Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-05-24
CHASE TRADING CO., HOUSTON

termiDed to run their road through
the picturesque and fertile Bosque
valley, entering IL about one mile
southeast of the town on the opposite
side OF the river. This compelled the
movement OF the town, aud rs there
was no more desirable place for n
location, the railroad company
purchased of Messrs. Snow Il Pool the
lands for the new town, In the cove
where the road enters the valley and
here, surrounded on one side by the
romantic Boslue hills and overlooking
on the other valley IN rich as the
Nile with its inundations, they be-
gan the new town with the old name
They had but fairly started in the
new enterprise when the mammoth
cyclone of February, 1882, almost com
pletely demolished the business pOr-
tion Of the town, scattering houses and
goods In every direction, and destroy
ing In IA few minutes what had been
the accumulation of a lifetime,
Having gone through the tri-fold
ordeal Of fire, food and storm, one un-
acquainted with the people of Valley
Mills would naturally have asked
whether they would attempt To rise
again; but they have never yet hung
their hsrps upon the willow" and
rising from their prostration they
went TO work with redoubled ener.
giles, feeling secure from AT least one of
their former foes--the Hood. And 1t
was OF this rather than anything else
that / intended writing when
began, for although the town was built
this time above The valley, our farm
ers, upon whom we rely for the quo
stantisls OF life, have interests here
that Will always, OF course, be subject
To these occasional losses, when tney
viii have the sympathies OF those who
are away from these dangers.
The night of May - will long be
remembered by our people on account
OF the furious clouds which were hur-
rying to the north west, charged with
electricity and pain ting hell on the
sky"
The Bosque river rises In the hills Of
Erath county, and flowing down a
long inclined plane, IL passes through
that county with Bosque and McLen-
nan, being IA large area. every portion
of which was flooded that night with
heavy rains. The rain continuing
next morning our people ut once raw
their fate--an overflow. BY noon the
people saw lakes and seas Instead oi
farms. From viewing the destruction
of property. crops, farms and stock
they turned instiDctivcly to consider
the possible loss of human life. DR.
Wood, who lives below Town, whence
| DR.. O'Brien was driven by former
flood. went to the highland carly In
the day. Mrs. Hays, who lives above
town. went to The home OF her brother,
j.. II. Hinton. who lives near
by. Mrs. Graham, a widow lady wht
with her family lives on the Island d.
rectly upon the banks OF the mail
stream, says It was fordable AT sunrise
J When they went 10 breakfast the banks
were fast filling, and realizing the i'm
pending danger she started Al once u
! leave the island; but, 10 her conster
I nation, when she reached the slough i
was too deep TO cross. Thos. Lear
SWAN the slough on horseback seyera
/ times. and tried In vain to induce he
! TO cross, ns IL was then narrow. VIVA
1 must have been her feelings when, will
s0rrowing steps, she turned with he
children To the deserted home, ~ bes
1 an uncertain hope? Slowly but sure
ly came an unyjelding foe. The pee
Die, with those noble feelings that pre-
1 vail In all lands when danger threat
ems, began AZ once To build boat
which, when completed, WAS launche
during fearful storm OF lightning
wind and rain. Two brave yOun
men, who will ever live In the heart
I ofthis family, steered the boat owe
he tops OF wire fences and acros