Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-02-08
TO THE RESCUE.
How The Islanders were Snaiched from
Peril.

Peril.
The scenes which transpired upon the
Island on Wednesday night will never be
forgotten by those who witnessed or took
part in them. No more terrible fate can
be imagined, than that OF those who,
cut off from all means OF escape, see the
angry waters climbing higher and higher
and coming nearer aud nearer, ss II eager
20 eneulf Them. But when TO this horror
il added that of the darkness OF the night,
the danger OF destruction from the floating
objects around them, the experience is one
whit b cannot .e described, can only be im-
agirtd. To the people imprisoned in their
island homes on Wednesday night, un-
CONSCIOUS that efforts were being made by
,,roue bearts aud willing hands to rescue
h,ln. aai alive onlY 10 the horrors OF the
constantly deepening waters, the intense
darkness OF tue night, aud the danger OF
their homes being wreRched from their
foundations and they swept down to an un-
known fate, has come 40 experience whose
memory cannot pass away.
The shrieks OF frightened women and
children full OF agony and fear, herd
above the swift rush OF the river and the
falling rain, was the first intimstion that
the water had reached dangerous height
and that the hundreds who live on the
north end OF the Island and who had been
pnsbls TO make their escape into the city
before nightfsll, were in danger OF death
and perhaps DYING. Men were soon found
esgsr to attempt the rescue, but In the
darkness and the swift eddying current OF
the ystsr such efforts were attended with
uncertainty and the greatest danger. Some
twenty-five men manned half q dozen
skiffs which were launched from the eaSt
end Of Virgins street and proceeded out
10 North Broadway and Penn streets. In
the darkness no knowledge could be OBJ
tanned of the current and the progress OF
the rescuers VAS full OF peril. Coming up
on the cross streets they would strike
current flowing at the rate OF tselve miles
an hour, which would sweep them hun
drsds OF feet out Of their course and in some
instances oyer,urning the boats, plunge
the boatmen into the river. Tnen
with SllknL ECSL. OA"S2
tree trunk as an anchor, the brave
fellows would keep upon their course,
guided only by the cries Of distress
and the course Of the fences
which border the streets. Eich trip occu-
pied at least two hours, and in some in
stances boat would be out from three to
FIVE hours. In this manner between IL
o'clock Wednesday night and Z yesterday
morning over $50 people were brought TO
the Suspension bridge and then hurried
away TO the homes of friends in the city.
The scenes which occurred on the bridge
beyrar description. Wives were searching
for their husbands and husbands for their
wives, while children were crying for thair
fathers and mothers. Often portion OF
family would be rescued by one boat and
the remainder by another.
When the morning came, the men VINO
had worked for eight long hours IN the
darkness and storm, sought their homes
for sleep and rest. But others were waiting
to take their pisces, and, with the boats
manned with experienced river men, Sao
with the comingci dsy light. ocG.d sse the
course of the current which swept .aroIsu
ths streets and bystrse>s With Arsss.s'io.e