The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-09-24
From the London Watchman, September s.
Feprful Thunder Storm and Deluge-Tyy
ThOuaand Sheep Drowned.

The county Of Worcester visited during Sa-
turday night and Sunday morning by one oil the
most awful thunder storms within the memory Of
man, and this has been followed by q destruction
of property which might almost bear comparison
with the recent calamity at Holmfrth
The storm was general throughout the counties
of Worcester, Gloucc ter, and Hereford, though its
violence concentrated itself the county of
Worcester, westward of the Severn The rain
poured down almost necessarily, and occasionally
In perfect waterspout, for nearly twelve hours,
the storm having commenced at five o'clock on Sa-
turday evening. and continued until daylight ON
Sunday. The thunder roarcd during this interval
without intermissou, and the Lightning of a
peculiarly vivid character. On Saturday evening"
the river Severn at Worcester at it's low sum-
mer level, but by daylight Sunday morning
the river had overlooked its banks, and the surface
was covered with uprooted trees and crops, with
furniture and drowned and other animals.
Upon the Teme and it's tributary streams
Laughern and Leigh brooks-the destruction of
property has been most affecting. great major
ity Of the bridges upon these streams have been
blown up, or are so far damaged that they will re-
quiro rebuilding. The rise of water upon the Teme
was the most rapid and the highest upon record.
At Powick, the lowest village on the Teme before
II falls into the Severn, island 10 formed by the
deviation of the stream for the purpose Of supply
ing the corn and other mile at tho place with mo-
tive power. The water rushed across the island,
flooding the few houses there, and rising six inches
above the second floor of MIR. Hadley's grisr mill.
The destruction Of crops and live stock alon : the
Ieme valley has been immense. Large fields of
beans were swept away and whole hop. yards, in
which the valley of the Tsme abounds, were de-
stroyed. The number of sheep washed away in
the parish Of Powick alone ia reckoncd at two thou
sand
The reul extent of the damage. however. cannot
be ascertaincd until the waters have totally SUB
sided
Among the losers the poor villagers of Po-
wick, who have the right Of pasturage on a com
mon near the river called Powick Ham, The whole
Of the sheep on the Ham we're swept away
On Sunday the carcasses were seen lying about
in all directions where the had partially sub
sided They woe chiefly lodged in the hedges
the meadows and picking them up. Many Of the
carcasses were cold at I'd. per pound. All the mill
ers have suffered. At Henwick Mill, besides the
destruction of grain and meal, eleven pigs were
swept away, together with the pigstye in which
they were kept: At this spot two men jour
neying from Worcester market, when they were
over'aken by the flood, and obliged to swim for
their lives. Luckily they reached tree, in which
clothe., in the mdst OF the raging element, until
daylight on Sunday morning, when they were
rescued, half dead with fright. 3d..
The turnpike gate keeper, near the same spot,
state Of ntoxcatioh passed through bis gate on
horseback, from Worcester market. They took
the direction Of the flooded brook, and the hat of
one of them was found yesterday in the stream
Ii lie feared that many lives have been sacrificed.
waterspout is said to have fallen on the Tcme
at Knighiwick, and man and child drowned. At
Stone Bridge, on the Leigh Brook, a cottage was
swept away, and its occupant, a poor woman
drowned, A gig was overturned at Malvern, but
the occupants received little injury The horses
of the coach between Worcester a nd Birmiupha
ran away, and the coach came in collision with
wagon, whereby the coachman, Hemmipg was
killed and several of the passen gers were injured
The water came down the Teme with "head''
similar to the tidal phenomenon on the Severn at
the spring and autumn equinoxes. The Severn
flood. H.r ~