Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-03-13
DESTRUCTION BY THE DELUGE.
Havoc on tho Railroada-Brdse
over the Tennesse at Loudon
Washed Away.
Bridges on the Western and Allan
ito Road Meet with the
Same Fate,
The Situation on tho Chattanooga
R.R.-chattanooga Submerged.

From the Nashville Union and Dispatch, lOth.l
Our telegraph this morning, Of the
damage and destruction on the railroads
south and east of us, tells us of far great
or havoc than we have yet reported. Inc
last dispatch we received last night,
kindly furnished us by one Of the opera
tors at the telegraph Office, reports that
the immense bridge across the Tennessee
river at Loudon, on the East Tennessee
and Georgia road, had been washed
away. When il was borne in mind the
size of this structure and the vast amount
of material used in its construction, an
approximation of the heavy loss sus-
tanned. and the inconvenience TO result
therefrom can be realized The same
dispatch states that :" all the bridges on
the Western and Atlantic railroad are
gone"
The very latest dispatches from Chat
tanooga report that place as almost com
.pletely submerged. When it is stated
that the water around the Cruichfield
House is nine feet deep the situation can
be imagined. AT the depot in Chatta-
noogo the water had risen TO five feet,
while around the base of Lookout noun
tain the floods had got TO the same hight.
From along the line ofthe Chattanooga
railroad we have the following report;
At Wauhatchie, and for miles each side,
the water was over the telegraph poles,
and rising rapidly. At Shellmound the
food was sweeping over the ears on The
tracks. Here is batch OF dispatches to
Col. lines, mainly referring to the bridge
across the Tennessee at Bridgeport The
first, dated Bridgeport yesterday morn
"Riyer still rising. Bridge o. X. yet
Water running over two spans. We are
Just getting the rise from Chattanooga.
We see pieces of mills, houses, and
other things that come from there.
Here is another dated a couple of hours
later. "Water is one foot over the chord
at south end OF bridge, and rising. Large
amount of drift came down, and / think
| can manage it, although it will be tight
work. am going to make boat so as
to get to Shellmound. Hope to have the
telegraph lines open tonight to White
sides
Here follows another, dated 3 pm.
" River rising fast, bridge all o. X. yet,
raining a little still.
a dispatch from Anderson, dated
Yesterday afternoon, says: The track
between Bass and bridge No. 30, for four
hundred yards is ahoat, and out OF line.
Can't get to the bridge with the engine.
Section foreman will go with his lever
car to clear away the drift. j"
Here at Nashville the Cumberland was
still rising very slowly up to last eve
ming 1t will, doubtless, be receding to-
day.
CHATTANOOGA, VIA BRIDGEPoRT, March
9.-The entire lower part of the city of
Chattanooga is under water. The city
bridge and many of the large buildings
on the river bank are gone. The water
in the depot and ,Crutch6eld House is
five feet over the floors. There is much
distress among all classes in the lower
part of the city, and great loss to all
classes of business. Whole families we're
drowned Thursday.
ali operations on the several railroads
are suspended, and in consequence OF
the great destruction of bridges on the
Tennessee and Chickamauga creek, no
train will be able to reach Chattanooga
for at least fifteen days. The railroad
bridges at Strawberry Plains, Lou lon,
and many of the bridges on the Chicka-
manga and city bridge in Chattgnooga
are gone; also very large land slide on
the East Tennessee and Georgia road.
This information is obtained from a
party of gentlemen who came from Chat
tanooga to Bridgeport in hatboat to-
dag. General Woods and Mr.. Courtney,
of the New Orleans, Mobile and Chatta-
nooga railroad, were among the party
that left Chattanooga this morning
A dispatch received at late hour last
night says: The whole Virginia and Ten
nessee valley has been visited with the
heaviest freshet within the memory Of
the oldest inhabitant The whole valley
from Lynchburg to Chattanooga is swept
by swollen streams, it having rained in
cessantly for FIVE days.
The Virginia and Tennessee railroad
is badly damaged. The trains are ell
blockaded at Marion. Bridges have been
swept away and the deep cuts filled with
rocks and dirt Two bridges on the East
Tennessee and Virginia railroad at Lime
stone creek, and another near Knoxville,
are gone, and the road otherwise badly
Injured. 1t will be from three to five
days before all the trains can run regu-
larry. The country is badly damaged
fences, houses and barns being washed
away. The weather is now clear and the
streams are all falling.