Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1895-02-23


are TO be called-and once adriit on
the smooth ice and with dozen Yoke
of steel shod steers for its motive
power, why, they reckoned she could
be made to caracole across that mile n.
a-half of frost bridge about as easy as
cutting cheese. Not that they imagined
that two story dwelling. laden with
furniture, coal, fittings and all modern
conveniences, even when set upon
skates, would try any antics. cut any
fancy ice "figgers' or do any curlecues,
not at all; but they did believe she
ought TO amble along pretty lively, as
il slicked up with greesed lightning.
So it was that next day at sunrise
half the able bodied voters OF the
town were grouped about Halls or
deployed about the ice Frequently
along came men with horses and snow
scrapers and ploughs. and these work
men fell to work on the snow with
such will and vim that before night
they had carved great smooth path
clear across the lake.
LIKE LAUNCHING \ sHIf.
On the following day-this second
part of the task was dead easy" with
nothing unusual about 1.-THE work
ers quickly and dexterously lacked
up the heavy and cumbrous structure,
fitted immense wooden skids to its
shored-up sills, then hitched little
army OF pluuging steers to the face OF
the dwelling by means of cables and
iron hog chains. All was ready now
to be up and away.
Then the steers strained at their
heavy chains laShed to the dwelling,
which went taut with crisp. metallic
snap; the towering house tottered and
wobbled once, trembled in all its win
dows, then leisurely got move on it,
and following its skates, very placidly
waddled like fat goose down the
steep bank and out on the lake.
Everything went on harmoniously.
Men and oxen labored diligently and
expertly. Gracefully and in some
what stately style it glide,l along its
frozen track. 1t was on Sunday
morning, earl Y. and great number of
men. women and children lined the
shores, and all hands raised a cheer
as the novel migrating caravan went
serenely on.
John Woodmansec, Il well known
and skiltul contractor, was in charge
Of the line Of march, having promised
Lecount that he would transfer his
cottage from one shore TO the other
without casualty, and every one had
implicit faith in Johns ability to do
exactly As agreed. All day Sunday
the house crept along by easy stages,
in spite of stiff northwest wind that
hurled hurricane of snow aboIt lis
track and at sunset it had advanced
about an eighth Of mile down the
lake
UNsUsPiCIous OF DANGER.
Then the painting steers were led
away to their stalls at Halls and the
house rested easily over night on II
precaricus ice foundations. At day
break Yesterday the migrating build
ing, steers. horses and teamsters, with
John Woolmailsce to the front, start
ed afre-h. and before sundown last
evening the house had made another
eighth OF II mile and was lying about
north-northwest off the island, the
only feature OF the kind in the lake.
As round as an apple. cone shaped
and thickly SET with trees, it is no big
ger than a city house lot. Its banks
are precipitou>, and AT no great dis
tauce from lis western shore the lake
is very deep. In tact, at the place
where the Lecount house had been
halted for the night the water is be-
tween ION To 100 feet in depth. but as
Il rule the ice all about the lake was
not less than sixteen or twenty inches
in thickness, so no one, least OF all
Contractor " oodmansee, dreamed Of
forthcoming catastrophe.
1t was now late in the " intry
cleaning, men and oxen had long
since been sent ashore. but Mr.. Wood
mansee fingered about his charge.
critically examining the condition OF
the ice. when suddenly the notion
crossed his mind that the whole con
Germ there, house aud ice, was grad
ually sinking. In breathless suspence
and hastily he marched about the
house, and this time he was certain
that his fancy had played him no
trick.
The house was slowly sinking into
the bosom OF the lake. a little fur
ther inspection Of the locality. more
over, convinced him that lucklessly
he haulied the dwelling exactly over
one OF the numerous bubbling springs
of the lake, whose relatively warm
waters tossed upward from lis bottom
had prevented the formation Of ice
there of greater thickness than from
four To six inches.
TRIED 10 SAVE IT.
The contractor scrambled ashore,