Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1847-10-20
TREMENDOUS FLOOD.

On Thursday night last we were visited with
the most appalling flood that was ever known to
have occurred at this place. The rain commenced
On the tuesday evening preceding, and with but
occasional mtermisSlOns, continued To fall with un
usual violence until Thursday about dark, when
suddenly the whole scene assuming more fearful
ana threatening aspect the storm bruke forth in all
It's fury. and the rain, accompanied with thunder,
lightning and hail, poured down in one continued
sheet, seeming as il the windows of Heaven had
oeen lifted up. and that our town was to be over
whelmed and destroyed by the waters of a second
deluge. The principal streets and alleys of the
place, formed beds of rivers, hitherto unknown to
our Geography, and the waters dashed alonu their
new made channels with all the violence and fury
OF our mountain torrents.
In little tune, even before 8 o'clock. three
fourihs OF the town was covered with water To the
depth ot from to b feet; aud the storm, giving
then no evidence of aba,ing. the apprehension be,
came general that the lives well as The property
OF many OF our ctzens were in eminent peril In
all parts OF the town, even when the storm was at
its helghih, persons could be seen with their light,
ed tapers punglng into the angry fJod some Sen-
erousiy Offering their assistance To those whose fail
tenenenls furnished but little protection against the
swelling tide, whilst others, waJing up to knee
and neck, were seen rushing to the rescue of
their property. Little however, could be accom-
plished b. the latter effort, for 50 rapidly did the
water accumulate that it was impossible to extri-
cate their subterTaneGn stores bcfIre the cellars
were all filled and every hope therefore of saving
their sugar, molasSeS, salt. oil, &c.. was entirely
cut off. In Loudoun and Water streets, the water
rose to an alarming heighth deep enough, we are
told In many places To swim horsP-and i'm all to
fill the rooms ON the first hj,rs of the dwelling hou-
SEES and stores thereon, to the depth of from two 10
four feet. In the farmers Bank, j. n. Bells.
and the stores adjacent, both sides of the street
the water was up nearly to the tops of the counters
and suddenly did il rush in that even there tho
owners were unable TO save but little Of their prom
| erty.
Immense damage has been done To property-
the pavements have been torn up in all directions
the beds OF the streets in places plonphed into
channels teet deep; enclosures and even buildings
thrown down and destroyed. and these, with The
loss which private individuals have sustained will
not fall short of the sum of 100000. Among the
merchants who have been the principal sufferers.
we may mention the names of Messrs. John n
Bell, WIN. Miller s. Co, J. b. Taylor s. Co.. ia
Cob oenseny and Isaac Paul among the mechanics.
MessTs Sdwell, Brown and Sherer-the proprie-
| tors on the large tanneries in this place.
Without pretending to detail the numerous cases
oil individual suffering, we NAV notice in addition.
that Burgess's * Lauck's fine brick house, lust in
the course Of erection, and the walls of which had
been completed, was thrown down. and the loss TO
them ffom that source alone, must of course, be
considerable
In conclusion. we rejoice to state, that ALTHOUGH
we nave received accounts of many hair breadth
escapes. we have the happiness to state that no
lives have been lost in this terrific storm
we hear OF grea: damage to property--such as
m'lis' mill dams, and fences, occasioned by the
Storm IN the neighborhood of this place, but we
must defer an account of them as well as MANY ~
Their incidents of amusing character connected with
the Hood, for another occasion.- Pinchesier PR
ginian, Oct. Is.