Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1899-09-18
DURING THE BRAZOs FLOOD.

Rain is descending as if the heavens
were dissolying. The Brazos, though
it is flowing over the roofs of build
lngs that were supposed to stand upon
ground never reached by the greatest
floods, is still rising, and it's shores are
lined with thousands of wet, hungry
and naked negroes, who have recently
been rescued from treetops, ginhouses
and floating cabins.
The latest news from every section
along the river is distressing. All of
the domestic animals, thousands of
fine mules, the COWS and all of the hogs
and fowls in the bottoms have certain
ly persisted. No railroad trains have
passed for a whole week, the wires are
all down and we have not seen news
paper for six or nine days. Food
and clothing have been collected at
Caldwell today, to be forwarded to the
suffering people on the shores of the
Brazos tonight if it is possible to get
there through LIE mud and the awful
downpour of rain.
Some very remarkable incidents
have occurred in connection with the
flood. A whole family was rescued
from substantial frame structure
that had floated at least fifteen miles,
The family was aroused just before
daylight by the noise of the waters
and the motion of the building. They
were, of course, terribly frightened,
but it was pitch dark" as the man
said and thnu 0nI11d IN 10Th
than "stick to the ship" When it
grew light enough for them to see they
were frightened almost out of their
senses to discover that their house
was floating down wide river The
father Of the family made every eff
fort to effect landing, without sue
cess. He finally attracted the atten-
ton Of some young men on the shore,
near Old Washington, and the whole
family was rescued and their house
lodged against body of heavy timber
They had made a narrow escape, and
| when the father, in transport of joy,
was moving around and thanking the
people for their assistance, he was
! very much surprised to meet brother
whom he had not seen for several
years. His brother was a wealthy
| planter, who lived in a big, roomy
! house, only short distance away. 1t
! is presumed that the unfortunate peo-
pie were made comfortable in a short
| time.
A cradle was found floating rapidly
down the river, and when it was over
hauled by party of rescuers they
were surprised to find that it con-
| tanned perfectly contented little ne
gro baby. The bereaved mother came
after her child later in the day, and
from her the boys learned that the
cradle had floated about six miles.
One house passed that was covered
with chickens, while a calf and young
colt anxiously gazed from one of the
windows. A young girl was rescued
| from large tree which she had been
clinging to for several hours. She said
that the house occupied by her people
had f1oated for some distance in the
darkness and that it had turned over
and she supposed that her father and
mother and two children perished. A
courageous father carried his wife and
two little girls up into large elm tree
and tied them securely TO the branches
with rope, where they remained IN
| til daylight. He then descended and
swan to his house and made raft
and took his little family and some
of his household effects safely ashore.
| One man by the name of Sartain,
| who certainly must be a good swim
mer, carried his wife and baby on his
back and Travelled no less than five
miles of the submerged district-Wad-
ing in water above his waist part of
the time, and forced to swim wide bay
Gus where the water was very deep.
1t was easy to see that the woman
was nervy and very proud of her hus-
band. Rescuing parties are still
bringing people from the overlooked
bottoms. 1t is now known that great
number of people have been drowned.
st. Louis Globe-Democrat.