Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-02-08
ISLAND EVEN rs.

Horror. Sta aeistfc5. scenes Oi Suueriuy
auG other Points Of the Once Garden
spot
The situation on the Island at daybreak
yesteEd y morning can neither be lmag
ined by those who were not eye witnesses
nor adl quately described by those present.
No parallel can be found in the aquatic
history Of the Nail City, and not even the
most gifted and imaginative of old resi-
dents can relate anything even approx.
mating the condition of affairs. At twelve
O'Clock OF Wednesday night the rising cur
rent Just touched the curb at the corner OF
Mr.. S. P. Norton's residence, at the east
end of Virginia street, and from that hour
henceforth the only dry land in the ward
was the approach to the west end OF the
suspension bridge. By A. NJ. yesterday
the small but plucky band of rescuers had
been driven back to the east corner OF the
round house, and Zane street from Taney's
residence to the round house, Odbert's
premises, and Virginia street for hun
dred feet was fast filling up with
an indiscriminate conglomeratiou Of
trees, ice, loose board piles, shanties,
hey and straw stacks, fences, a frame
house or two, and all the promiscuous
plu ader gathered up BY the rivsr in its re-
Ienrltss course. This was piled up tan
fett shove the water, and the roar of the
torrent as it made its way through it and
th, and cracking OF timbers and
,c,rcs as the drift settled more closelyeto
serLer, were calculated to Esta.
STRIFE rERBoR INTO ssY HEART -
and deter even the typical ,bravest Of the
BRAY, from venturing out 70 carry on the
so,k OF rescue. At tlas shour dense fog
5sG settled down upon the water, and OBJ
iects were indistinguishable at a distance OF
fifty yards. A tank Of oil was procured,
the lumber stacks of the Wheeling and
Be mont Bridge Company levied on liber.
ally, and soon an immense
bclfre was blazing on the
sidewalk at the north end o
the bridge, casting its rays far and wide
over the water, end served welcome bea.
con light to many gallant searcher, anx-
ious mother and terror stricken chill l..
Around the fire were dozen or fifteen
men, among them several reporters and
one or two policemen, and from time to
time skiffs were sent out to families IN
the most exposed positions, and the sutf'r-
ers brought to terra tirms. From two
O'Clock until six about thirty people, most
ly women and children, were landed, most
of them snstched from imminent danger,
who showered praises and thanks upon
their dcliverers without stint. Even the
least among that band who thus stood guard
throughout the night WAS hero, but the
palm for untiriGg and selt-sacridciuG devo-
ticu to the WORK Of saving those IN peril
must bs
AWARDED To JAMES RICHARDSON.
To his exertions many mother AID child
owe their rescue from distress and PROB
ably from death, and some substantial
recognition of his services should be made.
Others there were, too. who did splendid
work, among them Harry Mcclure, Austin
Beach, Dave MrClesry, Harry Young, Lon
Fran zheim, Frank Woodmausee, Will
Korell. Jean and George st. Meyers. Cane
and Will Kerner, Bud Starts, and half
dozen Others who were personally un-
known to the writer. In marked contrast
10 the conduct OF this band of heroes were
two or three Shylocks who took advantage
of the suffering and distress OF their fellow
citizens 10 wiring from them five, tsn and
even twenty dollars before they would un-
dertake to bring ashore women and chill
dren from half submerged houses. These
yap,pirs, deaf to the entreaties OF fathers
and brothers for aid, declined TO lift su oar
until they had wrung from the homeless
the last dollar of cash on hand. Men OF
this character are capable OF any
con ,eiyable meanness and should be made
to understand that the action OF the thieves
and extortioners who, in times OF danger
and distress, eager TO pray upon the mis-
fortunes OF others and profit BY their sut-
feripss. are sure to be noted and rsmem.
bered. These wolves had their imitstors
also during the day, Q notable example be-
ipc the SON of large South Font street
real estate owner, who unblushingly
charged poor lAborers five and ten dollars
for the rescue Of wives or children.
SHAME UPON Such AvARICE!
By daylight the water had crawled
twenty ieet further eastward a'oas the ap-
prosoh to the bridge, and drowned ont the
bon Ere. With its extinguishneot the
nien who had watched and worked through
ont the nfg5T for the most part sought the
rsSt suG rairsShpsCt they so much needed,
sad thsir places were filed by hslf bun
drsd volunteers. who sooa had abou
Iiitesn ecals manned s7t we-e hard ~
! work BY room prObsbly th-ee hCGiGed
additional people we're rescnsd, and ihe