He has his office on the
second floor. His home is at No. 135 Walnut street. He says he was in
the house with his family when the waters struck it. All was carried
away. Mr. Walters' family drifted on a roof in another direction. He
passed down several streets and alleys until he came to the hall. His
dwelling struck that edifice and he was thrown into his own office.

Long, Dark Night of Terror.

About two hundred persons had taken refuge in the hall, and were on the
second, third and fourth stories. The men held a meeting and drew up
some rules, which all were bound to respect. Mr. Walters was chosen
president. Rev. Mr. Beale was put in charge of the first floor, A.M.
Hart of the second floor, Doctor Matthews of the fourth floor. No lights
were allowed, and the whole night was spent in darkness. The sick were
cared for. The weaker women and children had the best accommodations
that could be had, while the others had to wait. The scenes were most
agonizing. Heartrending shrieks, sobs and moans pierced the gloomy
darkness. The crying of children mingled with the suppressed sobs of the
women. Under the guardianship of the men all took more hope. No one
slept during all the long dark night. Many knelt for hours in prayer,
their supplications mingling with the roar of the waters and the shrieks
of the dying in the surrounding houses. In all this misery two women
gave premature birth to children.

Here is a Hero.

Dr. Matthews is a hero. Several of his ribs were crushed by a falling
timber and his pains were most severe, yet through all he attended the
sick. When two women in a house across the street shouted for help he
with two other brave young men climbed across the drift and ministered
to their wants. No one died during the night, but women and children
surrendered their lives on the succeeding day as a result of terror and
fatigue. Miss Rose Young, one of the young ladies in the hall, was
frightfully cut and bruised. Mrs. Young had a leg broken. All of Mr.
Walters' family were saved.

While the loss of property about Brookville, the lumber centre of
Pennsylvania, by the great flood has been enormous, variously estimated
at from $250,000 to $500,000, not a single life has been lost. At least
there have been none reported so far, and I have travelled over the line
from Red Bank, on the Valley road, to Dubois, on the low grade division.
Every creek is swollen to many times its natural size. A great deal of
the