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Show prevented it from flowing into the house. The family escaped through a north, rear door to the next street. The only creek-spanning bridge left intact in town was the large cement one on State Street. Horse-drawn wagons were soon made ready by resourceful men to carry people from one side of the creek to the other. Virginia's mother, Ann Maria, and her husband, John R. dinger, had recently sold their home and small farm in Freedom, and bought a little house on Sixth South and State Street in Mt. Pleasant-so the Madsens sought refuge there. Virginia had hastily gathered clothing and blankets, and the family carried them in their arms to the wagon depot on the north side of the big bridge. There they awaited their turn to be taken across to the south side, and after reaching dry ground, they walked out to Grandma's house where the five of them lived temporarily with Grandma and Uncle until they could return to their flood-surrounded, rented house. They literally burst the seams of the little house but were grateful for a place to stay. The day after the flood John K recrossed the bridge in a wagon, and on a borrowed horse rode through the thick mud (two to three feet deep) to release his cow that had been trapped in the barn at the rear of the rented house. The closed door on the barn had kept the thick mud from running into it. In some way John K was able to get the cow from the stable, lead her through the mud to dry land, and obtain 169 |