Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-02-21

Warron, at the mouth Of Short Creek, has lost
half it's usos-Burlington, alxo-and much an.
prchcnsion is felt, that a great amount of human
suffering is not only already experienced but th,,
many lives arc lost. Something must be done bv
tho Legislature for tho relief of tho Western
Counties on she river. All tho bridges that VIC
hovc heard Of are gene. An appropriations, equal
IN amount to our annual taXos, they ought to grant.
No doubt an application Of tho kind, Will Lc made.
and if tho milk of human kindness dwclls within,
the application will not be in vain.
The river has fallen about 4 feet, but it vet pre-
scnts n sheet of water, covering all the ~cottons
aud isles.
WHEELING, Feb. 10, 1892.
Dear Sill arrived here, in company with nv
%brsthor, on tho 9th instant, and we have been de-
tanned for tho last tuur or five days. by one of tho
most extraordinary foods, that was ever known or
heard OF, since the ~scttloEn ent al The country The
River was rising rapidly, on Thursday, Friday, and
S"turday-and on Saturday night, it attained It's
greatest height. All the Town of Wheeling, DO.
low Lanes Hill. and including the Whole Of the
own below Wheeling Greek, was many foot un-
der water. The inhabitants Ucrc driven from their
houses, in great peril, and in greater fright, leav-
nag Hieir furniture, provisions, and oven IN many
cases, th"ir horses themselves, to ba swep; away by
inc stream. The River has been covered with
oarhs, Warehouses;, dwellings,, &c. seen floating on
It's bosom. In short, from Pittsburg. to the Mouth
OIL The Ohio, the guia and devastation must be be-
yonu al estimate, on both slCes of the Rivor. Not
Il fence, or bridge, from Brooke, to the Mouth of
--'y 'ifcls III DO iit IA Nd-
TOR mas spread universally, from mountain TO NOUN
'o'"' ana every thing in the plain has been either
swept away, or lifted from its place. 1 saw Mr..
sumner tins morning, who left Marietta on Satur-
oay. he RIVER had not then reached its height;
but much of tho Town had yonc on.-und as he
came up TO this place, he could observe the hills
every where intcrspersed with tcnts-the tenpora-
ry refuge of the inhabitants.
Besides the fences and bridges, | imagine the
greater part OF the Stock, and tho provender that
supports it, has been drowned, or swept away; and
1t must needs be, think, that we must hear of ma
ny lives that have been lost.
The ,oh0ie Totcn of Wellsburg has been in tho
water many feet. There is not a house in tho
place, l presume, but must have had seven or eight
teet OF water upon tie floor Of it's FIRST story.
My dear sir, can the Legislature, in its wisdom
and bcvevolence, devise no scheme for tho relief
OF tho sufforcrs7 The whole country is GcsoIatcd.
Some genera! scheme of relief, extending from
Brooke to Cabell, ought to be adopted. Assistance
should be given them to rebuild their bridges. For
tins labor must bo now thrown upon them; at a
tlno when all their labor and means must be ap-
pied, as 1T were, to sclEp-cscrvation, in the resto-
ralon OF their farms and dwellings.
L hope the ruin has not extended along tho Ka-
nawha. The Delegates of Tyler, Wood, Mason,
and cabell, will, in due time, if they have not al
ready, heard of the rain and devastation I have
mentioned. Thoy are of course, deeply interested
in any measures of relief 10 be adoptcd-and with
the Delegates from his County and Brooke, will
aid you in suggesting and enforcing such as may
appear most wise and benevolent, and adapted to
INC extraordinary eXigency.
From tho Wheeling Va. Tircs Of Fe6. Is.
GREAT n Destructive FLOOD
1t falls to our lot to-day to record the II o t
extensive and destructive flood which has occurr-
cd In the history of this country. The Ono
river commenced ris NC at this place on Thurs
day last. On Friday, soon after 12 o'clock. it
began to overflow its banks. Tho water rose
aitIc rate of II inches an honr till Saturday
morning; WHEN 1t began to rise less and less
rapidly TIL 8 at night, whom il came to n stand
and soon aftrr began t, i:ll.-The precise height
OF the river above low water mark
has not yet been asc.r;aincd r. known to
have risen higher than it has risen since tha
m mory Of the o'd">t person nnw living; !; bel q
from > TO 6 feet higher than 1t was at the meuora-
HE foods OF '84 and 'I3. The destruction Of pro
perty occasioacd by this calamity is beyond ca
cuiation. The whole valley of the Ohio from
rs source to its mouth, within tn. reach oi his
Tremendous freshet, must present onr III; nterrur-
ted scene Of waste, Oscillation and distress. The
firms on the rich bottoms have been swept ct
the fences, and dwelling, barns, corn srd rncst-
houses with their contents and the took.
All the towns and villages along The river
have been wholly or in part inun4ated, and ma.
ny OF the buildings with all they contained have
been carried away.
All the low part of our town has SUE red Sc
verrly-it is impossible at this tine to estimate
the loos Of prop rty-42 houses, we are inf ra =
ed, mosty sma J frumeg, have been SWEPT away
T ON South Wheeling The bridge over
Wheeling Creek is genc-35 houses were
counted pa sing by on the river from Saturday
morning till II o'clock. A large warehouse
filled with flour, lodged on the upper point Of
he Island. The river is now even with The
barks. In our next we shall be abe to give
more particulars.