St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1883-07-27
The Wiley Slide.
lAnnie E. Kicker, in Boston Courier. !

Samuel Thompson, Il nephew of Mr..
Wiley, was one of the party who went
up from North Conway to search for
the t.maips of the Wiley family, and
this account is given largely in his
own words:
The storm that caused the slides and
destroyed my uncle and his whole
family occurred on Monday, August 2S.
Driving home from North Conway that
day from the south. had Il most favor
able opportunity to note the progress
of the storm. | had often seen storms
gather in the region of the mountains,
but never before with such grandeur
and awfulness. The clouds were not
so rapid in motion as had seen them
before. but their volume and black
ness more than made up for want of
speed. As they sailed up the giant
outline of mountain range extending
from ChocOrua peak nOrtherly for miles
pressing upon them, covering them
fold after fold with their dark solemn
drapery, | could but think of the
march of Napoleon and the measured
tread of his infantry, loaded heavily
with armOr, moving on to some war
like encounter. At the close of that
day as the darkness came on, iC began
to rain; and such a rain | never knew
before. | was not conscious of all of
it, especially the latter part, for, being
somewhat tired, | retired early and
slept soundly; | slept when others,
not very far Oh-my own kindred
were suffering and dying. Not long
after midnight was awakened by the
slamming of large door on the barn.
| arose quickly and went out. As |
passed round the corner of the house
to go to the barn. which stood north
in the direction of the White noun
tains, my eyes fell directly upon them.
It was all clear overhead. not a cloud
in the sky, and the moon shone bright
ly. On the White mountains there
lay large, dark covering of clouds.
1t appeared as if pail was thrown
over them, out Of the clouds were seen,
ut short intervals, vivid lightning.
heard no thunder. | returned to the
house, where | remained only short
time, when word was brought that the
intervals were covered with water,
and that they must Immediately he
cleared of the horses and cattle that
were upon them. As we came up from
the intervals. having accomplished
that object, we could but take note of
the marked effect of the storm upon
the White mountains. There was
plainly visible to the eye the terrible
devastation it had made. All the por-
tions of them facing the south indicated
clearly the desolating influences of the
rains that had fallen so copiouSly on
their submits and sides. never saw
such in all my life, and | looked upon
.I ] Il q. heat
more destruction of the trees and more
displacing of the rocks and earth were
made on the declvities facing our post
of observation on that terrible night
than had been made since the country
was settled.
We felt grave apprehensions for the
safety of my uncle and his family.
And we had received during Tuesday
some flying rumors, but not very trust
worthy. My grandfather was entirely
unimpressed with them. He said he
knew the notch well. all its bearings.
lie thought that the family were safe
in some retreat, and Notwithstanding
all the dangers they must have en-
dured they were still among the living.
His calmness and reasoning reasSured
: the rest But messenger was already
on the road bearing sad tidings. This
messenger arrived on the other side of
the river from my grandtather's about
midnight He was there stopped by
; the swollen Saco. But he carried i'm
portant tidingS which must be cOmmu-
nicated. He stood on the rivers bank,
: the nearest possible point, and sound
ed trumpet. 1t was a shrill blast and
startled all the neighborhOOd from
, their repOse. The aroused sleepers
soon gathered on the opposite bank of
, the river, learned the sad news, but too
! truly confirming the previous reports,
, and started on their way to the notch.
did not hear the blasts of the trum-
I pet. but those who did said they never
i i heard anything SO impressive and sol
1 emn. At any time they would have
been startling, pealing as they did
through the darkness of midnight
But, under the circumstances before
{ us, they were peculiarly impressive
L The sad rumOrs of the evening before
though not generally credited, had yet
left deep uneasiness, and with those
.; feelings they had retired. Whether
sleeping or waking dim images must
l. have been floating through theil
T. minds, when suddenly they were
= aroused by repeated trumpet blasts
t raising echoes from mountains from al
! most every side.
When our party reached the scene o
u disaster, many persons had already ar
: rived there. All the bodies that wer,
!, found that day, after waiting suitable
: time for cOtfins to be made of such ma
terials as could be procured, were mad,
Z ready for burial. One common wide
II grave was made for them, and they
:. were placed ut its margin until the be
!. fitting prayer was offered. That praye
, was made by personal friend of th'
!, man who thus sadly met his fate. Ii
the echoes that were then awakened
IL by his voice, the very mountain
around us seemed to join with him il
g describing the majesty of God, and i'm
l. plOrlng mercy on our stricken hearts
er | shall never forget the tears and sor
N rows that marked the faces of man.
that stood around the open grave OF
'd that solemn occasion. The minlste
who made the prayer was Elder Samu
e. el Hazeltine, then of Bartlett. 1t wa
l. dark before the burial was completed
ID and we spent the night in the house
ID Next day, the search was continued
! and three more bodies were found
W those of two of the children and one q
of the hired men. The bodies of the re
lie manning children, two sons and
daughter, were never recovered. The
id all perished together. Some of tn
children, since the moving of the FAM