The Sun.
London, England, 1846-04-11 00:00:00

EXTRAORDINARY HIGH FLOOD

AT DONCASTER.
(Abridged from the Doncaster Gazette.)
That very sago and highly-venerated personage,
" the oldest inhabitant," possesses, amid the rich stores
of his memory, no recollection of a greater flood than
that with which the banks of the Don have been visited
during the present week ; not even that of '24, when
a vessel was forced by the current out of the river, and
placed across the very unnatural turnpike road, beyond
the Mill Bridge. This will be found to be the case
when the better drainage, and the more elevated
position of the roads, are taken into the estimate. A
consider able quantity of rain fell during Friday last.
On the following afternoon, there was a very heavy
fall of sleet, with a piercing wind blowing from the
east. Indeed, from that time to Wednesday morn-
ing, the rain scarcely ceased; and at intervals the
wind veered tied blew a regular north-wester, not with
steadiness, but with sudden gusts and extremely cold.
Many indications were presented, from the chillness of
the atmosphere—the heavy masses of clouds, and the
want of even one struggling sun-gleam—that serious
consequences might possibly ensue, with regard to the
prevalence of floods ; especially if, as seems to have
been the case, the weather on the moors of Derbyshire
and the intervening locality should partake of the same
portenteous character.
The river began to rise during the night of Saturday
and the following day, so as to present Cie certainty that
the navigation would be stopped. The stream rose
higher and higher, and at length overflowed both its
banks, and presenting, in some localities, the appearance
of' immense weirs, speedily laid the adjoining lands under
a sheet of water—higher and higher still, until reaching
where the water had never before reached, it was
evident that the highest flood ever known was about to
be experienced, with all its unavoidable, and, in many
instances, lamentable consequences. Thousands of acres
were covered to a very considerable depth. Indeed, the
sight presented from the top of the tower of the parish
church, was that of an immense inland sea ; awakening
the apprehension that the cultivators of the soil, along
the line of country in question, would have to endure
the troubles of a heavy, but unavoidable visitation. The
waters still continued to increase on Monday, when the
rain poured down in torrents, and reached their highest
point between twelve and one o'clock on Tuesday.
The flood worked its course through all opposing
obstacles. It tore itself through hedges, and gates, and
palings ; threw back the increasing streams from old
drains and water-courses ; swilled itself over opposing
eminences of the ground, chafed and fretful ; roared
through bridges and culverts ; stopped water-wheels,
mill-wheels, and steam engines—factory, corn•mill, and
foundry, and all their multifarious operations ; rushed
clean through
rnoouogkhs
into the cellars of dwelling• houses, and crept up-
stairsll
other tos
; stolethe
into
al n
the
and corners of coal-holes and all descriptions of
out-buildings, stables, cow-houses, hen-roosts, and
so on ; filled saw-pits to the brim, and set timber-trees,
planks, and battens afloat ; found its way into village
lanes and by-roads:and stopped up all communication
in that direction ; spread over meadow, pasture, and
corn-field ; drowned hares, rabbits, and partridges ;
plunged through sewer-grates and gushed up from
others ; worked its way through earth- bank, and stone-
wall ; and, while it found some repose in quiet gardens
and near stone fences, the main flood hurried onward,
as if impatient to find a resting. place, or lose itself in
the tidal waters, and finally in the sea itself.
We are sorry to state, that, during the prevalence of
the flood the occurrence of a fatal casualty took place.
The sufferer is a man of the name of John Ellis, a
skinner, who resided in the yard near Mr. Geo. Armi-
tage's steam corn-mill, near the Mill-bridge, and occupied
some premises, a portion of the old maltkiln, which
abuts upon, and has steps connected with, the river,
for the purpose of his trade. He was last seen
shortly before seven o'clock on Monday evening, pro-
ceeding towards a door connected with the premises just
this
mentioned.door,
or Itot iaseeportnespulmisehd; that, in attempting to open
purpose connected with
the building, his foot gave way, that he slipped into the
river, and was hurried away and drowned in the over-
whelming impetuosity of the current. He has left a
widow and large family ; but the latter are nearly all
grown up. Ile was an industrious, a careful, and an
honest man ; and his unhappy fate is much commiserated.
The body has not been found, and, probably, never will.
We have already stated that the flood reached its
highest point soon after noon on Tuesday. At half-past
five o'clock on the following morning, it had only fallen
two inches, although indications soon afterwards pre-
sented themselves that it would gradually subside.
It is to be feared, hewever, that many injuries have
been inflicted in some localities, and that we shall have
to record their occurrence, particularly in the districts
which embrace the lower lands down the river, in the
neighbourhood of Barmby Dun, Stainforth, Fishlake,
Fenwick, Moss, and in other places.