New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-02-11
4 LECTURER HEMMhD ~ BY FLOODS.
HOW HE ESCAPED FROM MARIETTA, ONO.

CoIUMBUs. Ohio Feb. 5.-Marictta, the
Plymouth Rock OF the West, was put among
81 ndstone hlocks a bottom or delta where the
Muskngum meets acutely the Ohio. Only that part oil
the town up the hlsdes is exempt from freshets when
come nearly every year. but this year the inundaon
made Venice seem dry land compared Marietta. ON
Tuesday evening rain fell, violent and long upon tue
high waters and steady thaw OF week; next morning
both railroads cut Off and washed out and the two
bridges were standing ont in lake and every business
street was flowing torrent in which the second stories
of the hotels factories and stores became the FIRST and
royboats were worth than horses. Being caught
in this town I had 10 submit stay for day but on
Thursday the rivers s rising and everybody declaring
that the common roads also cut off, resolved 10 80
some way, and who spared me not in my dilemma
offered TO me down the swollen Ohio, through the
ice and and drift for S25 to Parkcrsburg The dis
tance was twelve miles the railroad fare only 90
cents Regrettng the disappearance OF monopoiles
accepted the terms and departed at l D. m OF last
Thursday
was the first person leave Marietta after Tuesday
night and when away there seemed no prospect
that people could get for the remainder OF the week
large crowd was collected the prOtruding tongue OF
hill street. like cape in the delugc 10 see the depart
ure and other things My baggage was put In the bow
sat In the full OF double aud Treble under
clothes that at every suspraon seemed TO shed but
TONS and the usurOus rOwers were In the middle or
the sk which had be balcd out with barn shovel
town lots and under telegraph poles no higher above
the food than gate posts train OF burden cars just
showed their window panes, and we rowed down the
track and turned into the main sreetu OF boxes barrels
dog and hencoOps and rowing down that avenue
of desolaton few shvering people beheld ns wistfuy
from upper and garrets and the business signs
seemed to he paiuted along the curbs0nes Through
omen windows could the swimming chairs babies
cradles and hollow crOckery Two or three beats rowed
ournuly past and said cheer aud passing out TO
the Ohio n steamboat wharf only denoted by its
freight that was like hock IN the swirling waste Of
turbid river As swung into the ice and logs and
brush I looked back along the river line OF Marietta.
whose snnken houses stood bOrdercss in the vide, in
sensate dcuge. like the court OF Marie Antoinee for
whom Marietta named In her day Of glory swa-
lowed in the atheistc OF the French Revolution
The Ohio was full that most of the ice had been
forced by the climbing torrent in the middle to pack
along the shores, but some detached masses swan
around us and the surface uneven rs wave and
sluce and eddy could it, and the wind was blowing
I'D stream against the current, making muddy biows
while the drift power five miles an hour No other
beings upon the river but ourselves In twelve
miles, except boat where two men were saving Oil
barrels and timber and large towbout anchored
In a submerged woods with fleet OF coal scows made
fast to drowning trees whose great boughs like human
hair fOatcd and seemed 10 scream upon the chniI.
Wherever field bordered the river 1t river too.
Where forest islands had been swamp remained, and
island farms showed inc garnet WlhufOWs OF hhD
taons ike old boats upside down staring CLASSIFY at
In the fringcs OF bOrdercd meadow lakes some wild
ducks piped flew In hocks and chicken, silent
wild beast roasted in tree crotch The wOodpilcs on
invisible wharves emgratlng like the white Gohs
driven like chat before the tawDy Huns An old house
or two cngng the hlsides with their sills and ams
ngued seemed to speak to us swimming past IKE dumb
cattle and to low and beat rs the cold wind went
through them The railroad bed only known by the
picket fence OF telegraph poles as II went down IKE nv
ing bell in the ice go ged meadow bottoms My toes
were cold yet awed =,
Thus drifting along sdewisc bow on. between the
Ohio and Vest Virginia shores. out OF whose bold nils
milestone quarrles like fOTtrcsses, Iud re-
called Major Washington striving these winter waters
reach the French. Madame Bennerhasset n0atlnR
from her devastated slandn sight of which came all
buried In the hOOd.to Join her nfi1n but dOtlng nus
band In the settlements OF the NacheZ fOrsken there by
his evil genius, Aaron Burr, who also Oated down this
tide purposes 10 himself but 10 main
tain the mysticism which upheld thc hollow siml-
itude OF his genius. so had foatcd here the Maryland
military pedler James Wilkinson, whose false heart
and plausible impusiyeDess Burr hoped qualities he
doubted in himself-fOrtude, financial and real
influence. Nothing remained, | thought, drifted
down the river OF all that tragedy of Burrs expedition
but the eloquent memory OF w0mans devotion and vii
tue still preserved In all the traditions Btlpre
and Marietta where whose mothers she taught
cook and their naked homes showed me tho
picture daguerrotyped from her miniature OF Madame
Blennerlasset.