Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1865-03-23
Especial Correspondence Cleveland LEADER
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EDITORS LEADER:-The city is resuming
its wOnted life and activity-buildings
fences, sidewalks, &c, are being repaired
and socn all traces of the great food viii
hare disapr cared entirely. The counte
nsnces of the citizens no longer wear an
expression of gloom and foreboding, but
now beam with gratitude and thankfuIness
The streets are filed with people, and here
and there are to be seen groups buaily en-
gagged discussing the leading and allen
crossing subjects-the food, the draft and
oil. A draft took place yesterday and is
being continued to-day, and the city is
filed with inhabitants of the surrounding
towns, all anxious to learn if they have
been drafted.
The hotels are crowded, jammed full
sleeping accommodations sought for any
where, at any price. Many were COM
PEELED to sleep on the floors Of the sitting
rooms in several of the hotels last night.
During the food, many strangers who
were unable to proceed on their journey,
we're kindly provided for by private fsmi-
lies, who are noted for the promptness with
which they always come forward in such
emergencies.
A splendid new hotel is being erected
or rather is just being cOmpIeted-on the
corner of Chestnut and Water streets. It
is built of brick, in a semi-gOthic style, and
will accommodate several hundred guests.
1t is an ornament to the city, and q
credit to the builders. On the
whole, Mesdville is ia truly thriving,
hourishing condition. The streets are kept
clean and tidy, the people are kind and 60
cisble, and everything tends to make it
matter of regret to a temporary resident
to be compelled to leave behind so genial
and pleasant place
Msjor Delaney, a eOlored citizen Of your
State, was in the city yesterday, and
left this morning for Charleston, to
take his place on Gen. Saxton's staff. He
is very black, wears his straps with dignity,
and makes the military salute with all the
ease and grace of French officer.
Considerable anxiety is felt here for the
safety Of psrty-consisting of two gen
tlemen and two lsdies-that left the steps
of the MeHenry House in q boat for
Franklin, on Saturday last. Nothing has
been heSrd from them since their depart
ure, and fears are entertained that they
were swept away by the food and drowned
The excitement here during the contin-
uance of the food is described as being of
the most intense nature. Police were sta
toned at each end of the Chestnut street
bridge to prevent people from attempting
to cross on foot, until the water rose so
high as to set the bridge sfoat. Nearly
the entire population gathered around on
eminences and buildings to witness the
grandeur and destructive force of the
raging food. On the west side of
the town all the yards and gar
dens were covered to the depth of
three or four feet with water, the plank
walks, fences, &c, about the depot and
McHenry House were floating and drifting
away, snd oil-barrels, hay, trees, fences,
lumber, &c, rushing by on the main cur
rent from the country above with light
ming velocity. Small boats were plying
hither and thither, taking women and
children from houses whose lower stories
were filed with water. Many poor fami-
lies were obliged, in their hasty departure
to leave behind many articles valuable to
them, which they have been unable to re-
cover.
West of the McHenry House, across the
creek, stands the large stsve mandatory
Of Mr.. Horace Cullum. The water rose so
rapidly that it was impossible to save any
thing and Mr.. Cullum is loser in slaves,
barrels, and other property, to the amount
Of three or four thousand dollars. The
first stories of row of splendid little cot
tsges in the same vicinity (built by the A.
& G. w. Railway Company for its employ
ees), were filed, and the inhabitants of
many of them removed their furniture to
the upper stories and left the houses to the
mercy of the elements, but two or three of
the families braved it out, remaining in the
second stories until the water subsided.
Many telegraph poles had been carried
away, the wires were down, and the citi-
zens completely cut off from communica-
ton either by telegraph, rail, boat or
horseback for three days; and it is the fer
vent prayer and hope of all that they may
never again witness 8 like condition Of
affairs.
MEADyILLE, March q.
EDITORS LEADER :-Trave, to this city is
uninterrupted, the A. & 9. w. road bav-
ing been placed in complete running order,
but it will be some days before the trans
can arrive and depart on time, on account
of slight feeling Of insecurity that seems
to be prevalent, and the company thinking z
it proper to run trains rather slow, especi-
ally where the breaks have been repaired,
although it is the Cpl ion of many that the
repaired places are even stronger and safer
than they were before the occurrence of tha
food. The Franklin Branch is being re-
paired TO- day some 200 men being engaged
in the work but it will be at least three
days before it can be placed in running
order, as the damage 70 that portion Of the
road was nearly three times Us great as on
the main road.
Great cre1it is due the company for the
promp!ness and energy they have displayed
in overcoming, in SO short time, these
seemingly insurmountab.e difficulties, but
zeal, perseverance and energy are, as il
we'll known, the leading characteristics o.
the officers of the A. s. q. w. Railway.
Coming to this city Monday, this side o.
French creek, hundreds of sheep were seer
scattered alongside the track, and through
the fslds. A Mr.. Smith, living sshort dis
tance below town, had nearly two hundred
drowned, and q Mr.. Anderson, in the SAINT
neighborhood, lost some forty or fifty
But these are only isolated cases, and it i
said that many more farmers in this ViciR
ity have lost largely. The bodies Of seV
eral COWS and horses we're seen floating b,
the city on Friday.
The food reached the first floor of tn
McHenry house, and everything was re
moved to the upper stories, but fortunate
ly the water subsided before the first foo
was covered. The beautiful grounds be
longing to the House are in sad plight
fences carried away, trees and shrubber
destroyed, and everything in a bad cond
! tion caneralIv. hut the prOpriAtOr Nj