The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-09-04
THE RECENT FLOODS.
SERIOUS LOSS OF LIFE.
DIES TRUG TIOS OF PROPERTY.
s~~NS>~>>os~~~~~0~N~oSoS~
Houses, CrOls and Railroads Submerged,
&c, &c, &c.
&c, &c. &c.
BY LAST NIGHTS MAILS.
OUR PHILADELPHIA CORRESPONDENTS.

| OUR PHILADELPHIA CORRESPONDENTS.
PHLADELrHIA, Sept. 3, $780,
Terrible Feshet-Great Destructos the Railroads and
Canais-7ne schuyikiN Canal-!2eadins Railroad
! Lshigh Canal, &c.
Yesterdays storm has made sad havoc with our
canals and railroads; but first accounts of disas
tiers less exaggerated IL is not unlikely
that the damage is much less tb an represented All
accounts agree that the risen In the Lehigh and
schuy kill river, several feet higher than the July
freshet. From the Juniats and the upper waters
Of the suquehsnna have mot as yet re-
ceived positive intelligence of "a reliable cha
racter. On the streets, 1t is generally believed
that the schuylki canal cannot be placed in navi-
gable order before season. and that viii be late
In the before the damages the Lehigh canal
can be repaired large number of the bridges on
the Schuylkil have been carried away while nearly
have sustained more less daInags. The bridge at
Grays ferry ION the line of the aud slti
more Rslroad is represented this morning as being
| In a very precarious situation The southern mail
due this morning, has not arrived; aud, indeed
mail communications in all directions are either
completely cut of, or temporarily dersnged Yester-
day Pilot Line nom New York aid not reach this ctv
untilong after midnight The weather has cleared OF
gorously, with fine bracing breeze from en-
west; and as the waters subsiding we shall know
In faw days the real extent of the injuries sustained
have just seen despatch from the Superintendent
Of the Reading Railroad dated at Reading o,clo,k
p. M giving some additional particua regard to
yestsrsays disasters The loss Of property must be
immense In the Schuylkl valley; but, fortunately,
the Reading Railroad has escaped with slight injury
The damage may be briefly summed up as follows :
One wooden bridge, lao feet long and small iron
bridges swept away and the washing out Of 200 ieet
OF the road. The loss Is estimated at $40 COO and
| assured by officer Of the company that the road
will be in working order by Monday next
The worst fears in regard to the Scnuylkn Canal,
have been more than realised. Bridges without num-
Der have been destroyed dams carried away and the
entertainments of the canal to great extent
There net the slightest possibility of damages
being aired before next spring IL the intc
from the Lehgh region prove equally as DISASTROUS
the supply OF anthracite coal this year will fall far
short Of the demand shall have depend main
ly for the balance OF the season. the Reading Rail-
road for our receipts.
Large numbers Of citizens have repaired to Fair
mount and the fss OF the Sohuylku, to witness the
effects this destr uctive freshet The scene at both
points is of a melancholy character
This years experience, should suppose would con-
clusivey settle the question in regard the
tive advantages OF railroads and canals particularly
The following details appear in the Buaetn, of this
| evening"
The heavy rains which comm need on Sunday niuht
and continued nearly all of yesterday, caused
usual rapid raise in the rivers the eastern
OF this state Some particulars win be found under
our telegraphic head All that have been able TO
gather from nearer home, We shall proseed to give
The sehuylkill along the western front OF the city
began to exhibit signs OF the feshet about dusk last
! evening About eight o'clock, the river mmeaced
swelling and the water rise rapid rate
At midnight the flood was alarming About two
O'Clock this morning the water had reached its great
est height aud from that time uatil four o'clock the
| swell remained stationary The water showed
signs 81 subsdence, aud 40 evident that the
flood had expended its main forcs. The river had
continued TO fall up 70 the honr Of noon to-day, when
/ the murkey waters had receded some two feet
At carly hour this morning the sec ne from air.
mount TO the Naval Asylum was at once terrible sad,
and pcturesque The rush and roar OF tn, nrry d..
vastatng waters, were app alling. The wharves
all hid from Wow, and above some OF them the water
iull ten feet high. Warehouses mills, coal aad
wood yards counting houses stables and sheds inun-
merable, were inunGated-mapy OF the smaller build
ings which stood tho piers looking n th-y Fad
suddenly changed their original positions for
away Out into The middle OF the stream.
Immense quantities OF wood coal Lumber, lime sc,
had been swept of the wharyss, Of which retsin
ed scarcely vestgs Of the property that was piled
and beaped upon them the evening before.
william street, from Csllowbil to Vine CON-
petsy Hooded and the water extended Vine street
nearly 10 sohuylkill Front. All the small courts In
the beck between Vine, Nixon and william streets
Nixon ttreet was under water. The schuyikiii Nav.
cation hotel at the foot OF Vine street. aud the long
block of Dwellings on the south side of Vine from the
river to Ashton street. inundated aud ould be
reached only by boats
The stables OF the line Of ourherty Pow.
at Vine and William streets overiowed, aud
their coach house lled with water. They, however,
got out all their coaches aud horses in safety.
Ashton street from Arch street to fubert,
tirely submerged. The water to such altitude
In the manufacturing department OF the Philadelphia
gas works at the foot OF Market street. TO stop all
operations. The mon were about resuming work at
eleven O'Clock this forenoon. Cas- II lie than pro.
babe will be an exceedingly scarce article TO night,
and people may rs well prepare for It's failure.
Below the permanent bridge the coal sheds Of ths
gas works, the Philadelphia nour feed mills and
Freedly's marble yard, were all overHowed. No trace
Of Beach street, from Market to Chestnut could be
Al the foot Of Chestnut street the lower part
Of the schuylkn House was under water and the eel
lars OF the buildings Immediately adjoining on Chest
nut and Beach streets, were filed
The depot Of the Delaware Coal Company was sur.
rounded by water, and there great destruction OF
property nom Chestnut 60 South street.
Carbon street, Bank street, and water street were
partially overlooked, and Sutherland avenue entirely
inundated The hiuses these thoroughfares suf-
fered considerably number Of dwellings at the foot
OF whole blocks on the several little streets bordering
the river from Lombard 10 South, Allied hume.
rous email enements near the uaters edge, occupied
by poor Irish families, we're submerged and the In
mater driven from them.
On the west bank Of the river, the water was very
ms Chemical works we're under water. The water
was twenty one inches on the floor Of Hardng's ITO.
tel, ct the Wire bridge Above the bridge Kings no
tel vas flooded and had TO be closed.
The mbsnkmen Of the railroad TO avoid the inclined
plane just beyond the Permanent bridge, withstood
the violence Of the bugns waters wonderfully yet
The works Of the schuyltni Navigation, oppO.lt.
Fair mount suffered some, but stil, escaped surpris
buring the night, there was great panic and havoc
among the canal bosts a number OF which vere brs-
ken from theft moorpgs. and carried down the river.
Other smaller craft were wrecked and several mssted
vssses we're damaged
The river was black with vast quantites Of drift
wood wrecks Of boats fragments of bridges portions
OF houses &c and upon the surging btlovs we're
many barrels Of -four also aosisd down.
Both sides Of the river presented lively sights all the
morning hundreds Of men, women, aud children
reaped q harvest BY catching wood. Hour from the
mills OF the schuylkili and ether things that the
ffeshet had yielded a. God-tsuds TO them.
The Market street and Wire bridges crowded
With spectators not s'sw Of whom vere we'll dressed
ladies and gentlemen looking at the food and lite
citing accomps niments.
The Paramount Water Works we're stopped, and viii
not run again perhaps, for some days. This should
make every bosy prudent in the use q water.
~ o'clock this morning. the water on the Fair
mount Dam vas ten feet ten inches and half high.
The extreme rise the dam In the freshet Of July
vas seyes feet and Ia half In the great Ice food Of
Isss the greatest height the water attained vas ten
,e.t 70 thst the Hood Of last night was ten inches
higher thsn that Of 1880
Along the ~hsrves south of the High street bridge.
he wster rose twelve feet shove high water mark and
al Vine street rose at least nfsen feet above the
! usual height Of the river at food tide.
| Wsconverred vith number Of the Oldest residents
| on the banks OF the schuyikl-some Of them over
seventy yssrs OF and they all that pre-
nt food s the heaviest freshet In the schuylk ever
| known
No estimate can be made 81 the destruction Of pro