The Illinois free trader and LaSalle County commercial advertiser. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1841-1843, 1843-08-25
Grcat FLOOD IN Fcnnsy IyRuia.--Eoss of Life
and Property.


the 9Th, gives full account of the terrible dsas-
tiers in the neighborhood of Chester, Pa. on the
9Th inst. 1t was written by an cye-witness
Chester and its vicinity are bowed
down beneath the chastning hand of Pro-
violence. The borough and its neighbour
hood present scenes of desolaton, such
as, in the absence Of the terrors of war,
have never been seen in this state
Our shores are strewn with wrecks, our
streets filled with ruins, and from every
section we hear tales of terror and desola-
ton and death, sufficient to appal the stout
est heart.
In the afternoon the rain became heavy
beyond description. 1t fell as if in a
mass. The very hills were sheeted with
water; and in the valleys lunlels became
creeks and creeks were swollen into riv-
ers. \ reshet was Of course anticipated
but a food, such as ensued, could not
have been anticipated. 1t is said that the
passengers in the afternoon boats saw
waterspout burst on the heights between
Ridley and Chester creeks but though
any ordinary fall Of rain, however coEious,
seems inadequate to have produced the sub
scquent food, there is 10 salts factory evil
dence Of the existence Of water spout.
About six o'clock it was found that Ches-
ter creek was rapidly rising. Every eff
fort was instantly made to place such
properly as was movable out of the reach
Of danger, but so instantaneous was the
swell Of water, that the next moment left
no other feeling but the instinct of self.
preservation.
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 a wave>of the sea
had been relied on by an earthquake. In
about two hours it had risen % feet. The
neI9hboring creeks were swollen in the
same proportion: and the roar of the i'm
petuOus torrents rang for miles through the
country. The food swep, irresitably on
ward. The dams built for its restraint
were as reeds before the rushing pillows
Of a tempestuous sea the channels were
lost, and the vast volume of waters spread
over the plain, tearing up the largest trees,
and sweeping factories and buildings, like
bubbles, upon It's surface.
Fortunately this took place before dark,
or the scene would have been even more
terrible than il was. In Chester the tor
rent rose as if by magic, aud swept angri-
~ through the streets. The buildings
which were most fral 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
as the assembled citizens gazed, with
white lips, upon the ruin, the railroad
bridge, built at an enormous expense
was lifted from It's foundation and flung
down the stream.
The next to follow was the Suspension
Bridge. This structure was one of which
every enlightned American was proud,
as it was the first chain Bridge built in
the world. Europe has since claimed
the invention ; but here stood--alas it
stands no longer the proof, erected lhir-
ty years ago, that to America belongs the
credit Of having invented and constructed
the first suspension bridge. When the
mass of matter, which shot upon the stor-
my and roaring torrent, struck the bridge,
il swayed and groaned, and at length, af-f
ter a moments resistance, its vast iron las-
tngs gave way with a crush,' and The
chains, as they grated upon each other,
sparkled and flashed like lightning. 1t
swung heyiy for moment and fell into
the flood.
The water now swept through several
of the lowest streets. saw this NOR
ming a house in the middle of one of The
streets, and shallop in another, left here
by the receding stream. The nature and
extent of the injurey done could not then
be estimated but it was with dsmay
which approached despair that citizens
saw the food roll into the store-houses
and sweep their hard earnings away.
This morning, however, disclosed in part
the extent Of the rain |, was found that
whNrves, tan-yards, mechine-shops, store
houses, lumber and coal yards, &C., had
been either carried off by the flood or ru-
med by the nunda'ion. Messrs. Eyres,
Kits, Brobston, Paxton, &c, are ser""s
sollore,s. bu the consequences IN Chss-
ter are trivial in comparison with these
which have occurred higher up on the
Chester and Ridley creeks. every BRIDGE
or nearly every one, on those two streams
has been carried away.-Many OF these
were costly and substantial structures