The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Boston [Mass.]) 1770-1772, 1771-07-04


all delcrip,ion.- Byrd's, Schocko, Richmond,
| Rocky, Ridge. and Warwick, have fufered
amazingly, in the lois of merchandise and
tobacco, beiides houfes, &c. between i've and
FIX thoufand hogfheads of tobacco are gone
from theie places. The dihreis Of the Peo-
pie in Albemarle, and thoie pa'.s ofthe coun-
try in the reach of the frefh, is not to be de-
fcribed mott of them being left without bread
to eat, or dwellings, and their ftocks gone.---
The trading part of the country has ilkewlie
fuffered effectively, in European and other
goods, as well imports as exports he loi-
fes, and very great diltrels, Of the numerous
fufferers, call loudly for the interpolation and
afiaance of the Legislature; which no doubt
that respectable body will take into as early
confederation as may be, and giant the i'm
mediate and efeGtual relief which is 70 much
wanted. In fome places trees, carcahes, &c.
are matted together, from twelve TO twenty
| feet in height F.; and, from the horrld itench,
I there is no coming near enough to feperate
them. Happily, if, at this feaion, We eicape
fome contagious diiorder,-- Miles in length Of
trees and logs came floating down the river,
and nothing could wthhand their force.
The logs wee amoit up TO the bowfprits Of
many vehes 70 that their anchors could not
avail them, and were chiefly loft. here
were no rains to fpeak of at Richmond, and
thereabouts, 70 that they muG have fallen from
the mountains to about thirty OF forty miles
above the falls From the frh preceivabIe
rife of the river at that place was about hxty
hours, and the water fometimes rcfe at the
rapid rate of Gxteen inches an hour Daily
accounts are received of the lofs of whole fa-
miles and houfes come floating down, with
people on them calling fox help, though none
could be afforded. Accounts are already
received of fifty odd people being drowned.
Appamattox has been little or nothing af-
feeed, which proves that the rains muf have
fallen high up The country.
The devaitation of Roanoke is, if pofble,
fill greater in the ruin of valuable lands,
lois of negroes, focks, houieSs &c.
On Pamunkey river, the low grounds are
chiefly laid under water, the crops and mea-
dows deftroyed, and the fencing gone. Ma
I ny houfes and mills are carried away, and
great deal of grain and other commodities
ipoiled.
A letter from FrederiCkiburgh Jays that fe-
veral houfes and mills have been fwept away
from atpIsce and Falmouth that the high
Ell ffelh in Rappahannock never came up to
! the floors of the WAREHOUSES, but that this
role as high as the jolfs, whereby large
quantity of tobacco was Aoated out, nine
hundred hogiheads from Falmouth, or the
lower warehJuGes, and three hundred from
Dixon's, the upper InfpeGtlon. Much faIt,
and other goods LOFT fcveral veilels driven
from their anchors a deal of valuable land
wsihed away incredible quantities of trees
and fencing come down the river only one
+. life loft, that had been then come to the know
ledge Of
We have no account from Potowmack
but, from its communication with the rivers
at the mountains, there is no probability of
their having elcaped this almof general ca
lamity.
Upon the whole, it is believed that hiRory
fcarcely affords an infance of equal damage
being done to any country, if the defrudion
of lands, lofs of property, sc. be included.
! Awaggh blade at Richmond, we are told
faid it was his opinion Old Nick had bored
hole through the mountains, and let in the
iouth Tea upon them.
.WILMINoToN, [Nortb Cardinal June
! s. The exprefs, fent by the committee of
the inhabitants of this town to his Excelency