Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1830-08-11
with il to the inhabitants on the Ausab cl

The Middleburg Republican Of the
29th, contains the following account of
disasters in that region
Dreadful Calamity.--Thc excessively
warm weather which prevailed through
out the country during last week, was
followed by fall Of rain unprecedented
in these parts. 1t commenced on Satur-
day evening, and continued without
much cessation until Tuesday morning,
during considerable part of which time,
especially on Monday afternoon, and
evening, it fell literally in torrents, flood
ing the whole surface of the earth. The
freshet which has succeeded in this vi
cinity is unparaleled-such as has new
er been Witnessed by our oldest inhabi-
tants. The streams, swollen to an un-
wonted degree, burst over their barriers,
and inundated the whole country round
about; many Of them have been been
turned..entirely out oftheir channels in diff
ferent places, and the scene which is
presented along their banks, is scene
ofdesolation and ruin. The devastation
and destruction not only OF property
but also of human Hpes, is appalling in
the extreme. Seldom do we hear Of a.
ny calamity so distressing as the one we
are about to record.
The damage done to the crops through
out the country, especially Oh the banks
Of the rivers, is very great. Some have
been wholly destroyed. =,
The bridges for some distance round
about, particularly to the north, have
been, to great extent, carried away
The road in consequence, Is rendered
impossible at present, between this and
Burlington, with carriages. The mail
was brought with great difficulty to this
place from the north yesterday. The
towns of Bristol and Lincoln, we learn by
report, have met with considerable losses
ofmlls and bridges. In the town Of Wey-
bridge, at a place called Quaker village,
the bridge has been so much damaged
as to render it almost impossible: an old
factory and clothier's establishment have
been carried away; saw mill and bridge
on the turnpike, in the same town, have
also been destroyed In the south east
part Of this town one or two dams and two
or three buildings, among which was the
dwelling house of Mr.. Champlin, have
been destroyed and carried away.
Two families by the name of Farr were
taken from their houses on RATS, one of
them in the midst of the storm and dark
ness, from the windows of the second stO-
ry of the house. The family of Col. WIN.
p. Nash, whose wife was confined to bed
by sickness, remained all night in the up
per rooms of the house, while the lower
part was filled with water, and without all
was darkness and doubt. A state ofsus-
pense and dread more horrible cannot
well be imagined-placcd in the midst of
flood threatening to sweep all before it,
danger ard death staring them in the face,
without any means or any possibility of
escape. The situation and escape of Mr.. !
G. Claffin, was still more fearful and sin
gular. Mr.. G. was aroused in the night, |
and upon going to the door found that the |
water had already risen to such Il height
round the house, as to prevent his escape |
from it. He accordingly took Il cord
from bedstcad, and having conveyed
his children into the top of an elm tree,
which stood near, fastened them to it by
means of the rope. He also succeeded
in getting his wife and young infant n
Few weeks old, into the same place, where |
they awaited in agonizing anxiety the re-
turn of light. They were rescued from
their situation with much difficulty the
next morning.
The circumstances in which those who .
were carried away were separated from
their friends and ncighbors were heart
rending in the highest degree. MIR. Ell
dridge and his two sons, with Mr.. Som
ers and one or two others, went to the as
sistance Of Mr.. Stewart and his family in
the house. The water rising rapidly they
all fled from the house to barn which
stood on higher ground, and while cnga-
ged in preparing a raft Of the barn doors
snd such other materials as were at hand, Il
the barn was carried away by the force
ofthe current.
Some it was supposed, were killed by
the fall Of the barn-all, with the eXcep-
tion of one boy who caught by a bush and
was subsequently saved, were carried
down by the stream, till the river meets
with Otter Creek, where Mr.. Eldridge
and one son. and one or two others, with
great difficulty escaped. AT two or three
different times, MIR. Eldridge had his son
who was lost, in his arms, but was torn
from him each time by the violence of the
current and the wrecks of the buildings.
Cries Of distress were heard by those
who were upon the banks of the stream,
and, as they continued, seemed to pass
down with the current. The deep dark
ness Of the night and the fury of the inun-