Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1877-12-05

/ line opinion OF the lower court was
affirmed.
The Flood.
FIVE PERSONS DROWNED IN THE
PoToMAC-Heroic Conduct Of Colored
Men.-Brief mention has already been
made in The Sun of the drowning OIL
Miss Milburn and two children OF Mr..
Houser, at Mason's Island, Potomac
river, near Leesburg, Va, by the recent
food. The particulars OF the affair,
which are as follows, show that two
colored men were also drowned whilst
heroically striving to save an imperiled
! family: The island was overlooked and
the inmates forced to leave their house
and take refuge Ia tree. While they
were in this perilous situate a crowd
of men gathered on the river bank OPP
posite the island, but took no steps for
their rescue, until colored man step
ped forward and said that he hardly eX-
pected to get back alive, but that he
could not stand still and see the people
drown. He was quickly joined by an
other colored man, and taking off their
coats and handing them to bystander,
they put out for the island. They reach
ed it safely, and started back, having
in the boat with them Miss Milburn and
and the two children, intending to return
| for Mr.. Houser. his wife and the other
child. When a part of the way cross
their boat was swept against tree and
upset, drowning one of the men and one
child, while Miss Milburn, the other
child and the remaining man succeeded
in catching hold OF the tree. They re-
manned there from three O'Clock Sunday
afternoon until three O'Clock on Mon
day morning, when the tree and its liv-
ing burden were swept away. A crowd
remained on the bank beside fire all
night long, listening to their cries, but
were unable to rescue them. Mr.. Hous-
er his wife and the remaining child stay
ed in tree near the house all night,
and were saved. The names Of the he
roic colored men could not be ascertain
ed but their conduct in facing death to
succor those in distress is worthy of the
greatest admiration.-BdH.S Sun.
CHESAPEAKE AND OHIO CANAL
FREsHET DAMAGES.
HANDBOOK. Md, Nov. 29.-Mr.
Stanhope, superintendent Of this divis-
ion of the Chesapeake and Ohio canal,
has arrived here after an inspection of
his line from slackwater, below Will
Transport. He reports that there is a
| bad break at the seven-mile level, near
Williamsport, where The embankment is
entirely washed away for considerable
distance. This is the only serious break
on that part of the line between slack
water and Hancock.
Though there is considerable washing
Of the banks in places, the towpath is
generally unlniured. and the line could
be put in repair without very great de-
lay. A party of gentlemen, some of
them connected with the canal, have
ridden along the bank-from Cumberland
to this place, and report that from here
to Cumberland there are fifteen breaks
in the canal bank. There is also a
break in the bank here some seventy or
eighty feet long and reaching the whole
depth to the bottom of the canal.
The others reported are similar in
character, but none of them quite so
large. Unofficial estimates put the
damages from Hancock to Cumberlana
at from SIS, 900 to 800 600. There are
quite lo~r~ lumber of boats lying in
J; - canal here. Among the damages
reported here are the following: The
large sumac mill Of S. Rinehart, near
the canal, was flooded, and large
quantity of sumac swept off and destroy
ed. His loss is estimated at from S.
900 to $4,000.
A large cooper shop attached to the
cement mill Of Messr. Bridges & Hen
derson was washed away and broken to
pieces after floating fifteen miles down
the river. The mill was Situated three
miles above Hancock.
Mr.. Joseph Light had frame house
swept away at this place valued at
5000.
Mr.. James n. Bechtol, farmer, just
across the river, had nearly his entire
crop of wheat badly damaged by water
also large quantity Of corn, besides
injury to his dwelling and other build.
ings. His loss is very heavy.
1t is stated that the loss of Mr.. Men.
denhall, by injury to his store ant
dwelling at Sir Johns Run, will exceed
$4,000. The drowning of Mr.. Charles
Liltle, of this place, before mentioned
occurred after dark last Saturday, neal
dam No. 4. below Williamsport. He
was on the tow-path ahead Of his cana
boat. His mother, male companion
and the team were on board the boat
The young man heard M. Little call Out
to run the boat to the bank and tie up,
when he suddenly disappeared and was
seen no more. II is supposed he mus
have stepped into some wash in the
path. The boat and its occupants were
saved.
HARPER'S FERRY.
The recent flood at Harper's Ferry
is, in all its minute details, little more
than repetition of the incidents O
those of 1870, with less loss of human
life, but, perhaps, more Of property
: apd sonaa SCENES of moro intansa moth ne