Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1888-01-20

1
and we're going TO break it before we
leave. It's got to be broken, or tho
drive cant go through, and there isn't
any thing for us to do but just TO stick
here until we get 1t started"
"And thon we'd better be OF mighty
quickw said ono of tho other men.
"It's going to be bad place down
there, and I'd little sooner be on
shore" AS he spoke, ho pointed to
the boiling, swirling water that ronred
and dashed on the rocks below them.
at is n rough place." William Lay
ton replied; "but, boys, wc have all
been in rough places before, and wo'vo
always come out safe. And guess
we shall this timc," he continued, after
n moments thought; "but we must be
| CAREFUL
Then work began again, and scarce
| ly n word was spoken u all hands piled
their levers. Hero and there log was
loosened little, but there was small
hope that the right one had been
moved, when, after about an hour,
word was received that tho splash was
held by two mighty dams, would
spend its force upon the jam, and the
workmcn, rs well MS the crowd of by
ISLANDERS, waited eagerly for the result
In the excitement and apprehension
that preceded the arrival of the flood
little was said. The men were on tho
very front of the great jam, working
with cautious energy, but ready atany
moment to scramble for their lives,
while the spectators looked and listen
ed and feared.
But they had not long 10 wait First,
they heard the booming of logs picked
up by the splash, and hurled against
the rear of the jam. Then, slowly
forcing its way through the sulcn mass
of pine, they saw the water held by
two immense dams, coming steadily
nearer. As it came. the logs were lift
cd by its giant force, and writhing and
creaking, mingled their sharp discord
with the deep, continuous roar Of the
flood.
At last the water reached the head of
the jam, and the excitement became
more intense than ever The men
worked with nll their might, while the
people on shore almost held their
breath. Creaking and rising and twist
ing, the logs seemed to be moving in
every direction but the right one.
Would they finally start down stream?
Every worker and watcher asked
himself this question, and it was an
swered Just Us the head of the flood
passed from under the logs; for the
great jam then began to move forward,
slowly and sullenly at first, then swift
ly and resstlessly.
1t was grand sight, that huge body
of moving timber, crashing aud roar
ing, sweeping every thing before it
with measureess force-a sight never
to be forgotten. Great trees upon the
banks of the stream were caught by the
rushing mass, uprooted and carried
along like straws; giant logs snapped
like tiny alders.
There was continuous roar, rs of
partially muflled artillery; an often re-
curing crash, like volleys of musketry;
and the thousands of logs, like re-
sistless army, charged straight upon
the five men, whose destruction seemed
all but inevitable.
AT the first symptom of the jams
breaking they, of course, started for the
shoie, jumping quickly from log to log,
and ovading, rs best they could, the
dangers that hemmed them in on every
side. Now huge trunk leapcd sud-
denly out of the mass and ended over
with au ugly blow; and the next mo-
ment another was hurled swiftly round
with n vicious side-sweep by some un-
seen leverage.
In the face of such perils, and amid
the roar of flood and the crash of tim
Der, the men were bravely struggling
toward the shore.
Fighting their way side by side in
the most hazardous part of the jam,
and several yards behind their COM
panions, were William and Samuel
Layton. Skilfully, watchfully, they
sprang over the booming, hurrying
logs, and the anxious crowd breathcd
easier as they neared the shore.
The other three We're already safe,
anu anticipating lhe escape OF all
emeer Went up rom the eNeiteu people.
Inc eheer was ili-',heo' ior scaree,y
was l, gwen wheh II log wn'rleo swli'iy
round ana swept samuel Layton from
MS feet
cry OF horror broke from the crowd
as the brave young iumDerman ieii TO
what all thought must be certain oeath'
ana many turned away IRON inc terri-
pie s'Sht WIN heart-S'ck pahg' In
that mad torrent oil crushing TIMBER
rescue seemed Impossible
hut mere are t'me' when even ,ne
Impossible must DC attempted ana VII
liam l0Nt0n WAS NOT man To DE found