Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1860-08-14

Three More Freshets in staunton--A House
Destroyed Escape OF an aged
Woman.
In our last issue we gave an account of the
destructive freshet which inundated our town
on Saturday last.
The Street Commissioners engaged immedi-
ately a large number of hands, and were busily
employed in repairing the damages sustained by
the Corporation. On Monday, Tuesday and
Wednesday our streets were crowded with work
men, carrying off rubbish and filling up the
trenches made by the water. The work was
very rapidly, and great deal Of fill-
ing had been accomplished, when, 10! there
came another freshet on Wednesday which de-
stroyed all the repairs which had been so
made. Just as our citizens had their
cellars cleaned out they were again filed 1t
required all the philosophy they could command
to bear these misfortunes with patience.
On Thursday they again went to work-the
street hands in repairing the pavements and
streets, and the citizens in cleaning out their
cellars and putting their dwellings in statu quo
ante inundationem. These active operations
were still going on, when, on Friday, there was
another rain, and another freshet nearly equal
to the destructive one of Saturday. 1t took our
citizens completely by surprise, as it did not
rain here more than half an hour. The clouds
dispersed and the sun shone brilliantly, and, as
yet, there was not water upon the streets IN
sufficient quantity to give the least apprehen-
sion of treshet. Our citizens were reposing
10 security, and graduating themselves upon
their good fortune, when, to their utter susprsse,
the water suddenly burst with great violence
into the streets sweeping everything before it as
on Saturday. EgesFs-F
The freshet of Friday was greater than that
of Wednesday, but not as great as that of Sat.
urday. The repairs made by the street hands
were utterly destroyed, the filings they had
completed were again washed out, and where
pavements should be, are now deep gorges yawn
ing to engulph the careless or tipsy pedestrian.
The cellars which had been second time cleaned
out, were third time filled up. We form no
exception to the general rule, and just as the
workmen were about finishing our cellar the
first time, the freshet of Wednesday again filled
1T, and shortly after they had finished the sec
ond time, the freshet of Friday filled it again
We feel particularly sorry for that class of our
citizens who are not able to suffer such dam
ages without pecuniary embarrassment.
P. S. Since the above was written, there has
been another terrible freshet. This, the fourth,
occurred on Monday morning yesterday. 1t
commenced raining on Sunday evening and con-
tinued, with more or less violence, all night and
till near the middle of the day on Monday.
About o'clock in the morning we heard a
crashing noise, when, looking out of the window
to ascertain its cause, we saw building near
the crock on Beverly Street fall perfect wreck.
1t was occupied at the time by an aged widow
woman, Mrs. Parish. She persisted in remain
ing in the house though she had been advised
and importuned to leave it by those who appre-
hended its fate She fell with the house into
the raging stream, and would certainly have
been drowned had not Mr. Chandler been pres
ent to render instant relief. He held up her
head above the water till others came to his as
ing stove which had fallen upon it. She is very
badly hurt, and it is doubtful whether she will
recover. Her escape from instant death is most
miraculous. She was in the second story, sitting
by the cooking stove, when the house fell into
the gorge made by the water, the depth OF which
is about - or 10 feet, which, added to the
height of the story she occupied, made her fall
about 20 or 25 feet She had been busily en-
gagged in sewing upon quilt, altogether IN
conscious of her danger, and, strange to say, her
thimble was still upon her finger when rescued
from the very jaws of death.l
Mr.. Chandler and the heroic son of Erin, who
saved the life of the old woman, deserve the
highest praise. Mr.. Chandler looses considera-
bly, by the fall of this house, as he had good
deal of new furniture in it, such as bedsteads,
bedding, &c.
As the rain was general which caused the
last freshet, we have no doubt, that great deal
of damage has been sustained by the farmers in
the country.