New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-09-15
GREAT FLOOD IN PHILADELPHIA.
A Part Of the City submerged-Si, 100000
Worth Of Property Desiroyed-Loss OF
Life -RnmiIies Rendered Homeless
Accidents aud Incidents.
From The Philadelphia Pre's.

Accidents aud Incidents.
From The Philadelphia Prea
One Of the most fearful aud disastrous freshets ta'
desoatsd any country visited our city yesterday
morning, spreading devastation aud ruin in homes
made desoste and among families rendered homeless,
destroying human life in its onward march. Housef
were thrown down, trees, lamp-rosts, hre-piug''
fences, psvemerts, wagons, and valuable property
Of every description swept away by the irresisibe
current. Water, for the time being, assumed abso-
lutte sway, making wild sport With firm ioundstlons,
and sappng them 10 their overthrow. Large nhtses
OF lumber about 10 feet high and ~ feet long, were
carried for squares before finding resting place.
The water in some places was feet deep. Inc Ia,-
fepg,r cara on the Second and Third streets, Filth
and Sixth streets aud Fourth and Eighth ftrets
railroads were complies to discontinue their trips
In some cases the passengers were Obliged 10
stand on the seats In the Car TO prevent ther SeS
wet, because of the mass Of WAFER Which coursed It's
way through the cars. Boats sud rats were used IN
transporting the frightened inmates from the flooded
buildings 20 places Of safety. In some instances the
police officers were obliged TO swim for tLeir lives to
get ont Of tho way of the moving macs Of furniture
and lumber conrsing lite 1t way rapidly toward them
while ever and anon the cry for help arose from the
hubbling waters. Large numbers Of persons SUI
fered hair.breath escapes from drowning and being
crushed by falling buildings. The flood was ss nn-
expected its conseQ proved DISASTROUS Many
persons deprived Of employment, and the ini-
menss destruction Of property 10 such short time
is almost unparalleled. The greatest excitement ex-
listed during The day throughout the northeastern por
non Of city; the comparatively trifing loes Of
life being greatly exaggerated, and rnmors OF Oil
knGs rapidly circulating in the community.
The origin of the food has been traced 10 natural
causes. Owing to the heavy ratn, q vast body OF
water accumulated west Of the Lamb Tavern road,
In the Tween y-Fint Ward, and the usual channel
being INSTRUCTED by the lodging Of large quantities
Of lumber in the aperture OF n bridge ON the Lamb
Tavern road, the water carried away tho oppos
ing obstacle, and rushing over tho remaining sbut
ments Of the bridge precipitated itself with over
whelmng force through the low country lying wet
Of the Norrstown Railroad So great was the force
of the immense volume Of water, thus gushing itself
forw ard that IN what seemed 10 be oulya few min
ues il hsd crossed the bridge at cad street. above
Turner'S lare aud apparently increasing IN velocity,
carried away portion of the embankuent mmedl-
siely west Of tho Norri.town Railroad. Dashing
under the bridge. At that point and speeding over
the intervening space !, poured forth an irresistible
current through the streets and byways Of the Seven
teenth and Sixteenth wards, spending its remaining
force sbng the Delaware front.
The average hight OF the water in some streets
WA about i've feet, and lie extreme hight IN many
places along its devastating course, was nine feet.
In many cases, tho ground-ioors Of dwellings were
coyere 10 the depth OF TWO three feet, and when
tie waters had subsidized, bed Of shiny mud WAS
len behind in which the lower extremites of every
thing animate or inaDimate, were totally invisible.
The only case In which actual loss Of life oc.
cured that of three children, daughters Of Mr..
Peter Wolf, vhote residence was at No. ,j3i Nit
fin street, below Oxford IL appears that the chill
dren with their mother, were enfesyorin2 TO get
out Of tAe houre, when tie water entered the open
doorwsy. Tie mother succeeded IN efecting her
egress, while her offspring were overwhelmed BY the
rushing torrent and drowned before che could rem
der them any assistance. Tie girls were named
Mary kreder1ka, and Wilbelmina, aged respective
ly g. 10 and ~ years. the father Of the unfortunate
yiciims is an employee IN factory Oh Third
street aud when notified Of the loss of bis darlngs
becam' almost frantic.
The bodies Of the three girls were recovered about
an hour aud half after the fAtal occurrence, and
were immediately removed 81 the resid'nce Of y
brother-iu-lsw of Mr.. Wolfs, Mr.. George Hinger.
No. so North Sixth street. Dunng the afternoon
Of yesterday a large crowd Of PEOPLE, desirous Of
seeing the b6dies, eongregaied about the house, and
III. atel dance II force Of policemen WAS rendered
10 prevent the admission Of tho-e not ell.
titled 10 enter it il reported that two girls, named
Caih.riue Collins and Mary McGmnn, were carried
away and drowned. Nothing definite is known Of
their fAie, their bodies having not yet been re-
covered.
| The house In which the girl. named Wolf were
drowned wa almost destroyed, having fallen in.
Tie destruction Of property has been chiefly con-
fined 10 the dwellings and manufactures located
a ong Sixth, Fifth, Fourth, and Third streets also,
along Montgomery, oxford, Jefferson, Master,
Thompson, Columbia avenue, Germantown Road,
L,ittgow, Apple, Mfiin, Culvert, Canal, Beaver,
and George streets. All the cellars and Easements
OF buildings fronting on these cts, or situated IN
their vicinity, were more or less under water, and
cases we're in which the lower portions Of Tho
bull, ings were totally submerged. PayemeLts and
sidewalks disappeared ~ if by magic. tres were
irsn.p planted, and street lamps, which have hereto
fore resisted alike the Winter blast and the Sum
ner storm, went down beneath the press, leaving
no marx of their former abiding place.
Fire plngs, which have given essential aid in
| overcoming tho fiery element, were put out OF
services" most summarily. Two three-story bflck
buildings on the northeast corner OF Sixth ana ok
ford streets were undermined, and suddenly col
Lar sed. The corner building was owned and occu-
pied by NJ. Winter, NJ u layer-beer saloon. Tho
house fell about halfpast III o'clock. Mrs. W.,
with her family, consisting OF i've children, made
narrow eseape from being crushed TO death. The
original cost Of the building was S2,WO which, WI b
the destruction Of furniture, amounting 10 500 viii
come heavily upon Mr.. Winter. The adjoining busd-
ing var occupied by family named Watson.
On the southeast corner VI tho same streets the
hotel Of Mr.. VI. LenDox was required to be propped
up the danger OF its falling being imminent. The
two double Ihroe.story brick houses NOE. ,-}2 and
53i Mifiin street, below Oxford, were almost com
pietely swept away. Their con'ente, cOnsfiinQ of
the usual household appurtenances, were strewn
about unfortunately. two-story frame building
occupied as pnin1'shop by Henry schaeier, on TIE
northeast corner Of Fifth and Thompson s,reeis,
was completely demolished. The catle-sheds and
the droye-yard the FenioD Hotel on the corner OF
Fifth aud Germantown rond, were also denoilsnsd.
Binders lumber yard, Sixth aud Oxford streets,
pr,sentoJ curious sect cle. Whole and compact
piles Of neatly arranged lumber were earned cut OF
posiion, aud in some cascs landed above heaps OF
broken WAGONS, fences, furniture, and uprooted
trees Lalf mile distant. In the yard ITSELF maple
heniloca aud pine associated together IN the
most nndislingulrhabe brotherhood. We under
stand that Mr.. Binders loss, about $1,000, IL
covered by insuugnce.
IL is impossible, nj the present time, 10 estimate
The ioss Of property brought on by tins sudden ca
auity, but it can scarcely tall hort OF million OF