New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1860-10-15
An rnundntion IN s,vltzerlauti.

The following details, published in Swiss paper
OF a recent inundation of the valley of the Rhone
in the Valas are interesting ..
At Z o'clock on the LIST of September, the tele-
graph of Brigue informed the authorities at Sion
that the Saline had overfowed its banks during
the night, and that an avelanch of stones and peb
bles had swept away the bridge of Brigue. Half
an hour later it announced the carrying away of
the bridge of Matters by the Rhone, and already
the water reached us black and thick-a sinister
herald of an inundation. The waves rose higher
and higher during the entire morning. At 10
O'clock all the barriers were under water and to-
wards noon the ever-increasing masses Of water
rushed past with roar like thunder. The in
undation had already reached the left bank on the
Champ-See and Chandolene, Sion, and a
breach was being made above the bridge of tie
Rhone. In a few minutes all that bank OF the river
was vast lake, under which the crops disap-
peared.
The Rhone continued its terrific ascension during
the afternoon, and towards evening the waters
reached the parapet part of the bridge, against
which beat peie-nsete timber which had been ioated
along the riyer-sleepers of the railway, beams
belonging to the bridge, the woodwork of dwelling
houses, and an enormous mass of other materials,
with entire trees, which threatened to break down
the bridge The bed of the river was covered
with field crops and spoils of every kind. Il was
lamentable sight, particularly for an exclusively
agricultural country, and of which the most neces-
sary resources were thus lost in the waters. The
entire valid population, assembled by the beating
OF drums, struggled with unheard-of efforts at the
places OF the disaster, but useessly. Towards
at night two enormous breaches were opened along
the gardens on the right bank, and shortly after
wards vast masses Of water had covered the Guilt
waited grounds of the plain: the waves descended
nearly to the foot OF the railway terminus, and the
earth-wofks of the railway in the Champs Neufs
having been swept away like sand, the humiliation
extended even to the high road opposite Corbus-
stores.
From that moment the plain disappeared entirely
under the waters Of the invading river, and night
enveloped the valley of the Rhone amid the roar
ing of the food. The railway train was able to ar
rive with great difficulty as far Ardon, and the
entire line is since interrupted-we are isolated.
Since daylight this morning, people are occupied
in saving the unfortunate persons who took refuge
trees during the night. Their cries of distress
could be heard at Sion from all parts of the eoun-
try. They had passed hours there in deadly ter
E5f, and ayJrsa5 rs7a2lad 10 taem the river flow
ing over the spot where lately had stood their
humble dwellings and theirraYaged fields. 4 poor
woman has just been saved who succeeded in
reaching the lowest branches Of tree, with her
baby at her breast, and who passed TIE entire
night in that desperate position.
AT fifty PAGES from the bridge of the Rhone two
coachmen found safety on q willow tree while
their two teams Of horses drowned at its feet
The disaster, in fact is incaculabie all the Indian
corn and all the potatoes, which are the principal
support OF our population, are lost, and the earth
! is carried away over considerable extent of
| country down to the very gravel. Nothing has
been seen SO terrific during the present generation
and even the great humiliation of 1884 was less dis
| astrous. The weather continues to be threatening
| and although the waters have somewhat subsidized
| to-day, we feel great anxiety for tonight. The
| torrents to the north have not sensibly swollen
but those Of the left bank such as the Borgne the
llgrab, the Saline, are enormous. The inundation
is attributed to the last rains and to the hot wind
which continues to blow over the glaciers, and to
melt the masses OF snow on the high Alps.