Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1855-08-22
D,s,strous Flood.

The following was Issued on sip iioiii ms
office Tuesday night the 18th inst, before wehad
learned the full extent of damage;
Our town was this evening visited by the most
destructive and terrific flood ever witnessed IN
this section of country The cloud commenced
gathering in the North West about O'Clock, r.
NJ, and betokened by its intense blackness We
nv heavy storm, but no one anticipated the terri
Die freshet that it subsequently produced. The
windows of heaven seemed literally wide open,
aud the water descended in torrents, soon over
flowing all the streets in the Western portion OF
the town.
By O'Clock we found ourselves unable TO get
out of our office, and remained there quietly for
several hours watching the rise of the water on
Augusta Street, until relieved from our imprlson-
ment by an accommodating colored man who kind
ly consented TO take US ION behind"
But it is not our object to detail further our own
trbulations, but to give our readers, il possible,
some information in regard to the extent of dam
ace and the persons who have suffered
We have not yet heard what injury has been
done ON he line Of the creek above the residence
of Mr.. Samuel E. Clarke, though we presume 1t
has been serious. The bridge near the residence
Of MIR. Clarke, erected some months ago by the
Corporate authorities was washed from It's moor
ings, and, forming dam, added to the immense
stream that poured down the street leading from
Mr.. Bel's to DR.. Waddell's.
The property of Mr.. r. P, Kinney was consld-
eraby washed The new Lutheran Church was
so much injured as to crack in the front gable end;
the tower is evidently far from perpendicular.
The walls of the large and handsome new bull
ding on Main Street, opposite Union Hall, are SO
much damaged that fears are entertained that they
will vet give way.
The residences of DR.. Waddell and Miss ).
Waddel were completely flooded. A chimney
~ssaoi,vu tho dwalli~g hsnsA Of Miss -
Waddell fell down, carrying one end Of house
with it.
One end of Mr.. Michie's Law office was wash
ed out, and we understand many valuable papers
we've lost. The cellars on Main Street, on the
street by the Virginia Hotel on Augusta Street,
and on 1.-The wharf, were all filled, and the ner-
chants have suffered severely. Mr.. Eskrldge
had $500 worth of Goods in his cellar. Messrs.
B. & ]. S. Crawford about the same amount
Mr.. Cochran los: about $500 worth Of tobacco
Mr.. Evans also lost tobacco. Staples s. Martin
and J. b. Breckenridge s. Son, Grocers, have
doubtless suffered severely.
In one of the houses on Augusta Street the wa
ter was three feet deep. which fact will give the
reader some idea OF The foaming torrent that
swept through the town.
Many other persons have been greatly damaged,
that we cannot now mention.
The Corporation has been very heavy loser.
The streets are literally torn to pieces, curblng
and pavements swept away. The loss in town
is yariously estimated from 5000 to 10000 dol
lars.
A friend from the country Southwest ofStaun-
ton in which direction the cloud extended informs
US that the farms within three miles OF Staun-
ton have been very much damaged. Doubtless
the same may be said Of all the farms lying on
Lewis Creek.
About dusk the waters entirely subsidized, and
crowds have been on the streets, serveylng the
scene of desolation, and wondering ''where the
water came from" 1t is indeed hard to realize,
and we have causes for thanklulness that Ii was
no worse Buckets, and tubs, and barrels, ana
niles of wood, and chickens, and dogs, and even
large stones came floating down our Streets ana
the great wonder is that some human being was
not hurried to destruction. 1t Is generally con-
coded that the water rose higher upon THIS occa-
sion than it did in the memorable ireshet OF lo4o.
We do not think however that there has been as
much damage done to property
FURTHER PARTIcuLARs.--A portion OF the
large brick building lately erected by MI M. u.
Hartman, and known as the Post Office building,
was undermined by the waters. The walls OF The
Central Bank building were also seriously IN
jured.
Messrs. o. C. Morris and R. &. Bickle were
among the heaviest losers by the filling up Of their
cellars, in which valuable goods were stored a
way.
The foundation of the wooden building In
which the offices of Messrs. Hartman & Bell and
Hugh w. Shelley Esq, are located, were wash
cd out so as to make the building unsafe until re-
pairs are made; Messrs H. & B. lost number OF
valuable books SC.
Some slight injury was done to the foundation
ofD. S. Young's law office, on the corner of the
"Jail lot."
The Iron Foundry of Mr.. A. j. Garbor, near
StauntOn, was very seriously injured. MIR. Gar
Der has sustained a very heavy loss.
We are now satisfied that $4,000 will not
place things as they were in the town and its i'm
mediate vicinity.
We are pleased to see that the town authori
ties have gone promptly to work to repair the
streets and side walks. Quere Is not San
ounce of prevention worth pound of cure?"-
Would it not be economy to expend hundreds in
widening and deepening the channel ofthe creek,
and making the streets hollow in the middle in
stead ofat the sides rather than thousands repairs
after the floods have swept everything to pieces
We defer to the better judgement Of our rulers,
but may be permitted to suggest, that, in our own
opinion, it would be wisdom not only to repair
present damages, but to provide for future con-
tingencies.
r,,a r,.as,5ant,s Visit