Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1885-04-24

climbed Is inches, then it appeared to
remain stationary awhile and slowly re-
coded. He lost his fence, and a lot of
lumber he had bought the day before.
sADDEsT OF ALL.
The saddest experience felt by any
flood sufferer came TO an old man
named Samuel Maddox, of Chautauqua
county, who was on his way to Monta-
ma Territory. With him was his entire
family of wife and 8 children, these be-
ing grown son, % years of age
grown daughter, % years old, a
son IS years old, 2 smaller girls 8 and
II years old and two boys, aged respect
lively s and 7 years. With this party
was Robert Poag, of Clinton county,
Missouri, brother of Mrs. Maddox. OF
this entire party, six were drowned,
these being the vie, the son Of Is, two
sons Of 5 and years and two daughters
Of 8 and IL years. Mr.. Maddox and
his family were camped in the grove
west Of the bridge. midway between
Elm and Spring creeks. They had a
tent and were sleeping in this. They
had 9 head OF horses and mules 2 wag
ons, and lot Of household furniture.
When they noticed the water collecting
in their tents, the party attempted to
get in the wagons, and the younger
ones did. The older members attempt
ed to turn the wagons against trees, but
the heavy waves dashed against them
so strong that they were compelled to
climb into the nearest tree, while the
wagons were swept away with the
food. One wagon lodged in the grove
while the other floated down the
stream directly south of town, where
it overturned and threw the occupants
out. The oldest daughter a young lady
OF Is caught on a stump and afterwards
left it for tree near by, into which
she climbed and remained. 1t was this
lady with the long-flowing goldenI hair,
standing in the foliage of the tree and
rendering shrieks that could be heard
for mile, that attracted hundreds of
people to the opposite bank. Hurry
upl can't stand 1t and longerl Help
me! Come quick!' were heard every
instant. The crowd said she had ba-
by in her arms: others said they saw
her drop the child, and everyone was
excited. The crowd offered $500 to any
one who would rescue her; but no one
would venture into the surging stream.
Below her not hundred yards, was her
brother, Is years old. clinging to the
branches of tree, and he, too, was cry
ing piteously for help, and none could
be rendered. From o'clock in the
morning until 10 these two held their
positions. Then it was that p. Is.
Cole, Frank McAlister and Sam Cole
appeared on the east bank, swimming
their horses through the overflow and
sloughs. and much to the delight of the
crowd, rescued the suffering people
p. 3. Cole was on a small horse, but
he bravely rode under the tree and dis
mounting in water waist deep, he care
fully helped the lady from the tree,
placed her behind his saddle and
mounting safely carried her to terra
firIna. Frank McAlister rescued the
boy in a similar manner, and when the
crowd saw how nicely the work was
done, it drew long breath, and yelled
in tones to he heard miles away.
These, then were all the living Of the
Maddox family: The father, his grown
son and daughter and the boy rescued.
Later in tie day the poor mother was
| -, lr,f
sand, half q mile below where her
daughter and son were rescued; not far
from her were her two youngest sons.
Wednesday morning two daughters
were found near the same place and the
lS-yearOld boy was found at the Kiowa
ford, directly across the road that leads
into the water. 1t was nearly covered
with sand aud mud.
The bodies OF the mother and two
boys found Tuesday were brought TO
town, dressed and buried Wednesday
morning. The other son and two
daughters were buried Wednesday af-
ternOon. All were fully identified by
the remaining members of the family.
Mr.. Maddox had with him over
81 500 in money. This was in a trunk
in one of the wagons. The wagon bed
was discovered and accompanied by
Sam Cole, the oldest boy secured the
money and turned it over to his father
Wednesday.
The surviving daughter and son, res
cued from the trees, were taken care Of
at Uncle Johnny Roe's, east Of Elm.
W. w. Cook, and family cared for the
other members.
FRANK SHELTERS EXPERIENCE.
II first noticed the water in my house
on Kansas avenue two squares east of
Spring creek about 4 o'clock in the
morning." said Frank Shepler, to the
INDEX Wednesday. II got out Of bed
and stepped into water more than a
foot deep. awoke my wife and told
her tn take the. baby and 60 up stairs.
We were sleeping in the north wing. on
the first floor. LIGHTED a band torch,
and went up stairs, and soon after
wards felt the house move and the
walls spreading, and the floor giving
down. About that time the house ap-
peared too swing around towards the
west and a heavy wave knocked
the east gable in. I grabbed my wife
under one arm and our two-yaer-old
child under the other and going to the
opening made in the end told my wife
to climb on the roof, which she did land
/ handed her the child. then attempt
ed to swing on to the roof but by this
time the house was in swift channel
and floating timber or log struck me
in the side and knocked me of. 1t ap-
peared that 1 went into water 20 feet