The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-07-25
THE BALTIMORE FLOOD.
Yhs Great Inun datiOn-BceMss aud Inoi-
dsnts-Ths Loss OF LIEs and Property

asnts-Ths Loss of Life and Property
FForp the Baltimore american Of this morning.
nom the southeast and persons owning pro-
perty Of any kind In the vicinity OF Jones FAILS
were instantly apprised upon arising yesterdey
m rrning that their old enemies, q heavy rain
and a south wind, were again at work. and InaI
they must move quickly II they would save
their goods and chattels from danger OF ue-
Al IL O clock the cellars of perhaps two thou
sand houses were filed, and the water was
steadily rising on their first floors, but as the
storm had commenced to abate, hopes were
About haif. past I2 o o'ciock, however, the food
commenced to rise more rapidly than ever and
In a half hour reached ceilings where tt had
previously only invaded foors aud tue great
est consterna ion prevailed. 80 rapid was this
rise, and SO wild and furious the rushing torrent
dized, and we regret TO add that several lives
were lost. Had II occurred at night. as In the
could not but have been immense.
Standing at the corner Of Frederick and Bal.
truly distressing. The flood had now swollen
into an angry torrent that rushed down the
ume and swiftness resem bling the rapids OF
Niagara. At the corner of Harrison street, In
wSs' wSs Within "tS ons foot Of the the TOP % Of the
street lamp. Ever and anon masses Of
ties, articles OF household furniture, fencing,
trees, wagons, out. houses, aud iu snort, all
manner GI oe' Se s frT cae ana dnmo Fo
the fearful current, aud piIing up in front of
the Mary land Institute, where, In this way, a
building against the beating OF the billows,
for in truth nothing less than biIlowsthey were
Frederick streets. The water, soon after this,
was seen 10 d ssh over tle bed OF Baltimore
S rect Brioge, driving the people assembled
there in wild confusion towards High street.
About this time word came that Gay Street
Bridge was seriously threatened, and in attesta-
tion of this report there was soon hood OF
water pouring down Gay street. and shortly
Inn at
ls almost inadequate to describe the scene
that was now witnessed The surface of the
description of material, telling sadly aud pain.
fully OF the immense loss, destruction, aud
distress that this disaster was occasiontng. Now
The porch OF house, now The contents OF some
store, now Ethe timbers OF bridges and W ,re.
rspidity, driving up against buildings, crash.
ing window glass in the first floor and bursting
in doorways. At one time we noticed Guilds
crib floating down Harrison street. and several
bodies of animals, cows and horses were also
seen Whilst nSs @ ieW oi & lne pee were @ OF
dead bodies of human beings were to be seen.
How this may have been 1t Is Impossible At
this moment to say, hut serious and seemingly
well.grounded apprehensions are entertained
that serious loss Of life has been occasioned.
Whilst the flood was at Its height, the specta-
tors OF the fearful scene on the lower portion OF
the Falls were horrihed at beholding man In
bravely for his life. Whilst evidently fully
aware of his awful peril. he was yet showing
seemed to warrant the hope that he must
surely be saved. on he sped, striking out
bravey with bis hands diving, and now and
then avoiding oostructions and to clear the
timbers of the bridges as he ne ared them. He
passed In this way Lombard street bridge, Pratt
seemingly III safety until the current suddenIy
dashed the poor fellow headforemost against
small tug boat. when he sunk and was lost.
The sc me az Cav rect bridge after the water
Subslded was of the most app ling character,
and showed the cause of such an I'M mense flood
having forced Its way into Harrison and Fre-
derrick streets. When the flood was at It's
height, the debris from the five bridges that
were washed away sqoye Gay street %assed
br dge, and is piled up to the height OF fifteen
feet above the floor of the bridge, and massed
Ssdae 20 tse Is rasea The
the north sde and the ratings on both sides
was nearly foot over the ratings, and it is
singular that the structure retained Its position.
The flood reached It's height between IL and
o'clock. the dinner hour OF many of our citi-
zens. Those doing business or employed on
the west side of Jones Falls and residing on %
the east side, and situated vtce Uersa. were OF
course anxious to obtain their dinners, and
hear from their families. particularly those
whose homes we're situated upon the line Of or
likely to be affected by, the torrent. Thousands
of anxious men were congregated on the prin-
cipal streets crossing the Falls, anxious to cross
from one side TO the other, but afraid to risk
their lives in doing so, as almost certain death
would have been the result the torrent being
irresistible. Thousands avaiied themselves, by
travelling a great distance out OF their way, OF
the crossing afforded by the Eager street
bridge.
Rhs Flood at EiIicott's MiIIs-OnIy 12
Lives Lost
From the line of the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad, between Leicester and Elllcott City,
fragmentary reports are received, which, meagre
as they are sufficiently indicate an immense
destruction to life and property About mid
day the covered turnpike bridge at Elicott City
gave way with thundering crash, and the
Two miles further down 1t struck the new iron
railroad bridge of the Baltimore and Ohio Rail.
road Company IL was thought at hrst that the
mass OF logs piled higher and higher against it,
IL, too gave way and is entirely ruined.
That portion of Ellicott City lying at the foot
of the hills either side of the river was thor
oughly flooded. Everything was washed away,
and q number of lives lost DIR. OWings house
was uprooted from its foundations, and his wife
and five children drowned. Mr.. Morrison and
family and Mr. Reese and family were also
drowned. What number of persons were com
prised in these households cannot be ascer-
tained.
The foundations of the granite cotton mills
were so far weakened by the rush OF waters that
one wall of the building settled down into the
stream and the structure was greatly damaged,
The loss of life by this casualty is believed by
parties from Ellicott City TO be not so great as
sixty, as the telegraph report stated, but will
reach ten or twelve
Scenes ON the PaeapscO-A MaA Rides
Seven Miles on n Log.
While the flood in The Patapsco was rising
very rapidly, three men, James Bydon, George
Byden and another named Hawk, employees at
one of Winans' FARMS ABOUT mile this side OF
the Relay House, went out in q row boat to an
island in the river opposite the farm, for the
purpose of securing small steamboat belong
Island. While on the island the water gained
on them so rapidly that they were obliged TO seek
refuge IA the limbs OF sycamore Tree. Tue
had remained in the tree half an hours endea
Voring TO save themselves from the mass o
timber that was rushing down the stream, the
fraa ua tad nd thrown