Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1865-03-23
CORRESPONDENCE.

Mr.. EDITOR This has been an eventful week
for persons residing or owning property along the
streams of the Central and South Eastern portions
of the State / started from Canton in this county
on the morning of the 18th inst and proceeded
down about half way from the place Of starting to
Williamsport when the truck under the express
car gave way The engine was Immediately de-
tached and made off at fearful rate so far as man
can Judge this was all that saved the whole train
from becoming a wreck and the passengers from
destruction. The express and baggage
spoiled, the first passenger car turned round
across the track, the second one was turned up
on the side or nearly so, the other two were not
drawn from the track. Strange it that no one
was injured in the least.
1t was raining rapidly and the train was about
mile from any house; several of the men scattered
off to the nearest families and procured food for
those who could not go. The whole company was
detained in the rain till p. m. The Lycoming
creek raising rapidly and was when we left, as
high as it had ever been within two feet.
The train arrived at Harrisburg at 4 m.,
the 10th, passengers cold, wet, and. hungry
This was the last train that passed the road.
Before night of the 10Th the water rising so
fast that the citizens began to be alarmed, not for
the property the city, but for the rail roads and
bridges Friday morning the water began to pass
over the large island opposite the city, known
as Thomas Island. Streets in the lower part of
the city were inundated, the bridges upon Paxton
creek taken off and the city of Harrisburg
literally on an island. Still the water came up
and came up all day Saturday, on Sunday morning
it was about two feet upon the boards on the East
ern end of the Cumberland Valley Railroad bridge.
Thomas Island was about four feet under water.
The drift wood that came against the bridge moved
it down few inches; so far as was known when
left there other injury done to either of the
bridges at the city The streets under water
up to within few yards of the residence of Gen
Cameron. 1t is estimated that not less than three
hundred families obliged to leave their houses,
some saved all, some but little, and very many
lost all. The water works and gas works were
stopped and great inconvenience was experienced
for the want of water.
No trains on the Pennsylvania road have come
in from Philadelphia. All the travel having been
sent on Lebanon Valley and Philadelphia and
Reading roads. The trains from Pittsburg come
in but with great irreguarty 1t is impossible to
estimate the damage done to the railroads. and the
ana mDer-NtlrCtS adjacent 10
flee it to say that it may be counted by hundreds
of thousands if not by millions.
Deeming it to be highly important that should
get to Towanda started on the morning of the
Dist, at three o'clock, upon the Lebanon Valley
road TIE cars were crowded, the seats were fill
ed the aisles were filled, the platforms filed
most of the passengers were bound for the State
of N Y via of the Northern Central. About thir-
ty parolled prisoners on board, many of them
were so feeble that they were carried on to the
cars, Others crawled on their hands and knees At
Reading we took the North Pennsylvania road to
Allentown, thence to Easton on the Lehigh Valley
and over into New Jersey where We took the Belvi-
dere and Delaware up thirty or forty miles, when
we struck the Lackawana, Delaware and Western
upon which we passed through Scranton to the
! Great Bend, thence on the New York and Erie, to
Waverly. When we arrived at Waverly the passen-
gers going west were told that they could not get
/ further than Chemung. Oh, what become of those
poor starved soldiers who had lain in Southern
prisons for months. The rest of us should not
! complain if they did not.
! There was but little damage done on the Della
ware so far as we travelled along its banks.
March 23 1865. X.