Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-02-23
ON AN lnE-BOuND ISLAND.
Roberts and Ills Son Refuse TO
Leave Their Stock to PERISH


Leave Their Stock to Perlsh'
A PcrIlous Trip 10 Rescue ~" Nan ana
nov Imprisoned on the Island Opposite
Port Depoli;--Jhcy Refused 10 VI"
Ashore.
porr pEroatr. Mn, Feb. 2i.-'lhe citizens
Of Port Deposit neglected business, am
even those engaged III removing Their
household effects to places Of sale!S
stopped work this morning and We,lt "
the iuarries and the river shore anu tue
bluffs to see the relief party start iof hop'
erts Island.
Amid many wishes for safe trip the
rescue party climbed upon the corgcd lGe.
| The distance from tho main land to tle
island is about three,quatiers OF niue.
| The gorge, which rcsGmblcd ocean bl.IoWs
| frozen iii Il yale extended entirely across
the river. 10 get over the lltnmackS Was
| no easy task. At times the men could pc
seen by those watching them from the
! bluffs and then they wonld disappear, ohiy
| to be- seen again climbing to the luPot lce
| piled 20 tDt3O feet high,
| When Roberts Island wa9 reached " pre-
| scented a sight that made the atuutest hraft
| quail. 4 roaring river completely suh.
| merged the island and was in places 10
/ tcct deep. Around the dwelling the water
was aoGnt five feet deep and was seeihins
! and kissing as though angry ut The Oh.
| strnCCiUn which It could not force into It's
| current.
| tract attention, though the house was not
over 80 yards away When the others Of
| the party came up hey united their voices,
and after few minutes young Roberts
stuck his head ont Of a door, lie was
standing in Two feet ol water and SO aston
ishcd that lie quickly Withdrew his head
| After a few minutes the father and son
| appeared at the door, and satisfying them
selves that their visitors were mortals
| loUsened a boat which was made fast TO a
! socondstury window, and after battling
| With the current got the boat to the place
| where their visitors awaited them.
/ As soon rs the boat Waa made fast Mt.
! Roberts said: THANK God there VAS some
one who thought OF Us in uUr dissolution
| We have been y days on this island and
| you are the first human beings we have
| seen. know you dare not liAger nero, 50
| we must talk quick. have been y years
| OH this island and have experienced many
| an ICE gorge. This is the worst ever saw.
/ Sunday morning when lnwUke my meat
I house and all my meat had been swept
away. -Four hogs which | had put in the
| secund.siur oil the barn were also gone.
! Two Of my COWS and my horse were also
| in the seCUnd.stUty ANA were waist deep IN
water and only saved them after great
effort. We nave something 10 eat IN the
| top OF the house.
After being instructed by Mr.. Roberts TO
| tell his eldest son, who lives IN Port De
| pusl, to write TO his mother, vino Is up
tho country, the party left, not, however,
| without trying again and again e. per-
| snnde the man ana boy To 60 with them.
| Father and son then gave each Of the party
their autographs and, with u faint smile,
Roberts, 81, SAID y" hope you will call
and see us next summer, adding, anN
iullsly, 'if we are here. After guud.byes
were exchanged the visitors lett feeling
very much as though they were parting
from Two doomed persons, That they can
escape does not luUk possible.
When Fort Deposit was reached by the
relief party one Uf tile first people met on
shore was MIR. Roberts eldest SON lie
merely inquired, My luthcrani brother
Both well and desire yuu TO write yuuf
I mother. WAS the answer, The young
man put into ms pocket a pair Of field
4 glasses, with Witch tie had been intentIy
| watching the Journey across and back and
then, accompanied by several sYmpathH
| ing lnries, len the shore to carry out hi,
fathers instructions. 1t Is not probable
that another attempt Will be male t
reach Roberts Island i'll the present state
of the river though watchers continue oil
the bank with fed glasses in hopes Of ii,
! senior Roberts charging his mind and de
cidiug 10 try and reach u place of safety.
The iCc-gurgc situation is practically an
changed here to night. The wind ha.
blown steadily from the southeast all day
and about dark Il SNOW. storm set in. The
wind blows right in from the Chesapeake
and has backed the water. Reports from
NJ the river have been Vi such 4 character
as 10 cause Increased uneasinesi.