Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-02-02
From the belgravia.
THE ICE.GGRGE.

from the belGraVla
THE ICE.GeRGE.
"It's coming, mister It followed
me close, and if you're wise you will
make tracks before. Why, it's Mr..
Bradburn-Mark Bradburn, isn't it?
I didn't know you at first.
I, for my part, knew the speaker
a Young American assistant surveyor in
State employ-wen enough; and as he
checked his fast-trotting horses and
leaned over the side-rail of the light
high-wheeled wagon which he drove 1
could see by his flushed cheek and ex
cited manner that something serious
must have occurred.
ssThe ice-gorge, so much talked of, is
really descending thens" I began. 81
thought precautions had -"
"Aye. but we're dead beat, inter-
rupted McKlnlop-for that was his
name. "The engineer-in-chief has
tried everything, but the enemy is too
strong for us; and unless we can get
time to blast it as it reaches the mar
rows, nothing but miracle can save
the towns of Clayville and Port Adams.
It'll be at Ithaca quarter of an hour
after am, and let me tell you it's no
sport to try conclusions with the drift
ing pack that so big stream as the
Delaware can send down"
And, without further parley, he dashed
his horses, and hurried down the road
that skirted the bank: while almost i'm
mediately afterwards [ caught sight of
a number of vehicles of various sorts
and sizes rafting along at furious
speed. There we're filed with men,
women, children and household gear;
and as the drivers went past the spot
where /, with several of my neigh bors
and some Of the waremen of the mine of
which I was manager, was standing,
they shouted aloud some hoarse words
of warning, looking back, and pointing
up the river with their whips. Every
eye was turned toward the jutting point
where we were likely to catch the first
glimpse of the advancing foe.
''Brutton, and Dutch Town, and
Sparta, On the New Jersey side, were
swamped yesterday, so tits said," re-
marked an cid farmer IN blue homespun
and boots OF untanned leather. ct
guess we Pennsylvania folks won't get
of scot-free nouther. There it comes,
Britisher rounding the point!''
Looking towards the spot indicated
described something Like the moving
wall of giistening greenish ice, spark
Ling in the sunlight, and advancing
slowly and With stately majesty down
the broad river, which it seemed to fill
from bank to bank. This could be
nothing less than the SO called ice
gorge, or accumulation of floating
blocks and slabs from the upper waters
of the Delaware partially melted by the
hot sun of an American spring, and
dammjng back the chatting waters of the
swollen river to an extent which threat
ened mischief.
All this was new to me. an English
man born, since it is only In very hard
winters that such phenomena are wit
messed in those regions; and during the
four years which had passed in the
country this last winter had been ex-
oephonally severe.
[, Mark Bradburn, had, at the age of
five and twenty, been reckoned fortu-
nate in being promoted to be acting
manager of the Black Star Iron Mine,
close to town called Ithaca, on the
Pennsylvania shore of the Delaware.
But then had for two years had an
opportunity, as clerk of the works, of
proving to the satisfaction of my prin-
ciples that L was capable of superin-
tending the business efficiently enough.
A Staffordshire lad, had from child
hood been familiar with iron ores and
their treatment; while, having early in
life been plsced under the tuition of q
mining engineer, had brought out
with me to America that technical
knowledge which SO greatly tends to
smooth the path of an emigrant. So
It was for the sake of my widowed
mother in England-who loved me very
dearly, and who, knew, never failed
night and morning TO put up prayer
for the safety and well-being of her
boy beyond the seas-that I was Sc
eager to earn the means of establishing
home which I could ask her to share.
With this end In view, during the first
years of my residence in the United
States I had practised self-denial as
well as industry; had roughed it con-
tentedly. and had spent my leisure
hours in perfecting myself in the theo-
retical lore of my profession, and in
cultivating n acquaintance with the
GermaL language-a useful accomplish
ment In district where SO many of our
workers were fair-haired new corners
who knew no tongue but that of their
native Saxony or Pomerania
My post, as acting manager of q
Pennsylvania mine, was one which en-
tailed sorae privations, much vigilance,
and good deal of patient toll. The
Black Star was but property of mod
crate extent-not one of those mann
moth mines that yield their thousands
of tons IN the monthly output-but the
iron was Of excellent quality, fine red