Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1837-12-06
From tho Buffalo Con. Adv. Of Nov. %
EVENTS OE A DAY.

crowded mo SD SuoIt 'P
as those which have occurred III .ne
last twenty -four hours. Inc ,norh.nS
was warm. but lowering, yet the hring
&c cannon commenced, and was kept
up with spirit, and the operation wen
IN with yioor, for the illumination IN
The evening. Toward noon, however,
the rain poured down in torrents. Pre-
vions to this, the wind had been IN the
south east, and a fleet Of nearly TWEEN.
~ sail went up the lake in beautiful
STYLE. Abou. one o'clock the vino
chopped round into the southwest, ana
there appeared to be a prospect oil "
pleasant evening but those who are
acquainted with these matters, from the
swell Of the lake, and the RAPID rise o.
the water, predicted the gale when
commenced blowing in all its fury as
soon as the night sci in.
Darkness had hardly closed around
US, when the city was again IN q blaZe
of light from the splendid i~lluminatlons
in every quatrcr. Tar barrels were
burnt, bands of music patrolled the
streets, CUtlilDh llCu, ditu tcShS'S S~hN
blazing through the air.
All the time the wind was increasing
in fury, till the people could hardly keep
their footing in the s~treets--and the
water rising to an unprecedented height
around the docks and the lower part oil
the city. Amid the roar OF the winds
and waves, were heard the shrieks OF
the drowning men struggling with the
rising waters. and little children walked
from their warm pillows by the Hood,
from which there was no escape.-
These persons resided in some mIsera-
BILE shells Of buildings, on the exposed
neck of land between the creek and
the lake.
The Common Council of the city di.
iected, two years ago, that no houses
should be erected there, unless they
were based on good brick or stone foun-
d@a,ions, at least eight feet high. The
title to the land is disputed in many in
stances, and temporary buildings have
been put up on blocks at the tour cor
ners, ana several families had gone in
10 ltltiil wi tiiG oHhC VI 1igIAttlH BCSSNS
sion. 1t has been a wonder that they
would risk their lives in such frail ten
emenls, for, from their appearance one
would imagine that n common wind
would PROSTATE them. Some OF these
this morning were floating about the /
harbor, while here and there lay the {
broken fragments Of those that were
not strong enough to resist the force oil
the humiliation.
Some ten or twelve houses - part of
them acknowledgements washed com
pletely from their foundations across
the creek, and are now strewed about
in every direction. Several vessels are
stranded nigh and dry on the beach,
The schooner Edward Bancroft, lies
up in the centre Of Ohio street. She
ever dragged her anchor some distance
up into the city. The steam ferry boat
lies high aground, and much damaged.
The O. P. Starkie, the Brandywine,
and the Texas, schooners, were driven
on shore, but not materially damaged.
The loss of life, the most dreadful
portion Of the catastrophe, cannot, a:
present, be a~scertained. Five bodies
have been brought to the watch house,
but many, probably have no: been dis
covered. Those found, are two chill
dren Of John German, a young man,
name unknown, the wife Of William
Judson, and a colored m VIII.
lam Judson, lived in n house neal the
stone building, foot Of Mechanic street.
When his house was destroyed, his
two children were in bed and have not
vet been found. He and his wife got
on the canal bridge, where she persisted
ofthe cold, and he escaped by SWIM
ming to u pile Of boards, from which
he was rescued. We saw him this
morning, wrapped IN a quilt, looking a.
mong the wreck olhis dwelling, which
had donted INTO the canal, for the bod.
les of his children.
Many vessels, steamboats,, &C., are
more or less damaged, as well as most
Of the warehouses on the docks. The
loss Of property is difficult Il estimate.
1t is strewed in every direction. About
twenty-five buildings, such as w have
described, were either totally destroyed
or torn from their foundations by the
food.
Several vessels and steamboats, must
have been on the lake, where it was
hardly possible for any thing to live.
1t is rumored that the Cleveland went
down the river, and is safe.
A woman in Que ofthe houses clune
to the window sill, with the water up
to her chin, and supported her three
children, who clung to her back-but
these, n after another, dropped Off
the last but a short time before aid rea.
he'd her, at 4 o'clock in the morning.
Another came safely across the creek
on a stlck Of timber, with her child in
her arms.
A man left his family IN the roof of