas sur
rounded by large cakes of ice, and carried
twenty-five feet away. She stuck TO it,
and still refuses to quit ii, although the
ice and water are foot deep III it, and it
is Vropped up on every side by huge cakes.
When the flood was bearing down with
great speed on tie town an Irish woman
ran TO a house near The river. and sooa ap-
pearcd with half grown pig in her arms,
-
INCIDENTS OF THE FLOOD.
On the Pennsylvania side Of the river
the ice was thrown up the bank fifty feet.
jacob WestfalPs house was surrounded
with huge cakes IN an instant, and a pass
age had 70 be cut through them to rescue
his family. Mr.. Westfall lost niue cows
and team Of horses.
There was four feet of water in the gas
house in this place. putting ont all the
furnace fires aud destroying the lower tier
of IT tofts. The damage is $1,000.
The engine house of the Germantown
Fire Department was carried = quarter of
a mile, with engine. hose carriage, and all
the furniture. They were all ground To
pieces in the ice.
A hog and nine chickens passed, this
place on a large cake of ice. They went
on down the river, and were rescued at
Milford.
jacob HornbeDk, wealthy farmer lir-
ing below here, counted forty skunks SWIM
ming between his house and this place.
They were driven from their holes in the
numerous islands in the river.
Superintendent b. Thomas, Engineers
Billy Morris and Van Wormer and Con-
ductor Cow were crossing the railroad
bridge OH an engine, when they discovered
that the ice WAS moving the bridge. They
ran slowly back, add got safely TO this end.
Robert Fran .tori. superintendent of the
bridge, KNOWN that several coal and
freight trains were coming over the divis-
ion, and some of .hem soon due at the
bridge. started, when the bridge was sway
ing and cracking under the pressure Of the
ice and steadily raising from it's founda-
ton, to give notice to the trachmen on the
other side of its condition. He reached
/ the centre pier, when the two spans ahead
/ Of him began moving off the abutment.
He was forced to return. but first attracted