Mr. J. W. Stevens, who has been an inmate of the County Home for the past four months was in the city Saturday. Mr. Stevens read the article recently published in The Herald entitled “A Trip Down the Neuse in 1882.” He read this article with a great deal of interest because he was a member of the rescue party which saved the lives of Dr. Henry Lewis Smith and Tom Giddens.
Those who read the article will recall their thrilling adventure when the Neuse was a swollen stream, how they came very near drowning and were rescued near Richardson’s Bridge. Mr. Stevens, who has been in the bridge business for many years, was helping to guard Richardson’s Bridge, which was under construction at that time. This bridge is the last one in Johnston County toward Goldsboro. It has, since 1882, been replaced by a steel bridge. F. Jeffrey of Fremont was the contractor for the original bridge, and he and Mr. stevens were guarding the posts during the freshet to prevent trash and old logs from undermining them. They were in great danger. Mr. Smith in telling of the event Saturday told how they rescued Smith and Giddens when their boat capsized.
Mr. Stevens, who is 67 years of age, followed the bridge business for many years but because of physical disabilities has not been able to work for the past four years, and during the past four months he has been an inmate of the county home.
From the front page of the Smithfield Herald, Aug. 31, 1926
newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn92073982/1926-08-31/ed-1/seq-1/
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