The Columbus journal., 1881-04-27
A Thrilling Incident.


Henry Moreton, an old man of con-
siderable wealth. When his house
was swept from its foundations he
and his daughter were the sole oc-
cupants, his wife and son being on
the high ground from which they
could see the old gentleman as he
stood in q window and waved his
hat at them. The mother and son
went nearly crazy at the sight, and
80 frantic did young Moreton be-
come that men had to hold him to
prevent his plunging into the water
i'm an endesvor to rescue his father
and sister. He cried out that he
would give a thousand dollars to
anyone who would rescue his father
and sister. Finally Van Allen and
his brother 'vene,' said they would
make the attempt, though not for
the money. They have been the
ferrymen between Green Island and
Yankton for number of years, and
so are experienced boatmen. They
found considerable trouble in getting
started, as the wife of the elder Van
Allen 'clung to him and said he
should not 60, for she feared he
would only be going to his death.
At last, however, the two brave fell
lows stole away and getting into
boat pulled for the house which was
floating away, tossed hither and
thither by the great cakes of ice
which would strike it with blows
that could be heard half a mile
away. Before they got to the house
it had lodged on some obstruction
and nothing could be seen of the
inmates. The house seemed to be
held down, and the water rose until
it was half way up the sloping roof.
They rowed around the peak of the
root, but could hear no sound save
the grinding and crushing of the ice.
and started TO return, thinking the
inmates must surely have perished.
just as they had given up all hope
of being of any service, and started
to pull back, when one of them
thought he heard knocking on the
under side of the root, and they
went back. BY listening intently
they now distinctly heard tap, on
the under side Of the shingles, and
going to the spot, cut hole in the
roof, aud through it took out the
old man and his daughter more dead
than alive, and carried them safely
to the high ground. 1t seems that
when the house fOated off, Mr..
Moreton and his daughter were on
the second floor. When the house
lodged the waters raised rapidly and
they soon realized that they would
be drowned if they stayed there.
Above them was garret, and
with a sticS Mr.. Moreton broke the
plastering overhead, and through
the hole made, helped his daughter
up into the garret, and then, with
her assistance, the old gentleman
got mp there also. 1t was low
place, under the peak of the roof,
hardly high enough to permit OF
standing upright, and in total dark
ness, there being no window. They
had not been there but short time
before they could feel the water
gradually creeping up their limbs.
They could not break through the
roof, and there they stood in inky
blackness, clasped in each others
arms, una BILE to see the water which
slowly but surely mounted higher
aud higher until at last they stood
waist deep and nearly chilled to
death, for it was icy cold. To add
to the horror of the situation the
house would rock and pitch, and the
grinding and crashing of the ice
against the building was something
awful to listen to. At a moment
when there was a lull in the roar OF
the flood, the imprisoned ones could
hear the men outside in the boat,
and then it was that Mr.. Moreton
pounded on the roof with all the
strength and energy he could mus
ter. Providentially, almost, the
quick ears of one of the Van Aliens
heard the noise. and an awful fate
was averted. West Point Repub-
Hcdn.