Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1830-08-26
THE NORTHERN FLOOD.

lhe MiddleDury Stancaru whlcn aTnfru
islds morning contains the follo'<ns melan-
choly bat interesting detail of the effect oil
the lat. storm at New Haven, (Vt)
.Alsg. Gaz.
Dreadful Cal.,u.ity.-One efthe most terri
he .floeds that ever desolated tins or any 9th
or country carried ruin snd death through
the valley Of New Haven river on Monday
the 2eth inst The New Haven river has its
source among the mountains of Bristol and
Lincoln Its source is very rapid until II
reaches Bristol village, when Il emcrges from
the mountains and winds with q fine rapid
current through an open country, forming
fine and beautiful intervals until il reaches
New Haven West Mills, or Breeman's Hel-
low, when the strea is narrowed by rugged
and prcciritous banks which continue Gbout
one male VIXEN it cutters Otter Creek The
weather the week previous had been the,
warm bat dry. Saisrdsy the wiGd blew strong
from the South bet the weather was Sulrg ~
bsgaR 10 Fsin Saturday night between aai
o o'clock and raiued nearly Abe Whole night
Sunday great deal of rain fell and the noun
tain streasIs were very much swollen Sun
day nj sht add tI,rosg hout the day OF Monday
there weSe frequent andvery severe showers.
Abont rundown on Monday very dark
dense eioul settled Ground Bristol MSln'aia,
and the liShtpias was for two hoaTs inccssant
aud vivid. 'fhe r.s.n poured dawn "a torrents
upon the devoted valley. and the le!ty mo1n
iains that ,ast their rushing waters inte ats
bosom The wafer ran with auexa'npled IA
poHty. Before IL o'clock the water had rose
from ten 20 twelve feet llieher than was ever
suswn TO TN oldest inhabitants-the dains
ia lac oln aud Rrief,I oaya
At New Haven East Mills, the dam, bridge
and AL the mills were torn away. From the
East Mills 10 The West Mills IN New Haven
is abont feur males At the West Mills the
banks are high and tie river just above the
Mills aud below the upper bridge makes
short tina to the North, and a small rocky
island divides the river at this point into two
caanncis. The East and West, Which unite
again above Wilson's Nils. The cluster OF
buildings weie chiefly situated on the East
side OF the riser OH piece Of !,!&h intcrE'sse,
which commences soon after Tic s'rcam turns
10 tuc North. John Wilson's house and the
house occupied by Nj Stewart, blind man,
were seRer1i rods kom the saver Oh Sac Hat
and near each other \ few Rods below The
Wilson's Mas, which wete situated ON tae
ip"er dam, the stream talns eh9A to the
West and t,sAte Though a narrow passags
IN rocks Called the nairows. There was a
narr1w bridge abeye 4hc Wllsoa's Mills BIS
tween ton and eleven oelo,II al night, tx
water rising rapidly, the Wilson's becaIce a
harmed Cor their property. and some OF tiisir
nc!ghbors collected TO assist in its preserva-
uou. Miles Far aaG has son crossed the +;
YER 70. taat parpose before the bridges wcnt
lOH While they were ri work abeAt the Mil
Tor tbs purpose, the water WAS rising with
fearful rapidity. The upper bridge went,
together with the erist nil and ,lother's
works. Ike tioatsaE Haas parsed a noweat
lat The iowe4' bridge-that gave way and al.
wea thrown an tiic bower ,,jis and dam -
When John WILSON and his-son and she two
Fans saFo up attempting 81 save aHY thing
Il ON the nisfiS agd went TO jehn WI.-Oa'@
hoa,c, u.cy louad their astGaehnlrnt thtt a
rapid and powerful current of water was
sweeping alOag between he heuse end the
high ground beyoad. They attempted 70
fond ii in vsin The two fais crossed - the
Stewart house, when l.euuci u. Eldrjd3e,
Esq and las son a young inaH about twenty,
and NJ. .Somer, hired man OF AIs. ri
bridge, had already arrived. hir. Ediid@e
rode iiorse through tie current to the Stew
AK hosse, but considered that ii would be
very haE aTdous 10 attempt tn returr in the
Same way. They immediately mencad
building u raii q! The end OF the wocd house
wilh 4 view 10 take Of the Stewart fanuiy.-
They had previously Left she house and IN
s~an refuge sn the barn which stood on Iii
tic high ground
Just as the raft was completed The wood
u house started, and was swept away by the
hey could 40 ioa ger hold the raft.
and The man who vas holding ii when tae
wood house began to move, Was obliged te
Jump On tho raft and go with the rest. Thcre
was on the ra!t whes it started Lemucl
Somcrs, and one Of the Stewart boys. They
were hurried along towards the navrows. bat
All kept on until they reached uaat irishlt1l
ichagnel house. In a moment tie raft was
scattered, and every ore on It pTecjpta;ed
linio The water. MIR l'aFS seized ,plauk from
The raft with his right hand, and soon found
some Heating substance TO grasp With bis LETT
Holding tnmly by these, the current carried
him down tn the fiat about half mile below
Iti'c mills, where he lodged against a large
pine stump. $!e let 50 his planks, thinking
hc han found something more safe; but in u
moment aquantiy Of iood wood came against
/ the stump, and he was again driven down
the current. fic was nearly exhausted and
discouraged; he however made one more Of
fort for life which proved successful He
succeeded in clearing the food wood, when
the stump again grounded AMI he remained
holding on ts il HEtil taken OF ia the morn
ing Nh. EIdtidSe was carried nearly through
tic narrows, when he .eized a board which
proved of great assistance In han HI, was