The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1888-09-20

negroes and white men whose brawny
arms showed plainly their strength. AT
ne approached the boat men yelled:
"Boat, sir; boat. The party halted
upon the edge of the stream and glanced
at or rather in. the direction of the foun'
tain city. Only solid sheet of watel
could be seen, but above the water tops
of houses and trees appeared with here
and there suggestion of'a fence. After
watching the waters for a short time
every man in the crowd except Mr.. P,
Wilson, of Cincinnati, warm friend Of
Don Bain's, of Atlanta, declined riskiDg
the voyage.
With me, Mr.. Wilson approached a
boatman and I asked!
"Will you take us over?
SIT is dangerous, boss" answered the
man.
aMuch daDger?" asked Wilson.
"Yes, good deal, answered the boat.
man.
"Then will go back to Atlanta" said
Mr.. Wilson.
This let me alone, and, with an unstea'
dy nerve, I began trade with the boat.
man. I finally bought his boat, and
then paid two of them by the hour. to
pull me over. As stepped into the
boat, Wilson grabbed me by the arm,
saying, "Don't CO." But then he gave
me hearty shake Of the hand, ard one
Of the men pushed the boat away.
For two blocks We moved along evenly
almost gracefully. Then We approached
the canal This formed what is called
here the current, and swift currentit is
Nothing could stem it. My two sailors
headed my yacht up stream and struck
the current. Into it we went like
quarterhorse, and down the stream re
glided, so fast that my head began tc
swim.
"Just be steady, boss" said one of the
sailors, "and ne will get through,
hope.'
! sat steady; the men pulled steady
and mile down the stream ne came ouI
Of the current, The water was here
twelve TO fifteen feet deep, and through
residence yard we ran into Jackson, the
cotton avenue of the city.
Here the boat encountered another
current, but the muscular sailors over.
came it, and we finally aoated up to the
Chronicle Office. Colonel Pat Walsh, The
we'll known editor, was standing at The
Broad street entrance knee deep in water
Beside him stood Ed Hook, the cit, edi
tor, incased in a full suit of rubber
Both gentleman were smiling, and Col
Walsh stepped forward, saying:
"I knew the Constitution would stuo
some one up to see this flood, and have
prepared card for you. Here it is:
Editors Constitution, Atlanta, Ga.
Augusta has been wet far the last forty
eight hours, but she will come up dry
and smiling tomorrow morning. Ths
exposition will take place according tt
announcement.
(Sigued) PATRICK WALSH.
AS every one who is acquainted will
Augusta knows, Broad street is the high
est point in the city and the block il
which the Chronicle Office and Arlington
hotel are situated is the very highest
Some idea of the extent Of the flood may
be had when it is said that the water wst
more than a foot deep i'll these two build
ings. The food made its force apparent
on Saturday morning. For more than
week rain had been falling almost inces
sanity but DO one anticipated food til
Saturday morning.
At IL o'clock on that morning, the
water rose to % feet and i've inches
covering the entire eastern portion o
the city. Persons began to grow
uneasy andmany prepared to move
But in few hours the rise abated and q
o'clock the water began to fall. o
course the people felt better and aban
doned all idea of moving. The watel
confined to recede until Sunday noon
when 81 feet marked the situation
although all ideas of food were dis
PEELED. Sunday came and that night al
Augusta went to bed happy. Early il
the night however, the water began te
rise rapidly and for sometime went up a
the rate of thirteen inches an hour
About four o'clock the watchman at tht
Riverside mills discovered the danger
and gave the alarm by long and loue
whistles from his engine. The operators
who reside in the cottages about the mill
awoke to find their houses filled Will
water. IL was pitch dark. The rain wa
falling and the water was about three
feet deep. No one knew what DANCE
threatened him, ,-and for time cries aDt
shrieks drowned the noise of ,he storm
and the sbrill whistling Of the engine
Finally those whose lives were in seriled
became calmer and began to do the bes
that could be done. Some succeeded il
getting to dry ground, while others go
away from the water by getting upon tb'
tops OF the houses and climbing into tree
t in friendly proximity.