Raging Flood, Afton NY, 1902

Death in a Raging Flood

Tragic Fate of the Cook Family at Afton

The Saturday Globe, July 26, 1902

 

Besides the great damage to property, three persons found death in the flood which resulted in this section from the heavy rains of last week.  One of the fiercest storms in its history passed over the village of Afton [Chenango Co., NY] on Saturday evening, carrying destruction and death in its wake.  Situated two miles above the town on Bump creek was Seeley's sawmill and between that and the village stood the Taft mill.  the creek being damned for both mills.  The dam at the Seeley mill broke and the flood carried the mill and a barn down the swollen stream.  This deluge struck the Taft property, tore away the dam, swept the mill from its foundation  and crushed out three lives.

 

The second story of the Taft mill was occupied as a dwelling by James Cook, who with his brother, William, owned the mill.  James Cook's family consisted of his wife and a 9-months-old baby.  They were caught like rats in a trap, their first warning of danger being when the swirling waters suddenly surrounded the building.  For a brief period only did the frail structure withstand the force of the torrent and then collapsed like an egg shell and was carried away in the rushing flood.  From some of the circumstances of the tragedy it is believed that Cook and his family had retired when the water commenced to rise and awoke only when it was too late to get out of the building into a place of safety.

 

Neighbors attempted to rescue but could do nothing.  Mrs. Delos Widger and her daughter were at  home nearby and heard cries coming from the direction of the mill.  They tried to telephone to other neighbors for help, but were unsuccessful.  Then while her daughter started to summon aid, Mrs. Widger secured a rope and started for the mill to do what she could to rescue the unfortunate inmates.  She could not get near the building owing to the angry flood.  She could, however, see the members of the Cook family running about the rooms looking for some avenue of escape but finding none.  The frantic woman, anxious to aid but helpless to do so, was a horror stricken witness of the catastrophe when the building collapsed.  Mr. Taft formerly owned the mill and with his wife, now resides only a few rods from the scene, both unwilling witnesses of the tragedy but could offer no assistance, Mr. Taft being an invalid.

 

The village of Afton was aroused by the ringing of the fire bell and a searching party was organized. William Cook, the brother of James Cook was one of the party, and he did not give up hope that the family would be rescued alive.  But in vain.  At Mr. Lobdell's place, three-quarters of a mile below where the Taft mill had stood, the body of Mrs. Cook was found about 11 o'clock Saturday night.  Mr. Cook's body was found on the flat just below the railroad tracks on Sunday morning.  The baby lay under some rubbish in the calf pen, near the mother, but the remains were not recovered until Sunday afternoon.  All the bodies were nearly nude and were badly bruised.  There was a deep gash several inches long on the left side of Mr. Cook's face and shoulder, and on the baby's forehead appeared a bad cut.  It is probably that death was when the mill toppled over.