Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1843-08-17
MORE OF THE STORM.

The Philadelphia papers give the following par
ticuars of the late destructive storm at Chester,
a few miles below the city:
"Chester and its vicinity arc bowed down be-
meath the Christening hand of Providence. The
borough and its neighborhood present scenes OF
desoaon such as, i'll the absence Of the terrors of
war, have never been witnessed i'm this State. Our
shores are strewn with wrecks, our streets filled
with ruins, and from every section hear tales of
terror and desolation and death, sufficient appal
the soutest heart. The recent rain had fully sat
urated the soil, and that of yesterday therefore
flowed from the surface. In the afternoon the rain
became heavy beyond description. 1t fell as ifin
mass. The very hills were sheeted with water:
and in the valleys, rivule,s became creeks, and
creeks were swollen into rivers. A freshet was.
of course, anticipated, but food, such as ensued
could not have been apprehended. 1t is said that
the passengers in the afternoon boats saw a water
spout burst upon the heights between Ridley and
Chester Greeks; butt though any ordinary fall Of
rain, however copious, seems Inadequate TO have
produced tho subsequent flood, there is no salts
factory evidence OF the existence of water-spout.
About six O'Clock, it was found that Chester Creek
was rapidly rising.
"Every effort was instantly made to place such
property as was movable out of the reach of dam
ger; but so instantaneous was the swell of water,
tina, the next moment left no feeling but the in
stinct Of selt-preservaon. The stream rose, it is
said by some six feet In five minutes; others aver
that il rose six feet in one minute. The water
poured down as if wave of the had been
swept onward by an earthquake. In about Two
hours it had risen twenty-three feet. The neigh
boring creeks Were swollen in the same proper
ton; and the roar of the impeiuous torrents rang
| for miles through the country. The flood swept
irreslsubly onward. The dams built fol its re-
straint were reeds before the ocean that rush
ed by the channels were lost and the vast vol
J ume of waters spread over the plain tearing up
ings, like bubbles, upon its surface.
I "Fortunately, this took place before dark, or
/ the scene would have been evenmore terrible than
! ii was. In Chester, the torrent rose if by ma
! gic, and swept angriy through the streets. The
buildings which were most rail were swept away
/ and from others, females were borne through the
angry and rushing waters half dead with alright.
! Houses, dams, bridges, boats and an immense
mass of lumber furniture, mill-wheels, &C., shot
! by upon the current. At length, while the as
sembled citizens gazed, with white lips upon the
run the rail road bridge, built at an enormous ex-
pense, was lifted from its foundations and flung
down the stream. The next TO follow was the
suspension bridge. This structure was one of
which every enlightened American was proud, as
! it was the first chain bridge built in the world.
| Europe has since claimed the invention; but here
stood-aas it stands no longer the proof,
erected thirty years ago, that to America belongs
the credit OF having invented and constructed the
{ first suspension bridge. When the mass of mat
ter, which shot upon the stormy and roaring tor
rent struck the bridge, tswayed and groaned, and
at length, after a moments resistance, It's vast
iron fastenings gave way with crash, and the
chains, as they grated upon each other, sparked
and flashed like lightning. 1t swung heavily for
But liz 9fd d Gel, int Tton s%s aG 9esl,
considerable TO the loss of life with which this
afiiiction of Providence has been attended. 1t is
believed that not less than twenty, and probably
as many more persons have been drowned. At
one place on the Chester creek, an entire family,
that of MIR. Rhoads, consisting of himself, wife
and two small children, found it impossible, so
instantaneous was tho rise and rush of the torrent to
escape the house, and all perished.''