The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1875-04-01
An Incident of the Port Jeryis Flood.

An Incident Of the Port Jervis Flood.
Among the many incidents that at
tended the deluge OF yesterday none
possess such thrilling interest as the two
mile race three citizens of this place had
with the advancing flood. w. H. Near
fass and l.. O. Rose, the former Super
visor of the town and the latter a su-
perintendent of the Delaware & Hudson
Canal, went in a sleigh two miles up the
river to keep watch, in order that they
might give an early warning to the in
habitants. 1t was about seven O'Clock
in the morning. and they were driven up
in double sleigh. The road they took
the river-bank, about four feet from the
edge: The bank is of an average height
of fifteen feet the entire distance, with
the exception OF about quarter of
mile, where the depression occurs, re-
height of eight or nine feet. This
low ground is between what is
known as the Pine Woods Camp
OAOuAu, WV AA1Oo "cSt VI 1OTt
Jervis, and the tavern Of A. H. Rose, be-
yond the Camp Ground. 1t was to this
latter place that the party drove. The
river was rising slowly: To make
further observations they drove to Roses
tavern. They had not been there long
before their attention was called to a
negro who had climbed to a high knoll
on the Pennsylvania side of the river
and was looking steadily up the stream.
Suddenly he threw up his hands and
shouted to some one in house at the foot
of the eminence to sect out of there" The
alarm was evidently not needed, and the
negro started precipitately down the hill,
rolling most OF the way. Entering the
house, he soon appeared with an armful
of household goods, followed by his
wife and several children, and all hur-
ried up the hill. There is a cluster of
houses about Roses tavern, and the in
mates all laughed heartily at
the negro's hasty exit, and secuted
the idea that there was any
danger from the expected flood. The
were of the opinion that the alarm of
the colored man was caused by some.
thing he could see up the river from his
high post, and were preparing to ascer-
tain what it was when, half mile up
the stream, sweeping majestically around
bend, the object of the neg1o's alarm
was seen in the form of moving wall
OF ice, which seemed to be literally stalk
ing along like giant. The river com.
menced to rise rapidly where the party
stood, and they saw that unless they got
across the quarter of mile of low
ground at once their return to Port Jer
Wis would be cut off. Buchanan, the
driver, instantly turned his horses, the
two others jumped in the sleigh, and the
horses started, under the whip, as fast
as they could run.
When the advancing food was frs
seen by the three the river at Roses was
eight feet below the bank. By tie time
they got under way the ice had beer
lifted up even with the top of the bank
and was still rising rapidly and travelling
with great velocity. The race now be
gan. The sleigh had not proceeded two
lengths before the ice commenced fill
ing the road in its rear with huge block.
and was following the flying conveyanc,
with speed and noise that were fearful
The driver piled the whip at every jum1
OF the horses, but, although they seemed
to ny, the two yards space between tn,
sleigh and the ice was not increased b,
an inch. The horses were not man
seconds clearing the low ground, and
when they struck the foot Of the decliv
lty leading up to the higher bank tn,
Hood of ice almost touched the sleigh
and the occupants of the rear sea
crowded up in front, momentaril,
expecting that some one of tn
thousands of huge blocks rushing alon,
almost abreast of them would toppl,
over and crush them. They reached tn
high bank, and, although the icy wav,
rushed by them within three feet, the,
felt that they had escaped the creates
danger. Looking back over the roa,
they had passed, they were filled will
awe at the scene. Instead of the de
pressed land, with narrow road cross
| ing 1t, they saw the hollow had become
mound of ice. Cakes weighing hundred
OF tons lay piled up several feet wher,
the road had been, and were even throw,
! clear across the road over the fence int,
the fields. 1t was through that low
gully-like piece of land that it wa
thought the river would make its way i
the lce-gorge did not give way when tn
high water came. But for the fact tina
the upper end of the gorge had wor]
away almost to that point, there is n,
doubt the flood would have been force,
through there, and much greater damag
would have followed than resulted from
the inundation of yesterday.
A few hundred feet west of the resi-
dence of Wade Buckley, which is the ex
IRENE upper part of Germantown, tn
river turns away from the road, and
fiat of several acres reaches out to tn,
rivers edge. When the flood reache,
the hat the channel became blocked be
low, and the whole mass became for ,
time stationary. Presently, under tn,
great pressure of the body Of ice above
the flood took another course and com
menccd sweeping through low part o.
the flat, which would take it on the cas-
side of Buckeyes house, and directly
across the road. 1t was necessary TO,
the parties in the sleigh to pass that spo
first. Again Buchanan piled the whip
and his gallant team cleared the danger
GUS ground length ahead of the wave
which swept across the road the next in
slant, and was soon carrying destruction
before it in Upper Germantown Por
Jerois (MarcI 1877 Cor. Neso York Times.