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David John Hersey's Flood Run Part One

3/28/2016

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Rainy Day in Rochester Harbor
Rainy Day in Rochester Harbor by Unknown
David John Hersey (1846 –1900 or so) was truly an outstandingly gifted book-keeper.  On that morning Friday, February 22, 1878 it had been a borderline decision to leave his home and trek to his office at the McRossie Lumber Yard on the Kingston, Ontario harbour.  It had rained most of the night.  But David John Hersey was dependable.  Accurate.  Meticulous.  Perhaps…Perfect. 
 
In an unusual digression from his typical solid stream of concentration into numbers, dollars, and ledgers, David John was lost in thought, staring out the small window of his small upstairs office at the storm.  He was a rather small man; five feet, three inches encompassing a rather well fed 131 pounds.   Although the youngest of Daniel Hersey's eleven children, David was the de-facto-and-perhaps self-appointed head-of-the-family now that Daniel was slipping into senility.   David John felt responsible for all matters concerning the Family. In fact (it was an odd twist of thought) he was beginning to feel responsible that is was raining. 
 
It was twelve P.M. exactly and David John was beginning to feel conflicted.  For the sake of Family, immediate and large, he should remain the next five hours in the office and finish the books.  Simultaneously, for the sake of Family, immediate and large, he should haul ass out of the building, schlep through the downpour, and ease his mind over everyone's well-being.  No.  It just was not right to leave the office this early. 
 
David John returned to the books and successfully absorbed himself for two additional hours.  At 2:04 P.M. exactly a tremendous round of thunder and lightning crashed over the building snapping David John out of his concentration.  He rose and returned to the small, dirty (at least on the outside; he meticulously cleaned the inner panes) window and peered over the yard.  He thought he could spot his brother-in-law (and employer) William McRossie (1839 - 1896) working in the deluge making unsuccessful attempts to tie carps over the lumber piles.  In the further distance he could see that the harbour was angry with wind and waves.
 
He could feel it happening; the odd inner emotional clock that David John held inside clinked into gear.  He needed to check on the Family; he had to check on them immediately.  He whisked into a frenetic pace.  Before he could leave he must secure his office which contained two safes, the books, and all financial papers.   David John spun into his traditional checks:
 
He closed his main ledger.
He reopened his ledger to make sure the last sums were accurate.
He reclosed his ledger.
No, that was not enough.  He reopened his main ledger and set a marker in place.
He reclosed his ledger for the second time.
He then reopened his ledger to check the place of the marker.
This he did three more times.
 
David John snuffed out the kerosene lamp.
No, there were still things to do. He relit the lamp.
He rounded the office, collecting all papers of the day.
He set each paper on top of the smaller of the two safes. 
He re-rounded the office for papers he may have missed.
He did this three more times.  He had not missed a thing.
 
Feeling ready to open the smaller safe David John placed all correspondence papers inside.
He closed and locked the safe.
Without a thought he unlocked the same safe to check that all papers were placed inside correctly.
He relocked the same safe.
He repeated the above five times.
 
At this point, the most important task of the wrap-up, David John opened the larger main safe which held all collections of cash, notes, and important financial papers.
David John counted each monetary paper and coin.  He checked each note.
He reopened his ledger and compared all sums with the contents of the safe.
He did this twice. 
David John was then ready to lock up the main safe, which he did. 
Compulsively he reopened the safe and recounted.
He relocked the safe and walked to his desk.
With another inward pull he returned to the safe and rechecked the lock.
Now he could return to his desk.
 
Next on his agenda was the preparation ritual for the next work day.
David John sorted all papers on his desk in order of importance.
He re-sorted the papers with more accuracy.
He opened each of the five drawers and fixed every item into its proper place.
He reopened and reset each drawer three times satisfying and re-satisfying himself that all desk items were in place and ready for the next work day.
He dusted down his desk chair and set it in the exact proper place, directly in the center of the nook.
 
Now David John was ready to face the next decision.   What in the Sam Hill he was going to do?  He needed to check on his wife and five children.  They would most likely be dry; they had moved to an upscale high-ground neighborhood between Queen's College and the Courthouse nearly a year ago.  But he had to check.  His wife, Elizabeth Kells Hersey (1845–1931) had a neurotic fear of storms.  Should he stop at the McRossie house along the way to check on his sister and her three children?  Above all he knew he had to make his way through the open ordinance land into the Rideau Ward and check on his elderly parents.  They lived on his brother's, Thomas Albert's (1839–1910), rental property, which was downhill from the main house.  He knew how this rental could get flooded; he had lived in it before purchasing the manor.  Thomas would need help with his ten children as well as the collection of carpentry tools housed in the basement.  Every tool Thomas and their father used for their livelihood was kept in the basement shop.  Above all, Father would be in a frightfully confused state with all of the rain and thunder, more than Mother could handle.   
 
The decisions being made as to where to go, he then had to decide how.  The streets would be flooded mud rivers.  Would the Princess Street streetcar be running?  Would he be able to hire a horse and buggy?
 
A final action had to be made.  He had struggled with this in the past.  But this afternoon he had no doubt he was in the right.  This was Family.  This was Duty.  David John took out the ring of office keys he kept buttoned in his waistcoat.  He strode back to the desk and unlocked the petty cash drawer, completely emptying it.  He did not write down the amount.  He stashed all the cash and coins into a wallet kept in an additional pocket.  He shut, locked but did not re-check the petty cash drawer.
 
David John was then ready for his final round.  About an hour had passed, it was exactly 3:15 P. M.
 
David John re-visited the main safe and checked the lock three more times.
For the second time he snuffed out the lamp, placing it carefully in the center of the oil cloth mat which was positioned exactly on the upper right corner of his desk.
 
Finally David John exited his office, locking the door. He paused on the landing, attempting unsuccessfully to fight his next compulsion .
He reopened the office and re-checked everything.
He re-exited his office, locking the door.
He checked the lock five times.
 
Once down the stairs, with his tall beaver hat placed, wool coat dawned, and patent leather boots laced, he opened the main door and was blasted with wind and rain. His boots, coat, hat and probably each item of clothing he was wearing was going to be ruined.  This did not matter.  He had to check on the Family.  He would buy new clothes. 
 
With that relatively cheering thought, out he ventured to make the mucky trek through Kingston.  He forgot to lock the front door.


John David Hersey
David John Hersey 1846 –1900
POST NOTE:
I did make this story up. But all the people and relationships were real. David John was a book keeper - who had a few taking-money issues. I based the OCD on a current family member book keeper who exhibits some of these same behaviors at the office. The feeling guilty about the rain is entirely my issue. oh - and the flood was real. Read the "Like So Many Ducks in a Millpond" post. 
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"LIKE SO MANY DUCKS IN A MILLPOND "

3/23/2016

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Duck on the Mill Pond
Duck on the Mill Pond by Kathrine Lovell

The Drains and the Floods, February 1878

"...The Committee on Streets met yesterday afternoon, and, hearing the complaints of flooding from various quarters sallies out to investigate for them-
selves, looking very much like so many ducks in a millpond. They found the situation even worse than was reported.  The water course leading from the Princess Street stone bridge flooded gardens and cellars in the neighborhood of Chatham Street, and afforded Mr. Hersey a miniature set of Sault rapids under his residence.  The culvert over Chatham Street was barely able to carry off the stream…"
From The Daily British Whig  23 Feb 1878, p. 3

Scroll below for full transcription of article.

“Proud Mamma” Mallard Ducks
“Proud Mamma” Mallard Ducks by Gail Niebrugge
It was not a catastrophic event on the scale of average world disasters.  But on February 22, 1878 the sky above southern Ontario, Canada deluged the earth and all creatures below with over two inches of rain within twelve hours (see the Government of Canada Daily Data Report for February, 1878.)  The land was not prepared for this comparatively small amount of precipitation. City infrastructure and the suddenness of the downpour overpowered drains and streets in towns all over the southern province. Thomas Albert's Chatham Street property in the Rideau Ward of Kingston, which contained two structures and housed his large family and his parents, was on low elevation. Contrary to the somewhat jocular tone of this article from the Kingston Whig, the flood must have had an immensely negative effect on the Herseys.  The subsequent months held tragedy for the family; David John Hersey's father-in-law died of illness the following month, the youngest of Thomas Albert Hersey's children, an infant at the time of the flood, disappears from all records, and the health of patriarch Daniel Hersey gradually declined leading to his dementia and death in the following year. These events must have contributed to the family's decision to leave the area.

Ducks in the millpond, Geese in the ocean;
Hug them girls, If I take a notion.

Ducks in the millpond, Geese in the clover,
Jumped in the bed, And the bed turned over.

Ducks in the millpond, Geese in the clover,
Fell in the millpond, Wet all over.

Rain come wet me, sun come dry me,
Step back girl, don't you come nigh me.

Transcription:

The Drains and the Floods.

The rain fall of Thursday night and Friday was heavy, but not alarming, till the water began to near the natural water courses about the city, and flood a good many places.  The steady showers found their way almost directly to the low places, as there was neither snow nor soft earth to absorb the water, and the result was a freshet all around.  The cellars of about one fourth of the citizens were flooded, even the big drain on Princess Street, a $12,000 work, not being able to keep the houses on the thoroughfare from damage.  Mrs. Stratford's cellar was reported to be in a bad state,  But it was on the line of the proposed new city drains that the greatest trouble arose, and the occurrences have given weight to the Counsel's immediate action - though by the withdrawal of the tender of the Messrs. McCarney, on the one hand, and the stoppage of Mr. Cunningham's work on the other, their first practical attempt had been abortive.

The Committee on Streets met yesterday afternoon, and, hearing the complaints of flooding from various quarters sallies out to investigate for themselves, looking very much like so many ducks in a millpond. They found the situation even worse than was reported.  The water course leading from the Princess Street stone bridge flooded gardens and cellars in the neighborhood of Chatham Street, and afforded Mr. Hersey a miniature set of Sault rapids under his residence.  The culvert over Chatham Street was barely able to carry off the stream.  On the corner of Division and Upper York Streets there was another extensive flood, the yard and garden of one resident, Capt. Murray, being a beautiful lake, upon the surface of which appeared, as the only ark of safety, a square pump box.  Mr. Hodge's place was also badly swamped.  The main floors of some of the houses were swamped, and furniture and carpets had to be removed.  The serious stoppage of the watercourse was at Mr. Brannigan's on Montreal Street, where there was an acre of water, back and front, filling his cellar and destroying a quantity of stuff stored in it.  Mr. Quigley's shop and house adjoining, being on a level with the "watery waste" in the street, was uninhabitable, the water being over o foot deep on the main floor.  The culvert across the street was too small to do the work required.  The same stream overflowed Rideau Street, where both culvert and drain are far too small.

There is another branch stream from Chatham Street which finds its way through Rideau and Frontenac Wards, to an outlet near Mr. Gormley's place on the Montreal Road.  The flow was a heavy one, but did no damage till it had crossed Montreal Street, where the low land inside the K. & P. RR track were swamped, the railway culverts affording no sufficient outlet.  The proposed drain, familiarly called Alderman Carson's, it is proposed to connect with this natural flow and if it should succeed in tapping both of the streams we have already described, a much larger outlet at the railroad track will be needed.  In uniting two general watercourses, the Committee will have to provide against any increased overflows or damages.

On the south side of Princess Street there was considerable of a water splurge.  The water course, which is such a trouble to Alderman Gaskin and Mr. Charles Field was at its height.  The latter's residence, garden and green house were surrounded with the flood; the Orphans' Home garden, sheds and root house were well watered, and Mr. Cunningham's handsome new residence on Union Street was greatly damaged by the water filling the basement to a height of two feet.  His horses were also driven from the stable by the rushing in of mighty waters.  On Arch Street several residents complained of the flooding, especially Mr. Samuel Cunningham, who is yearly a victim of freshets.  The drains tendered  for by Messrs. McCartney and others, and ordered by the Council, were designed to relieve this flow, and the question new agitating the Committee's mind is the proper course to take, whether down Gordon Street over the hill to the lake or by way of David, Union and Arch Streets to Queen's College drain.

However, while the direction of these big $3,000 drains is being discussed, as well as the city's ability to bear the expense this year, we hope that immediate repairs will not be neglected, the cleaning of the drains at Field's, Brannigan's and other paces.


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