THE FLOOD OF 1843. 7I 



the picker house. "In half a minute," as he expressed him- 

 self, after he had returned to the building the last time, their 

 late dwelling was whirled over the. wheel house, dashed to 

 pieces and carried down the stream. Mr. Rigley stated that 

 but six minutes had elapsed from the time the house lodged 

 against the wheel house until it was carried down the creek. 



Edward L,ewis, Esq., and his son Edward were placed in 

 a situation of great peril. They were in the third story of the 

 grist mill, when the building began to yield to the force of 

 the flood — their paper mill and saw mill having previously 

 been swept away, and a current of great depth and velocity 

 passing between the mill and their dwelling, across which was 

 their only chance of retreat. A great part of the walls of 

 the mill was carried awaj', and the roof and timbers fell in 

 confusion around them, but fortunately enough of this build- 

 ing remained firm to save them from a watery grave, which 

 at one time appeared, both to themselves and to others who 

 witnessed the awful scene, to be their inevitable fate. They 

 were, at length, however, rescued by the use of a rope. 



On Chester Creek seven human beings were deprived of 

 their lives by the flood, and many persons were placed in situ- 

 ations of great jeopardy. 



Mary Jackson, a colored woman aged 25 3'ears, while 

 assisting her husband to save some wood on the meadow near 

 Flower's mill, from being carried away, was overtaken by the 

 sudden rise of the water and drowned. It appears that her 

 life might have been preserved had it not been for her hesi- 

 tancy in fleeing to the nearest point of safety. Her body was 

 found shortly afterwards, and while still warm. This woman 

 appears to have been held in high esteem by those who knew 

 her, and she has left a husband and several small children to 

 deplore her untimely end. 



Near the same place where Mary Jackson lost her life, the 

 life of Mr. William G. Flower was subjected to the most 

 imminent peril. Mr. Flower was upon the meadow when the 

 flood came down in a wave, U'epresented by the spectators as 



