New Orleans daily crescent., 1860-09-18

Special to the New Orleans crescent.l
MOBILE, Sept 16, 1860.
Mr.. Editor One of those watery disasters
which should make Mobans seriously consider the
propriety of guarding their city with a sufficient
levee, befel Mobile yesterday, but little more than
month having elapsed since similar bntless dis
astrous calamity afflicted it, the 18th of August
last past. The flood Of yesterday approSimated
more nearly than any other since to the memorable
overflow of 1852, and was of portentous conse
quenee in the amount Of damage done, and the
proof afforded of the constant liability Of the city
to like disasters.
On Friday night the wind blew in gusty and
variable blasts, with spasmode showers, but it
was not until morning dawned that it settled
steadily into the quarter so ominous Of evil to
Mobile. Having finally determined its point of the
compass, it set in determinedly from the south
east and, after day-hreak, blew great guns from
that quarter. The fierce gale backing up the
waters of the bay and driving them in huge waves
back from their course outward, the water rose
upon the city with extraordinary rapidity, the
merchants having no sufficient warning to give
them time to remove merchandise from the lower
floors of the stores. In short time the wild waves
were dashing furiously over the wharves, and the
waters were rapidly and steadily submerging Front,
Commerce and Water Streets the streets intersect
ing them and Upper and Lower Royal street. All
the available muscle Of the city was soon congre
gated in the endangered part Of the city, which
was a scene of wild excitement and frantic toll; in
every store crowd of men working with desper-
ate energy to place perishable commodities out of
reach Of the water on such stagngs piles of boxes,
barrels, ETC., as could be hastily erected.
In short time the water stood from eighteen
inches to four feet deep the floors of most of the
stores throughout the greater portion of the busi-
nsss part of the city, and the intruding waves were
dashing against their temporary beach nearly up
to the back doors of the Battle House st. Fran
els street, while both ends of Royal street were
submerged. The depot and grounds Of the Mobile
and Ohio railroad were under water SO deep that
the fires could not be lighted in the furnaces of the
| locomotives.
| Steamers were 1oated up ON the wharves, many
| sustained much damage, others cut and run for
| safety, fiat boats were sunk and the wharves sus-
tanned great injury. At twelve O'Clock the excite
ment was at its height. A great wind was blow
| ing with excessive fury, tearing up trees, ripping
| off states, dashng down sign boards, and driving
torrents of rain before it with violence which de-
| fed shngling and weather boarding to exclude it.
| Forced by the wind thu water swept through the
submerged streets in bill0wy surges like the waves
| of the sea, throwing from their footing men who
| were wadng waist deep where erst they had
| walked high and dry ten feet above the level of
| the waters of the river.
| Another element now came to aid the excite
ment of the scene, and the clang of the fire bells
| seemed to madden the blasts of the gale and the
fury of the waters, and stimulate them to wilder
wrath. The steamer Baltic, laying across the
river, had taken fire. but it was extingushed with
| the loss of a wheel-house Another alarm sue
| ceeded, which amounted to nothing, but was sue
ceeded by yet another and with disastrous cause.
The warehouse of Messrs. Pomeroy q Marshall,
between Commerce and Water streets, took fire,
and soon presented the singular aspect of great
column OF fire rising from the sea of water in
which the lower part of the building was deeply
submerged. The fire spread to Messrs. Goodman
| & Jones' cotton warehouse, which was also con-
| sumed, with about thousand bales of cotton
| The fire department had for once too much water
and was disarmed by its superhuity. 1t covered
the engines when they came within working dis
tance. However, three engines, Nos. s,s and 5
gallantly dashed through the flood, and gaining al
elevated spot where they were not entirely GOV
cred up, did good service. No need of suction hos
in that battle.
As the day declined the waters gradually ant
slowly receded, the wind shifting to a safer quar-
ter. AT night the wind blew fitfnlly and at time
violently, and the equinoctal gale expended it
last violence in deluges of rain, which fell in sole
columns. To-day the sun is shining, but will
cloudy light, and the waters have receded to thei
propGr place, leaving the city very wet and yer,
muddy, and mercantile men very busy in looking
into the condition of their goods.
The damage by water to merchandise alone il
estimated at about million of dollars New!
from the doings of the storm down the bay and OF
the coast have not received. II is needless tt
say that the New Orleans and Mobile mail boat
neither arrived nor departed. TOURIST.