The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-10-15
From the Winchester yirginian, Oct 10.
Treu eudous Flood

On Thursday night last were visited with the most
appalling food that was ever known to have occurred al
this place The commenced on the Tuesday evening
preceding and with but occasional nermssions contin
ed to fall with unusual violence until Thursday about
dark, when suddenly the whole scene assuming more
fearful and threatening aspect the storm broke forth
all It's fury, and the RAIN, accompanied with thunder,
lightning and hail. poured down in continued sheet,
seeming if the windows OF heaven had been lifted up.
and that town 10 be overwhelmed and destroyed
by the waters of second deuge The principal streets
and alleys of the place formed the beds OF rivers hitherto
unknown to geography and the dashed along
their newly made channels with all the violence and fury
OF mountain torrents.
In little tme before O'clock three-fourh of
the town was covered with water TO the depth of from
TO feet; and the storm giving then evidence of aba
ting, the apprehension became general that the lives
well as the property OF many of citizens imm
nent peril In all parts OF the town. when the storm
at lis height persons could be seen with their light
ed tapers, pungng into the angry flood generously
offering their assistance to those whose fral enements
furnished but little protection against the swelling tide
whilst others, wadlng up to knee and neck, were
rushing on to the rescue OF their property Little, how
ever, could be accomplished by the latter effort for
rapidly did the water accumulate, that it impossible
10 exrcale her s6feronedn stores, before the cellars
were all hled and every hope therefore, of saving their
sugar moasses salt, oil, &c, entirely cut off In
oudoun ana Water streets the water to alarming
he ight-deep enough, we told, many places to
sw I'm horse--and IN ALL 10 fill the on the first
flo ors OF the dwelling houses and the stores thereon to
tn; dePth OF from two to four feet In the Farmers Bank
~ befs, and the stores adjacent both sides of the
s ee the water was up nearly the tops of the couner
and suddenly did it rush n that even there the own
ens were able TO but little of their properly
Immense damage has been done TO property, the pave
nents have been torn up all direcions the beds OF the
eets IN some places poughed into channels feet deep
2closures and buildings thrown down and destroy
ed and these, with the loss which private individuals
ha we sustained, will not fall far short of 100000 Among
the merchants who have been the principal sufferers we
may mention the names OF NIessrs. John n Bell, VIM
Mile y Co, j. b. Taylor & Co., Jacob Senseny, and
Isaac Paul ,-among the mechanics Messrs. Sidwell,
Brown, and Shere the propretos OF the large tannerles
in this place
With tut pretending TO detail the numerous cases of in
dividual SUFFERING may notice, addition that Bur
gesss Lancks fine brick house, just in the course OF
erection, ;tnd the walls of which had been completed,
throw down. and the loss to them from that source
alone must OF course be considerable
In conclusion, we rejoice to state that although we
have rece we'd accounts OF many hairbreadh escapes,
no lives ha We been lost in this terrific storm
We hear of great damage property-such as mills,
mill dams, and fences, occasoned by the stom in the
negbborhot OF this place but must defer account
of them, as well as many other incidents OF amusing
character connected with the food for another occasion