Delaware gazette and peninsula advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1814-1820, 1817-08-13
Great Freshet at Baltimore.
From the Federai Republican as,G
Baltimore Telegraph. .4us. ii.

On the night Of Friday the 9th inst
the rain descended with unusual violence,
and continued to increase until Saturday
morning--between the hours of 9 and 70
O'Clock of tina. day, the descending de-
luge seemed 10 pour from the clouds in
torrents. Large sheets of water poured
from the armament upon us in such
quantities, that the lower part OF tbs city
became completely immersed in water.
In the mean time, the descending tor.
rents through various channels were
uniting all their streams, the rain csntinu.
cd to pour down with undated vehem.
ence. Market-space was completely i'm
mersed--Men and women were seen
passing in boats from one market to
another, for the purpose of saving what
little property could be preserved from
the deluge. At length, as far as the eye
could reach in various directions, we be
held whole streets swept by the descend.
ing streams, forming spectacle equally
sublime and terrific Jones' falls SO sud
denly replenished from so many sources,
swelled beyond its banks, bearing away
every thing in triumph that opposed the
rapidi,y of the current. Ponderous
bridges were loosened from their founda \
tons in an instant, and were seen swept
along like skiffs upon the floating surface.
Houses that for few moments appear.
ed to obstruct the progress of the stream,
we're suddenly undermined, and swept
away, bearing nothing but shspeiess
mass of bricks. We do not believe that
we exceed the truth, when we assert,
that the waters raised to the height of 6
feet above its usual level.
Every bridge over Jones' Falls, except.
ling Baltimore, Gay and Pratt st. bridges,
were demolished, and fragments of Il ,at
ling timber, broken furniture, implements
of industry, articles of merchandise,
houses, horses, COWS and other cattle, all
swept away in confusion, proclaimed the
extent Of the injury commi,tee.--We
were forclbly impressed at this moment.
with the apparent nothingness and varity
of human strength, beholding this terrific
demolition with so much ease, OF works,
that required so much patient la or to G.
receive looked-they seemed. to stand
| firm and irresistible at one moment---
we looked again, and they were gone
Amid this marring Of the elements.
were to be seen the generous and be-
|nevoicnt, encoanteriny every hazard
land Drawing every danger, for thu
preservation Of the persons and pro
|perty of their countryiuen---sailint
amidst the floating wrecks. & snatch
ling the distressed and afflicted from
what appeared to DO instant and inc
Ivita,le death this was spectacle
lii possible, more sublime than thu
) presented by the desoiation itself. W.
cannot at this early period. speak OF
the extent of the injury. this must b.
Ia matter of future calculation and en-
uuiry. The ensuing morning aros
|brilliant and serenc--We see nothin,
: now of that destructive agent, and vi
-, can now only trace his route by hi
ravagcs. He has departed indeed lik
Y a dream Int he has left wrecks he
-lhind. We presume that il IS unnc
p ccssary to state TO our fellow citizens
that a strong, imperious christian dnt
remains now 30 lie pcrformed--'Tt
isearch out and to relieve the suffer
G crs by this visitation ofDiyine Prov
Islence, we presunlI, will be no less
pleasure than II lnty; poverty ga
only command tear for the suffer
b inss ur others; ii is the higher. NOR
noble, more od-iiI<c privilege ofopu
lence not only TO sympathise over. h'
10 relieve such distresses. Seyer'
Lives have been lost, the number NJ
ely yet aseertainsd. and upwards Of
;, million of property destroyed.
The water company's mill dam hi
=, bcea swept away, and the canal pa
u TALLY filled up. Pennington's mill da'
y carried away, as also are most OF I'll
Y mill dams on Jones Falls. The 70
ling and splitting mill, as well as {!
bridge at El!irott's upper mills, ha'
10 also been carried away.-Ihe exte
l. Of injury basnot yet been ascertaine
III But what will more immediate
20 deserve the attention Of the Polio
=, will be the great quantity of stasna
!" water deposited in private cellar
'e Such a nuisance in this hot seaso
s. unless speedily removed. may crea
g pcstilence, and do far more inju
than the food. We presume that
Slime will be lost in taking the mo
z. effective measures to guard against
Io serious an injury.
Igl --------D: @:--~-