The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1843-08-09

1910
The Disastrous Results OF the late storm.
The Philadelphia papers bring us much additional
melancholy intelligence respecting the loss of life
and property by the recent freshets One of them
contains the following details OF the disasters occa-
stoned by the great flood at Chester -
Chester and its vicinity are bowed down beneath
the Christening hand OF Providence The borough
and its neighborhood present OF desolation,
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 are filled with ruins,
and from every section we hear tales OF terror and
desolation and death, sufficient to appa the stoutest
heart.
| In the afternoon the rain became heavy beyond
description. 1t tell as if in mass. The very hills
sheeed with water and in the valleys, runlets
became creeks and creeks were swollen into rivers
freshet was of course anticipated /; but flood,
such as ensued, could not have been anticipated
II Is said that the passengers IN the afternoon boats
saw water spout burst upon the heights between
Ridley and Chester creeks but though any ordlna-
ny fall OF rain, however copious, seems inadequate
to have produced the subsequent flood, there no
satisfactory evidence OF the existence OF water
spout. About SIX O'Clock II was found that Chester
creek was rapidly rising. Every effort instant
ly made to place such property was movable out
OF the reach OF DANCE, but so instantaneous was
the swell OF water, that the next moment left no
feeling but the instinct OF sell preservation.
The stream rose, it is said by some, six feet in
five minutes others aver that II six feet in
minute. The water poured down as If a wave OF
the sea had been swept onward by an earthquake
In about two hours il had risen % feet. The neigh
| boring creeks were swollen in the same proportion;
and the roar OF the mpetuous torrents rang tor miles
through the country. The food swept rresistiby
onward. The dams built for its restraint were
reeds before the ocean that rushed by the channels
lost, and the vast volume OF waters spread
the PLAIN, tearing up the largest trees, and sweep
ing factories and buildings, like bubbles, upon It's
surface.
Fortunately this took place before dark, or the
scene wouldI have been even more terrible than 1t
was. In Chester the torrent rose as ii by magic,
and swept angrlly through the streets. The build.
lngs which were most fra were swept away; and
from others females were bsrne through the angry
and rushing waters half dead with fright. Houses,
dams, bridges, boats and an immense mass OF lum
Der, furniture, mill wheels, &c., shot by upon the
current AT length, while the assembled citizens
gazed, with white lips, upon the ruin, the railroad
bridge, built at an enormous expense, was lifted
from its foundations and flung down the stream.
The next TO follow was the suspension bridge.
This structure was one of winch every enlightened
American proud, it was the first chain
bridge built in the world. Europe has since claimed
the inventions; but here stoOd--alas 1t 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 matter, which shot upon The stormy and
roaring torrent, struck the BRIDGE it swayed and
groaned, and at length, after moments resistance,
! It's vast iron fastenngs gave way with a crash, and
the chains, as they grated upon each other, sparkled
and flashed like lightning. 1t swung heavily for
moment and fell into the flood;
The water now swept through several of the low
er Streets | saw this morning house in the mid
die of one street, and shaop in another, left there
by the receding stream. The nature and extent Of
the injury done could not then be estimate d; but 1t
was with dismay which approached despair that
citizens saw the flood roll into their storehouses
and sweep their hard earnings away This morn
ing. however, disclosed in part the extent OF the
ruin. twas found that wharves, tan-yards, ma
chine shops, storehouses, lumber and coal yards,
&c had been either carried off by the flood ruin
ed by the nundailon. Messrs. Eyres, Kits, Brobs-
ton, Paxton, DC, are severe sufferers. But the
consequences in Chester are trivial in comparison
Chester and Ridley creeks. Every bridge,
ly every one on those two streams, has been car.
RED away. Many of these were costly and substan-
tia structures, and 1t will cost immense sum to
replace them. Most of the mills and factories upon
| those streams have shared the same fate.
The factories of Mr.. Grocer, of Mr.. Dickson, of
Mr.. Riddle, and others, have been swept away
Immense numbers of bales of cotton, boxes OF
goods, barrels of dyewoods and barrels of -four have
| been carried down TO the Delaware, or scattered
upon the meadows into which the flood, in its fury,
the dams are gone. The pecuniary loss to indvi-
duals is frghttully great and that which has fallen
upon the county is not less appalling The lowest
estimate of loss $3.50 000-but this is made up, to
| great extent, upon conjecture The county will
probably be constrained 10 raise, by loan the means
OF reconstructing her bridges, as all intercourse be
tween the different sections OF the country is now
cut off
But the loss Of property, terrible as it is is incon-
siderable to the loss of life with which this a clion
of Providence has been attended: 1t isbeevcd that
not less than twenty, and probably as many more,
persons have been drowned. AT one place on the
Chester creek, entire family, that Of Mr.. Rhoads,
consisting of himself, wife and two snail children,
found it impossible, instaneous was the rise and
rush OF the torrent, to escape the house, and all per
ished. At the dour mills, devoted mulato wo-
man, finding that Mr.. Flower was in great danger, |
attempted to rescue him, but the sudden dash OF the
flood swept her away, and she was engulfed
Mr.. Flower, who was In an upper story OF the |
mill, leaped from the window into a tree here he |
remained until the torrent tore up the tree and swept
il onward. He however succeeded in getting hold
of the branches OF another tree that resisted the
It'd, and he was saved. Several bodies have been
found upon the shore and in the meadows This
fatality to be ascrbed TO the unparalleled sudden
ness ofthe rise of the water 1t was as il the earth
had opened and poured forth her secret Hood -
Scarcely was the presence OF danger known before |
it was followed by the absence OF hope. Hundreds
OF hair. breadth scapes are narrated The whole
country Is overspread with gloom, and the conse'
quences of the last nights caamltes will long over
shadow the prosperity OF this lovely section OF coun
try"
From the Newark Daily Advertiser, Aug. IL
| DESTRUCTION BY The SATURDAY SToRM.-lt is
| agreed, we believe, that this city and It's immediate
vicinity was never visited with such heavy and de-
structive showers as those which nearly Hooded us
| on Saturday afternoon and evening. The first came
10 from the north east about the middle OF the al.
ternoon, and was moderate. Three showers sue
ceeded constantly increasing in violence during the
evening, and from about o'clock TO between and
2 O'clock on Sunday morning, the ram literally tell
in torrents-seemingy one incessant sheet of water
from the clouds, accompanied with thunder and
lightning Much concern was excited throughout
the vicinity for the consequences, and those living
in low grounds, along streams, and exposed sltua-
TONS made such preparations as the time would al
low to meet the emergency. Hundreds OF citizens
were a work terday battling water cut of the IN
Easements and cellars and striving keep the water
courses clear The damage is nevertheless very
great, and we have thrown together below such
facts as will to Indicate the severity and ex-
tent OF the flood, for such it really was.
So far as we can learn the storm extended as lar
west of us as Schooleys Mountain, but was not very
severe beyond Morrstown; North TO Patterson,
where -four mill was carried away; East to Long |