The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1882-09-23
aaIlanary Of a Eouisiana hoy.

lIuieS-0emOcral.
The late disastrous food in the Con
cho river, Texas, has already been re,
ported, with its attendant great loss
of life and destruction Of property.
One of its incidents is graphically
told in the annexed letter, written to
the father Of the young hero by an
witness Of his gallant action. Mr..
Lewis is native Of St. Joseph, La,
and is about 26 years old His bro
ther is that wiGely-known gentleman,
Curt. Lewis, one Of the clerks Of the
J. NJ. White.
Hon, Reeve Lewis, st. Joseph, La;
Dear Sir-The noble and eour-
ageous conduct of Your son, Edgar
+. Lewis, who is clerking in my of
fee, should be reported to you in full,
by one who saw him, frail, delicate
boy, volunteer and perform an act Of
daring which strong, stout men re-
coiled and absolutely refused to do.
This town is situated on an open
prairie ridge, about half mile from
the Concho river and about sixty-liye
feet above the level of the river bed.
In the valley between here and the
river there are several houses. The
river is usually about fifty feet wide,
but sometimes (very seldom) gets
up to about one-quarter of q mile
wide. Last night the people living
in the houses between here and the
river retired early not having the
leastsuspicion Of any rise in the river,
At 10 o'clock q tremendous roaring
was heard, and the waters came rush
ing down a solid wall 10 feet high,
the whole breadth Of the valley. In
few minutes, the houses in the val
ley went crashing through the tim
Der; trees Of the largest size inter-
mixed with cattle, sheep and horses,
were swept down by the fearful cur
rent. In half an hour the little brook
of river was a raging torrent over
two miles wide, having risen fifty
feet, extending over the low lands
opposite the town. All rushed out
and reached the high lands before
the water got too deep to wade or
swim out except one poor man, who
got upon his house top and stayed
there until it was swept from under
him. Several hundred yards further
down he caught upon limb, where
he hung with his head just above the
water, calling Justify for help. The
current between him and the bank
was fearful; SO high that he could
not swim out and the drift wood was
passing evry moment. Such thing
as a skiff or boat is unknown heres
A few rough boards were nailed to-
gether and covered with oil cloth.
After it was finished no one would
venture upon it in still water much
less in that torrent, though the bank
was lined with men-strong men and
reputed brave men. The mans wife
and children were standing on the
bank houseless, penniless, and he al
most exhausted clinging to the limb.
just as all hope was given up your
son, without word, stripped to his
undersbirt and drawers, and jumped
upon the crazy craft, saying simply:
II viii try it anyhow" Of lie went
down. the current like q spectre, res
cued the drowning man, landed half
mile below, and is now, this morn
ing, none the worse Cor his exposure.
| recognize his act as that Of no
BILE boy, and feel that his dear mother
and yourself should hear of it from
one who saw it all and begged him
not to venture out into the torrent,
| am unable to report the affair to
you as it deserves. You mast re-
member this was at night and dark
clouds were floating over the moon.
1t will be a sweet memory for Ed.
and his Texas friends long after his
locks are silvered and his eyes
dimmed by time, and God forbid that
any who saw him on that night
should ever forget his noble deed.
Perhaps you were acquainted with
my father, John j. Gnion. He was
raised in Natchez and lived for num-
ber of years in Yieksburg.
Yours, very truly,
JoHN J. GuIoE.