Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1852-09-01
UNPRECEDENTED ;ii;i FRESHET

IT becomes our duty this week to record the occuf
renee Of the most terribly destructive freshet which
has ever visited u.s. So far we have only heard from
the Saluia and Savannah rivers On each of these
streams, the rise has been pronounced by aged men
to be greater than ever before known In reference
10 the Sauda we give below an extract from letter
written to gentleman of this place from Higgins
Ferry, and dated Augns, 3Oh 1t is from perfectly
reliable source, the author having lived for many
years Immediately upon the saluda, md having
watched'its history with great closcness.
"The Saluda is higher or was yesterday, by eight
feet than it has been in the last fifty years. if not
since Noali's Flood Nothing like it has been known
since the great rise, known as the laZoo freslet,
which occurred some forty-nine or fifty years ago
and none n those who rccorct that freshet, can say
with certainty whether it Ur the present one was the
largest.
Immense damage has been done to the crops In
fact, all, who have corn or cotton planted ON the
river have lost it-all utterly ruined. learn that
great damage has also been done to the GrcenShle
und Columbia Railroad"
In addition to this statement, we have heard from
several other points tina. the entire crop Of the low
grounds corn and cotton has been from six to eight
feet under water In one instance, tthat of Col. F.
W. PIcKEss pIantaon) it is stated on the authority
cotton have been overRowed and supposed TO be
entirely destroyed The same has doubtless been the
case with all the river plantations. 1t il indeed a
most trying calamity.
The destruction upon the Savannah river has been.
if possible more terrible than that upon the Saua.
Rumors are rife of mills swept of, crops devastated
DC. We'do not give them however rs they are not
certainly authenticated From Hamburg and Au.
grsta the accounts are grievously shocking. Every
square in them has been completely submerged.
From several of Cur townsmcn, who have just re.
turned from these disastrous scenes, we gather that
the like has never been witnessed in those places
before. 1t is asccrtained that some three or four
lives have been lost and it is seriously apprchended
that many have been lost in Augusta especially
among those who resided in the low buildings at the
rear of the city. Such the disIracling confusion
however, up to the time our inurmans left, that
nothing cond be accurately ascerained.
The wafer was nearly Two feet higher than in the
May Frcshct Of 1910. Almost all articles in the rel
lars and first floors Of Hamburg Merchants, such
ms Salt, Flour Oil, Sugar, Moasses, Coffee, Bacon,
&C., have been completely destroyed. and we sup
pose it Is even worse in Augusta. Mr.. SIDLEYs eel.
lar hs store is situated in the highest part Of Ham.
burg) was the first place OF deposit from which the
water rrcetcd. And it is said by eyc-witnesses, to
have beon the most complete lob.lolly, made up Of
various component parts, every cask having burst as
far discovered. An ncn two Of the surface was
OIL We fear that the loSs the Merchants Of Ham,
burg and Augusta will prove to be of the most ruin
Gus kind, unless they fully insured against this
catastrophe. We learn Also ha, the owners of brick
yards have lost very largely. In lct,. the suffering
among the entire population is such as has seldom
been recorded Of any place.
Tile upper Bridge was entirely wnshrd away, and
about one hundred feet Of the lower Bridge on the
Augusta side The Toll House, in Augusta, fell on
Monday afternoon.
The wafer reached the second floor of many honfcs
in Hamburg A large amount Of furniture which the
alarmed honse-kcePcrs were taking ont TO remove to
safe point was swept away and lost 80 rapidly did the
water rise in the streets, when once the river bapks
Were ovcrllowrd.
Frnm Saturday until Monday evening, there were
many PERSONS confined the upper stories of various
buildings and having no means OF egrcss, who passed
thu entire time without mouthful To eat. And we
are told there is now much difficulty with many ir
field from the neishboring country were on Monday
eeoAissi ihs...he
the sufferers. And still there were many who could
not procure suciency. 1t is indeed n most heart.
rending calamity. All, who have looked upon the
confusion and distress connected with it, speak Of it
beggaring description.
n. B.-WE take pleasure in recordicg the fact that
much of the discomfort Of the citizens of Hamburg
was remcdrd by the active exrrrions of Messrs.
ANDREW HAMMOND, ROBERT BUTLER and others,
who succeeded in supplying many persons with food
aud fresh water during The prevalence of the reset.
P. S.-THE last intelligence before gning to Press.
il that the had left the houses and streets in
dcporable conlilion. The streets Of Augusta have
hcen washed into large holes at several points-hc
largest is near the Globe Hotel.