Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1901-08-14
CHILDREN
DROWNED

dselbthuI pOstmhStoi, Ounu"y oA'O'
noon, whereby his wife and tire
children were drowned, under clrcum
stances of peculiar sadness.
- Sunday afternoon shortly before
o'clock Mr.. Pole left town in a surry
accompanied by his wife and lou
children, to drive IN the neighborhoo
of House Mountain, distance OF NOR
. than six miles from Lexington, jus
Q before starting for home, at about
o o'clock, rain storm began which NOR
o resembled a cloudburst than a summer
shower. Cn approaching ford across
!, a tributary to Whistle k,just below
the home of Mr.. r. X. Dunlap. Mr.
/ Pole saw that the stream was swollen
but did not think it dangerously so.
As he entered the water tremendous
swell came rushing upon him and
swept horse, vehlcl', and occupants
down the raging torrent. They were
all submerged in the muddy water and
borne rapidly to destruction and death.
Mr.. Pole sunk and rose several
times, but could see nothing OF his
loved ones. AS he was carried along
he grasped the limb of tree and was
swung to the shore and climbed out
Wife and children were no where to
be seen. Thinking he heard the cry
of a child. he franticailY searched along
the banks of the strelm. At last he
discovered lying on the bank, above the
receding waters, the lifeless form OF
his baby, Margare', aged little over
one year. About one-fourth a mile
below the accident Llnalie, aged 81
years, was found alive, and rescued
from the water. Further down the
stream were. found the bodies OF
of Elizabeth, aged 6, and Rachel
aged 8, both dead and showing signs
of bruises and wounds from contact
with rocks and fences. The body |
of Mrs. Pole wa, found near Old
Monmouth church, more than two
miles below the scene Of the catast-
rophe,b by Mr.. Thomas Kerr who was on
MS way to Lexington bearing the
tidings OF the sad occurrence. her
body was considerably dls6gured and
bruised by the long struggle in the
angry waters.
When news of the unfortunate acct
dent reached Lexington, lab out 6 O'Clock,
people seemed dazed and Mortified at
the magnitude Of the disaster. Never
before had such an appalling disaster
been experienced in our community.
Groups Of men gathered on the streets
and with hushed voices discussed the
lragedy. Crowds of persons visited
the scene of the accident ready to
extend sympathy and lend helping
hand in the recovery of the dead. At
9 o'clock, when the bodies were
brought to rown, hundreds OF persons
followed in the sad procession to
the residence Of Captain Jacob Rodrick,
the father of Mrs. Pole, where the
bodies were placed and prepared for
burial. All that night and the days
following tbrongs OF persons, friends,
neighbors, strangers, called to extend
their sympathies.
Mrs. Pole was the eldest daughter
Of Captain ard Mrs. Jacob Rodrick,
and was aged SO years. She came
with her parents to Lexington about
fifteen years ago, from Harper's Ferry.
their former home, aud since that |
time she has livei here. Captain
Rodrick is a valued conductor of a
passenger train on the Valley railroad,
RAINING between Lexington and
Harrisonburg. Mrs. Pole ID survived
by heI parents, one sister, Mrs. Henry |
B. Holmes Of Newport News, aud one
brother Mr.. Walter g. Rodrick, of |
Baltimore; also by her husband, and
two children, Rodrick, aged IL, who
at the time OF the accident was visit
ing in Baltimore and Maryland, and
Linale. the only child rescued from
the food.
Mr.. Pole, who was born and reared
in Lexington, has the deepest sympathy
Of his host of friends. Many express
sions of sympathy have been received
by him from distant friends, especially
from the railway postal clerks, with
whom he has been thrown for many
years. both as q railway postal clerk
himself and as clerk and assistant
postmaster at Lexington.
TIL f,narol oorvicaa fook ulooa Tuoo