, 1864-01-02
DESTRUCTIVE FRESHET.
Port Angeles Swept Away and two Lives

The Victoria Chronicle Of the 22d ult. con.
tains the following particulars Of destructive
frcshet at Port Angeles.
The beautiful little American town Of Port
Angeles, Tor Angels PorO which is nestled at
the foot Of one Of the loftiest spurs Of the Cas-.
cade Range Of Mountains in direction nearly
opposite 10 our own city Of Victoria, has been
nearly swept away by torrent Of water, which
burst upon it suddenly through gorge or ra-
vine which opens into the rear Of the town.
The calamity occurred about o'clock on Wed.
nesday evening last, 10th inst The first init.
nation which the inhabitants had Of the dan.
ger was q rushing, rVaring sound proceeding
from tho gorge, and on turning their eyes thith'
crward, they saw great body Of water sew.
eral feet 10 height, bearing upon its surface or
sweeping before it logs, trees and stumps, rush
ing down upon them. Before they could even
realize their danger, the flood was upon and
over the greater part Of the town. The Gus
tonI-housc, large, two-story structure, stood
'rxHrshy I'M tho path &C tho vast torrenL and
was overturned and swept away in moment
Of the three occupants IN the CustonI.house ut
the time, DR.. Gum, tho Collector, was the only
one who escaped. His deputy, Mr.. J. W. An.
dersoI, and Captain Goodell an inspector,
NCtG ONGTWucitueN WIN tUe uulluttlX Hllu IUSl
their lives Their bodies, mutilatcd and swOl.
len, were recovered from the ruins after the
water had subsidej. The food next carried
away the dwelling Of Victor Smith, (excol-
lsctoD bis family narrowly escaping with their
lives; and swept clear into the harbor the
dwelling Of Mr.. Z. Stanton, whose family were
rescued with difficulty by boats. The front
portion Of the Rough and Ready Saloon, pur
linn .Nf tho tcharf anil II
logs were also swept out TO SCI. Three or fjur
miles behind the town, in fertile valleys. several
farmers have settled, and il Is feared that they
tDo have been overwhelmed by the food. One
Of these farmers has wife and fur children
with him. A person who visited tho town on
Saturday says that the picture Of ruin and des-
olation presented is indescribable. The Irag.
ments Of houses, aud hundreds Of trees aud
stumps lie scattered about in every direction,
and in some places they are piled one upon
another to the height Of 80 feet. The face Of
the town site fer q breadth Of at least 100
yards BY one milo long, Is completely changed
The accident is supposed to have been caused
by the late rains melting the Snow and ice in
the mountains, and causing avalanches into
the lakes at the foot hills. These lakes were
then overilowed, aud, rushing down the gorge,
carried everything before them. Il il said that
the Indians told the whites, when they were
laying out their town, that lis site was subject
to overflow, but TO heed was paid to the infor
nation. BY some II is thought that the custom.
house will be returned 10 Port Townsend,
while others believe that tho damage will be
repaired, and that with proper care the recur.
renee Of calamity Of the kind may be pre-.
vented.
The above was in type when the following
from an eye witness and resident Of Port An.
geles, was rendered for publication BY tho per.
son TO whom II was addressed. Il will be found
to contain particulars not In the foregoing:
at seems the late snow storm had leit large
deposits on the mountains. which was followed
by copious fall Of rain. that caused the snow
10 melt and form an avalanche. This damned
the water back until perfect sea must have
accumulated, which broke and came down the
Custom House valley IN most terrific man.
nor, carrying huge legs trees and drin.wood
with i. For me 70 attempt 10 describe he
CONSERVATION that was manifested or experien.
ced by the people would be useless but never
did l see SO much horror depicted on mems
countenances We al heard the roaring noise,
and Il seemed rs II . thousand cannons had
simultaneously exploded None knew what
Il was, but We ell thought Il must bo an ap.
pruaching tornado; however, We were not long
krpt In suspense. Within five minutes afteP
We hrst heard the noise, the wh0la valley was
submerged with an ocean Of swicrunning water.
carrying on It's bosom huge logs that threat.
ened destruction 10 everything they eneoun-
tered. The Custom. House, being situated in
the middle Of the valley, was, Of course, the
tirst victim, and IN on instant was utterly de.
inullshed. There were but three persons In
the building At the time, two Of whom-J. u.
Anderson, the Deputy Collector, aud Capt.
W. B. Goodell, lhspector-l am grieved 70
say, lost their lives. DR.. Gum, the Collector
aud the third pei son alluded 10, had q mirac.
ulous escape. He heard the noise an instant
before. and started to give MrG Victor Smith
warning, but, just as be opened the back door,
he saw rapidly approaching mass Of logs
some eight or ten feet high, which struck the
building and carried L away. Fortunately he
scrambled on top Of the logs, and succeeded In
reaching the right bank. Mrs. Smith and
her children escaped most providentially, and
can only inputs 1t to the largo quantity Of
lumber that was piled up at the back Of The
house, which no doubt broke the force Of the
water. They were, however, completely sur
rodnded, and were fortunately rescued BY the
citizens.
am inIus,ned that Victor Smiths loss viii
probably b. Abont $1,000, n his furniture, bed.
ding, bouks and papers are nearly I'll destroy.
ed. 'ThOs..J. HNinship, an engineer on the U.
s. Gutter Stabrick, Is also sufferer, as he had
about el0OU worth of splendid furniture ard
clothing destroyed. '
Dr.. Gum has IOled inccssantiy, not only to
obtain the vctiuls of the food. but also IN saw
ing Government property and valuable docu.
uicnls. The Government loss will be colnpar-
atively small, az every possible care has been
taken 70 rescue the bushels Of papers that were
buried ID the mud. $50 gf
Three ether buildings were demolished and
swept into the bay: the meat market, with
its contents; Capt. Windsor's saloon, just In.
ishrd; and Mr.. Stanton's house, which was
swept oil bodily. Windsors saloon had been
got up In an elaborate and cUstly style, and
Mas under the charge Of L. p. Hanson, Esq,
Three ,ersous were carried OF IN this house,
but were rescued by smal bUat dispatched
for them. Mr. Stanton was also carii,d out
by the food, anc received somv bruises before
he was rescued. lie seems 70 stand bis niis.
fortunes like patriot, but deems this q more
summary method Of ejselment than Victor
Smith has yet brought u bear.
The wharf was also destroyed, with the ex-
cepti0n Of a few piles, which are all that re-
main to remind Us Of is brief existence, aud
will BE- . lasting monument to q catastrophe vet
unparalleled on Puget Sound. We are indeed
thankful that no more lives were lost. Had Il