, 1859-05-16
Destructive Flood at Maseatlne,
Hou14s UA&efmfueA~N2aFAeN &Ds
".~-.*; EARe fFum Deaahs &c.


Troan d. Nu,cstdns Jo1Eos1. 11h.1
soon xfter daytlaha. this morning. this 1ocali-
ty vas Visited by the hea1ieat rain md hail
storm, with mora disastrous consequence TO
property, than any which crer Precsded It. Ina
mesaorah food of Au8uAt 10Th, ls5l, resolting
10 the ioss Of three liyes and destruction Of some
&l2,o 900 worth Of property, vas mol near - great
as this. For the FULL space ct an hour, the raln
poured down in perfect avalanche. Pappoose
Greek, running through the heart OF the city,
which, in ordinary times, is but ANAL rlEnlet,
became like river The water rose ten or
twelve feet; and fo1mcd and Dashed: madIy' %
wards the great Father Of Waters, carrying
away fences, out-houses, and everything nova
bic within its range. Garden fences were CON-
p1etely swept away, aud the gardens were most
II destroyed BY deposits Of sand md sediment
several inches deep over the ground
but the greatest destruction WAS caused BY
the food which came down Iowa Avenue. as ut
other times Of heavg rain, from the defective
condition OF the city improvement on Third
Pappoosc. The vast tide Of water from this
source entered Iowa Arenue abore the NeEada
House, and swept down that spacious street,
covering it to the depth OF eighteen inches.
portion Of this flood. Us usual, turned down
5ns Gnd it, SrSst 9~s5s M RRns esEs aens a
the bes. huaiuess part Of the city At J. 3.
Dougberty's drug store, the water rushed with
such force into The cellar that the walls be-
came undermined aud two store-rooms OF
the block fell with q sudden and tremendous
crash into q. complete ruin. Ihe ouao1ng ~!
famny Of Mr. Il Spencer, consisting OF him.
self, wife, Mrs. Broadhead. and small bog,
Eddy BToadhead, lived above tue drug store,
aud all strange as it may appear, escaped Win
out serious injury. Theodore hrehe, Ar
Dougherty's clerk, WAS in the drug store at the
time: and also escaped With put st'gGt ln}ury.
All these persons were out Of bed, haElng been
awakened by the storm. When the building
fell, a section of the roof was supported
bv timbers from crushing the inmates
Tie entire floor fell distance Of about
twelve feet into the. cellsr. Mr- Spencer
and his fa1niiy were IN the parlor: hs. az >
states that, ns soon as the ruins settled. he dis
covered an opening above him (the space 10
which they we're enclosed was completely dark
through which be escaped himself, md also got
out the boz and Ars Broadhead, who were By
his side. Mrs. Spencer had by some mems BE-
come separated from the rest Of the party, but
she was beard crying for help, end with the
to the spot. she WIS rescued bs cutting away
portion Of the roof. There was con-
siIerabl. water on the floor where she was
found. The two ladies are somewhat bruised
but not seriously. Mr. krvhe, the clerk in the
drug store. was standing near the counter when
under the countcr, from whence hc afterwards
escaped. This is certainly the most rrovideutsa]
escape from imminent death Ue hare ercr been
| called upon to rechrd Huw five persons could
be buried in the falling ruins Of building such
US our citizens btteld this morning. and yet es
cape With their !ides, is indeed nutter OF aston
! isamcnt. Several persons standing at some dis
| tauce, who saw the building full, say the TOO
! parted near the middle aud IN Immense cloud o
dust arose as the ulass Of brick. plaster und lun