Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1843-08-18
Correspondence of The N. Y. Courier.
DESTRUCTIVE STORM--LOSS OF
LIVES.
PnILApELpHIA, Aug. 6. P. M.

Our GUY was VISITED on Saturday afternoon
with tremendous thunder storm, accompanied
with perfect hurricane, which latter however,
only visited the Western part of the city,
The rain had commenced falling in the early
part OF the day, and continued until about 8
O'Clock, when the thunder and heavy storm
commenced. The rain fell in perfect torrent
foe about an hour and half. The water in
passing off choked the culverts, and in those
places where the ground was low, immense
bodies were gathered and the cellars were filled
TO overlooking.
That part OF the city which fronts upon the
Schuylkil has been visited severely. OF forty
four scho0nefs lying at the wharves, only six
escaped uninjured the rest Of them were more
or less damaged, and many Of them TO a con-
siderable extent. At least 90 coal boats full
ly laden, are sunk between Market ST. wharf
and the Arsenal, and the captain of them, who
escaped by swimming on shore, states that so
dense was the storm that he could not see 90
feet before him. negro man and boy who were
on board his boat when it sunk are supposed
to have persisted A wheelwright shop 90 feet
front by 40 feet deep, on Ashtan, below Wal
nut st. built Of brick with front walls 8 inches
thick, and side walls 9 inches was entirely
blown down. Much of the iron roof of the
Gas Works, part of the weather boarding of
Market st. Bridge, and the roof of Dry
House attached to Factory at the foot of
Spruce ST. were blown of, and stones which
six men could not lift, were tossed from their
positions at the Bridge.
Southwest of the city the damage is greater
and accompanied with melancholy loss of life.
have heard that house near Kelly's Mills,
above the village OF Darby, was swept away
and its inmatcs-two women and four children
drowned Nearly all the dams that supply
the mills and manufactures on Darby Creek
were broken down by the torrent, and the i'm
mense bodies OF water thus let loose came down
upon the heavy stone bridge at Darby with
such rcsistless force that il was broken down
and swept away, carrying with il two men
Josiah Bunting, Jr. and Russell Founders
who were on il, both of whom were drowned
hear rumors of great damage done below on
this side Darby but have nothing definite.
The following additional heart-rending par
ticulars, are taken from the Philadelphia Led
ger:
The rain fell as if in mass. The very hills
were sheeted with water; and in the valleys,
runlets became creeks, and creeks were swollen
into rivers. A freshet was, of course, antici-
pated; but flood, such as ensued, could not
have been apprehended. 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 ordinary |
fall OF rain, however copious, seems Inadequate
to have produced the subsequent flood, there is |
u
About SIX O'Clock it was found that Chester |
Creek was rapidly rising. Every effort was in
stantly made to place such property as was !
movable out of the reach of danger but SO in |
Simultaneous was the swell of water, that the |
next moment left no feeling but the instinct of
self-preservation. The stream rose, il is said
by some, six feet in five minutes others aver
that it rose six feet in one minute. The water
poured down as if the waves of the sea had
been swept onward by an earthquake. In
about two hours il has risen twenty-three feet
The neighboring creeks were swollen in the
same proportion and the roar of the impetu-
Gus torrents rang for miles through the coun-
try The flood swept irresistaby onward
The dams built for its restraint were as reeds
before the ocean that rushed by; 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 its surface.
Fortunately, this took place before dark, or
the scene would have been more terrible than
II was. In Chester, the torrent rose as if by
magic, and swept angrily through the streets.
The buildings which were most fraiI were
swept away and from others, females were
borne through the angry and rushing waters,
halt dead with alright. Houses, dams, bridges,
boats and an immense mass OF lumber, furni-
ture, mill wheels, &c., shot by upon the cur
rent. AT length, while the assembled citizens
gazed with white lips, upon the ruin. the rail-
road bridge, built at an enormous expense was
lifted from its foundations and flung down the
stream. The next to follow was the suspen-
sion bridge. This structure was one of which
every enlightened American was proud, as il
was the first chain bridge built in the world
Europe has since claimed the invention but
here stood-alas il stands no longer 1.-the
proof, erect thirty years ago, that TO America
belongs the credit Of having invented and con-
structed the first suspension bridge. When
the mass Of matter, which shot upon the
stormy and roaring torrent, struck the bridge,
1t swayed and groaned, and at length, after
moments resistance, its vast iron fastenngs
gave way with crash, and the chains, as they
grated upon each other, sparkled and flashed
like lightning. II swung heavily for momen;
and fell into the food. The water now swept
through several of the lower streets. / saw
this morning a house in the middle of one
street, and shalloh in another, left there by
the receding stream. The nature and extent
Of the injury done could not then be estimated
but it was with dismay which approached des-
pair that citizens saw the fioed roll into their
storehouses and sweep their hard earnings /,
away This morning, however, disclosed in
part the extent of the ruin. IL was found that
wharves, tan-yards, machine shops, store-hous-
es lumber, and coal yards, &C., had been either
carried off by the flood or ruined by the mum
datlon. But the consequences in Chester are {
trivial in comparison with those 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, and il will cost an immense sum to
replace them. Most OF the mills and factories
upon those streams have shared the same fate.
The loss OF property, terrible as it is, is in
considerable to the loss OF life with which this