The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1858-06-18

THE RAINS AND FLOODS.


lren inundated, and great destruction Of
lie md property has been the result
The UprcrMississippi and Missouri rivers,
with their tributaries were as high as they
have ever been known before, and many
of tie towns along those streams were
completely submerged, the inhabitants
being compelled to desert their homes in
order to save their lives.
The valley along the Wabash river has
suffered terribly. The Wabash rose at
the rate of one foot per hour, and the
people who resided on tho bottom lands
were taken from their homes in skiTs,
while the cattle. horses. hogs, de-, were
washed away by the food. Railroad
bridges and culver.s were torn away, and
the canal was so much injured as to be
almost ruined. At Lafayette, it is said
the water wasnp to the caves ofthc houses,
and that the flood was rs great as that Of
1914.
The Muskingum and Scioto rivers, in
this State, are said to have been higher
than they were in l847--most Of the
bridges and culverts on those streams
were washed away and all the low lands
completely inundated. The Statesman
says that Tie scioto was deep and wide
enough at Columbus to float as large a
feet as ever tied up at the Queen City,
and that on taking view from the top
Of the Capital buildings, the country pre-.
sented the appearance Of one vast sea OF
water.
We also. learn from the Chillicothe
Advertiser that the damage done to
the Canal between that place and Ports
mouth is SO great that navigation cannot
be resumed before the 10Th Of July.
A terrible accident occurred on the La
fayette and indianapolis Railroad in con.
sequence ofthe damage done by the flood,
in regard to which we make the follow
ing extract from the statement Of one of|
the passengers:
Nothing unusual transpired until in
the neighborhooI Of Bakers Corner,
where the accident occurred. We then
discovered that we were running through
the water, and the wheels Of our car sud-
denly gave way with pretty severe con-
cussion, that showed the track to have
been undermined. In about five minutes
we were startled by the sudden crushing
of the glass in the passenger car windows
and the bursting open Of the doors. The
car was at once filled with smoke and
steam from the engine, and the passen-
gers were advised to get out of the first
car as speedily as possible. After the
hack door had been opened the smoke and
steam cleared away, and the passengers
in their seats until the extent of
the damage could be ascertained. The
rain in then time was literally pouring
down.
So severe, indeed, was the rain, that
m one ofus going to the door of the car
he could not tell whether we were in
large stream Of water or not. On going
forward with the conductor to ascertain
the damage, we discovered that the log
culvert had washed out of the embank
ment, the engine had been precipitated
forward into tho mud bank on the oppo-
site side where the culverth had been wash
ed out. sinking into the mud nearly half
its length. The tender was thrown on
the top Of the engine, and the baggage
car passed clear over the engine and ten
der to the bank beyond, and the forward
passenger car was thrown upon the en-
CINE and tender, making altogether the
most complete wreck we have ever wit
messed. The fireman. John Mclaughlin,
was groaning and calling for one Of the
VIM. Severson, and also up
on his Lord. He evidently was in great
agony. and expired in about half or
three quarters of an hour. The engi-
neer. Pat. II. Mahan, never uttered a
groan, he was doubtless killed instanta-
neously. 1t was found impossible to get
their bodies from under the wreck. The
cars were so piled IN that it was really
dangerous to 60 near them.
On Wednesday night, on the Great
Road, an engineer and fireman
were killed in manner similar to the
accident noticed above. Hr
Indeed. our exchanges are crowded
with the most lamentable accounts OF the
effects Of the floods.
New Usury Law in Pennsylvania.
An act making important changes in
he law Of interest has recently been pass
I'd by the Pennsylvania Legislature. 1t
was signed by the Governor on the 28th