The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1883-11-23
Jan AND DEMOCRAT, BLOOMSBURY, COLUMBIA COUNTY PA

year he built an addition OF twice the size
Of the old house and had just finished and
furnished II very short time before IL was
torn away by the frcshet and swept down
the creek bodily with but barely sufficient
notice TO save the workingman, William
Kester, and four OF the older children who
were sleeping in that part The rain CON-
menced falling about 5 o'clock in the
afternoon Of July 3rd, and 1t rained gently
all evening, but the clouds were very
heavy and black 1t looked as thongh
three showers were coming together, each
from different, direction. We retired
early and slept soundly till about 10
o'clock, when loud crash of thunder
aroused father, who got up and found six
or eight inches Of water on the floor, and
the rain coming down the old-fashioned
chimney in torrents. The flashes OF light
ming came in such quick succession that it
was almost as light as day In the house,
and In very short time father had sue
ceeded in getting the entire family to the
upstairs of the old house, which seemed to
be the only place of safety. Hardly had
he accomplished this task when the force
of the current struck the new house with
with such terrific force as to tear 1t from
the old building and hurl it bodily down
the stream. 1t required all the strength of
the two men to close the now outside door
of the old building against the force of the
current which was rushing directly against
1t, and very soon the only place of safety
was the upstairs, which had been un-
rooted and the floor thrown at an angle by
the falling of the large stone chimney
which had been undermined, and Of course
this was not pleasant nor safe position
for family Of children. On gaining the
stairs mother asked II we were all there.
Father counted and found two missing,
and returning to the first floor found the
cradle floating with the two.year- -old babe
in it, and the little boy clutching to a
spinning.wheel with only his head above
water. We were all taken from our beds
without time to dress, and were obliged to
sit on that bare floor exposed to rain and
cold for nineteen hours, with no other
covering than our night clothes. Father
says that the constant flashing of lightning
enabled him to see that the valley was
filed with water from hill to hill, and the
rain falling in sheets caused white foam
to cover the surface and make it grand
sight to behold. He also saw what, by
the direction of Providence, had saved us
from being swept away with the food-a
very large tree that stood just above the
house, had been turned out by the roots
with top toward the house, and in such
position as to divide the current, throwing
it on either side of the old building, form
ing an eddy just large enough to protect
the house and us from inevitable destruc-
ton. M
After the storm had ceased fathers two
brothers, Isaac and Jacob, living below us,
went out to view the flood and seeing
some things among the driftwood that
they recognized as belonging to us, they
became alarmed and hastenetl to our res
cue, bringing with them twelve men.
After trying for some time to talk to us
from the mountain by signs and motions,
one of the brothers ventured to swim the
channel, and starting in far up the stream
reached us safely, but so exhausted he
could scarcely speak-I had never seen a
man cry, but the tears ran down the cheeks
of these brothers as they clasped each
other in warm and earnest embrace. After
resting few moments uncle swan the
other channel, which was about twenty
five feet deep, to the barn, where he found
the horses with their front feet in the
managers to keep their head out of water.
After securing all the chains, ropes and
straps he could find, he loosed the horses
and went to the hill where the men ar
ranged and fastened together bridge of
logs which was placed from the house to
the hill by swimming the horses back and
forth many times. On this temporary
passage-way we were all taken to the hill,
and from there we went to the house of
Peter Hess, who kept the post office one
mile below, and were clothed and fed, both
of which were needed very much indeed,
as we were nearly frozen, and famished as
well.
We had lost everything but one COW and
two horses. The old clock, which we
heard strike twelve--at midnight-for the
last time, was found some time after bur-
led under two feet of sand, and a harrow
was found hanging in the top Of tree.
We went from Flshingcreek to Catawissa,
and thence to Elysburg and in 1875 came
to Shamokin where my parents are still
living and in right good health. Forget
ting our losses, we shall ever feel truly
thankful to the Power that saved us.