Litchfield enquirer., 1859-05-26

DEsrRucrIvE FLOOD AT MuscATISE-Soon after daylight this m rnng, this locality visited by tho heaviest rain and haistornl, with more disas trous consequences to property, than any which preceded it. The memorable flood of Aug. TO- 1851, resulting in the loss of three lives and destruction of some Sl2 OOO worth of property. not near as grelt ils this For the full space of an hour the rain poured down in perfect avalanche. Pappoose Creek running through the heart of the city, which in ordinary tiies is but s all riyulct, became like rly,r. The water rose ten CT twelve feet. and foame and dashed madly toward the great Father of Waters, carrying away fences, out-houscs, and everything movable ill :ts range. Garden fences were completely swept away, and the gardens were mostly destroyed by deposits of sand and sediment, several inches deep the ground But the great est destruction Was caused by the flood which came down Iowa avenue. as at other times of heavy rain, from the defective condition of the city improvement on Third street at the crossing of the west branch of Pappoose The vast tide of water from this entered Iowa avenue above the Nevada House, and swept down that spacious street. covering it to the d:pt of eighteen inches. portion of this food as usual, turned down Second street towards Pappoose Bridge, innndating paycments and filling cellars along the best bushes part of the city At J. R. Doug gherty drug store, the water rushed with such force into the cellar that the walls became under mined and two store- e-rdenls of the block fell with sudden and trelnendOusscrasl into complete ruin. The LuiLng was two stories high and 60 feet deep.
 The family of Mir. H. Spencer consisting of his vie, Mrs Broadhcad, and a small beg. Eddy Broadhead, lived above the drugstore, and al strange asit may appear, escaped without serious injury. Theodore krehe, MT Doug aherty's clcrk was ill the drugstore at the time, and also escaped with but slight injury All these persons were out of bed, having been awakened by the storm When the building fell a section of the roof supported by timhers from crushing the inmates The entire floor fell dist ance of about twelve feet into the cellar Mr. Spen- ccr and his family were in the paror Mir s. states that, as soon as the ruins settled, he discovered an opening above him tthe space in which they were inclosed was completely daik) through which he es- capped himself. and also got out the boy and Mrs. Broadhead, who were by his side Mrs. Spencer had ny soRlc means become separated from the rest of the party, but she heard crying for help. and with the assistance of several persons who came to the spot, she was rescued by cutting away portion | of the roof. There was considerable water the floor where she was found. The two ladies are l somewhat bruised but not seriously. Mir. Krehe, the clerk in the drugstore. was standing the counter when tie crash came, and saved himself by getting under the counter, from whence he after ward escaped. This is certainly the most provden- tal escape from imminent death we have ever been called upon to record How five persons could be buried in the falling ruins of building such citizens behcld this morning and yet escape with 1 their lives, is indeed matter of astonishmcnt. several persons standing at some distance, who saw the building ta say the roof parted near the mid- dle and an immense cloud of dust arose the mass of brick, plaster and lumber fell in a confused heap The concession shook all the adjoning buildings to their very centers. We have no means of ascer- tanine the total amount of damage done by this food, but estimate it not less than S25, ,0CO.
 lNuscaiine Journol, 18th inst.
 [Nfr. Homer Spencer and wife. so providentially ,aved removed from Litchfeld to Muscatine some three years since