The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-07-26
The name OF the youth drowned at Lombard street
bridge Ii stated to be James Hummera
AMAN SWIFT DOWN PAfIs

| hridUe js aeafed IN IA Jennaa u...,..a ~ N -
NAN SWEPT DOWN THE FALLS.
whist the food was at its height the spectators
OF the fearful scene on the lower portion or the Falls
were Mortified at beholding man IN the middle OF
WIN %as vHsnS 1ns struggling bavey for his life
was yet showing great presence of mind and eau
uousness that seemed TO warrant the hope that he
must surely be saved. On hesped striking out bravey
with his hands, and now and then diving, avoiding
distractions and to clear the timbers of the bridges
as ne neared them. He passed In this way Lombard
street bridge Pratt street bridge and the bridges
south orthat seemingly in safety until the current
suddenly dashed the poor fellow head foremost
lost The name OF this victim has not been learned,
and so far as we are advised his body has not been
recovered.
wHARVEs.
The mammoth body OF water that poured with
such terrific force down Marsh Market space Frede-
rick street and Gay street into the wharyes at the
south side OF Pratt street can scarcely be described
The bed of the street was uprooted and carried away
the enormous stones forming the coping at the edge
of the wharves torn up as they were mere pebbles
and tossed on edge and transversey 80 that the
water pouring over them formed a cataract the
width OF the Streets and swept downwards into the
docks with volume OF sound that could be heard a
considerable distance This was especially the case
AZ the foot OF Centre Market space, where from D-
gan's wharf on one side and McEldery's wharf on
the other the torrent OF angry, turbd water rushed
onward with force that carried down huge beams
and rafters, barrels or whiskey beef and pork and
where 1t poured over the head OF the destroyed
dock was converted into cataract that can
be nkened to nothing but q miniature Mag
ara. Down this stream there came q number
Of slaves probably $4,000, and short dis
some huge pieces Of lumber that had become fixed
across 1t. In this way strong boom was formed,
and as the piled up mass OF debris grew greater it
made bridge on which person could cross dry
shOd from shore to Shore People living in that sec
ton and the hands on the vessels lying in the dock
reaped rich harvest by gathering up many OF the
articles OF value that caught against the i'm
prOviSed boom. Some Of them appropriated TO them
selves as many as i've or six barrels OF whiskey
in q fa IN atn of f,r-
niture, such as chairs tables, lounges, and in
instances bureaus and wardrobes. Armed with boat
hooks and grabbing toDgs they shed eagerly for the
valuable articles, the lotsam and etsam Of the great
flood. The same scene on small scale was to be
witnessed in the docks al the foot of Frederick and
Gay streets.
THE BRIDGES DESTROYED.
II was rumOred during the afternoon that all the
bridg d over the Falls had been swept away but
pleased to learn that this is not the case though
the few that are lett standing are nearly all IN
diapidated condition.
does not appear to be injured in the slightest degree
The Charles street bridge IS swept entirely away,
the abutments having yielded to the force Of the
rent. The structure was soon dashed to pieces and
came down with the mass OF debris against the Mon
uInent street bridge.
The pressure OF debris and It's damminc OF the
flood at Monument street soon caused the water TO
rise and flow over the bed OF that structure, and in
few minutes after IL 1oated from its abutments and
was dashed Into fragments.
The Madison and Centre street bridges the liien
street and the Swami street bridges soon after gave
way and were swept down the current, the abut-
ments and approaches To these fine structures being
entirely destroyed.
The Belvidere bridge was not injured, it having
withstOOd all the floods for fifty years past
The firm iron bridge at Fayette street was also
swept off, This bridge was Of massive cast iron and
probably had enough iron in 1t to construct half
dozen bridges The abutments gave way about half
past one O'Clock, and the iron superstructure
bled into thousand fragments Even the aDutinents
were pushed out to their bases.
Baltimore street bridge also caught large portion
OF the h0atlng TIMBER and is badly damaged though
nllnnI tAlsi I'm nf
few days.
Pratt street bridge also in u critical condition.
and cannot be used except for foot passengers The
passengers by the railroads were conveyed in Omni
buses between the two depOts last night
The bridge over East Falls avenue was not injured
in the least and this and the Eager street bridge are
the only two now serviceabe for travel.
The loss TO the city In bridges alone cannot be less
than $500, 900.
SCENES AFTER THE FLOOD.
The flood had pretty well subsidized, and the water
Was confined 10 the banks Of the Falls, about six
O'Clock in the evening, and many thousands of per-
sons were wadlng Through the mud left in the
streets, nearly ankle deep, to witness the scenes of
destruction that were everywhere visible for two or
three squares either side Of the Falls, extending
over distance OF fully two miles. Hundreds OF
vehicles We're in ise for the same purpose, though it
was ditilcnlt NJ times 60 thread way through the
rubbish left by the recedng waters.
The only other bridge totally DESTROYED was the
foot bridge over Swami and plowman streets, winch
was swept OF and destroyed.
THE BRIDGES DAMAGED.
The three principal bridges III The centre Of the
Pratt street, were all badly damaged, and are only
in condition for foot passengers 10 cross.
The Gene at Gay street bridge after the water
subsidized was Of the most appalling character, and
showed the cause of such immense flood having
forced Its way into Harrison and Frederick streets.
When the Hood AT its height the debris from the
i've bridges that were washed away above Gay street
masse itself against the north side OF the Gay street
bridge, and s piled up to the height or fifteen feet
above the floor OF the bridge, and massed back to
the extent OF fifty sixty feet. The bridge itself
ia raised from the abuments on the north side aud
na
when at It's height was nearly foot over the ratings,
and II is singular that the structure retained its posi-
ton.
REscuEs FROM DROWNING.
While the hood was at lts highest yesterday
Colonel Edwin II. Webster, Collector OF the Port,
was leaning from one OF The windows OF the public
store, corner OF Lombard and Gay streets he OBJ
served a man named Candles, who had lost his foot
hold and was being rapidly carried, without any
control over himself, down the stream Of water thai
was rushing down Gay street. lie would in all
probability have lost ms life II Colonel Web
ster had not plunged into the WAFER then about
five feet deep, and rescued him.
During the afternoon and evening there were
several cases Of persons who were rescued from
drowning. 4 cradle. containing "a child twelve or
fourteen months old was observed about three
O'Clock carried oy the water to the intersection OF
Albert Gault jumped into the current, which was
swiftly bearing the infant along, and Selling H.
safely conveyed IT to dry land, where IL was given In
charge Of a kdy In that vicinity.
About six O'Clock man named John Stegel, while
passing on Harrison street, near Gay, was about
that point. when oricer Ga,li Jumped In and with
strong grasp stopped his progress and placed him on
firm ground.
About three O'Clock youth named John Carr an
apprentice OF NJ Joshua Register brass and bell
founder on Holiday street. near saratoga, undertook
10 swim up towards Fayete street, audlwas shortly
ar erward found In exhausted condition near the
Public school commissioners ONCE. lie was taken
INTO the ONCE, where tr. Boston. the ianitor, and
his family labored for several hours and succeeded
IN restoring animation. Dr. Doyle rendered hs SER
vices ana young Carr was enabled IN the evening 10
return to his home considerably improved.
a small boy who was endcavOrng TO navigate
raft IN Market space fell into the water AMI
wbired down as far as the barucaGe at McEdertys
wharf, whore he was picked up, somewhat bruised
and badly scared.
Ayoung man VINO was standing IN two feet OF
water on a pavement near Baltimore street, bridge
sudden.J dropped into deep hole caused by the
caving In of the pavement and after some trouble
was rescued by the bysianders.
horse and wagon, the latter containing some
fifteen persons, was coming up the west side OF Mar
kct space and when nearly at the head of the Insti
tute the pavement caved IN ana the whole party
were spilled into u hole eight feet deep. They all
managed TO struggle TO shore and the horse cut