Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-07-25
The Great Flood i'm Baltimore, @Xa@
in its Vicinity.

damage to the city by this food, which swept
away the bridges at Charles, Monument Cen
ire, HilIen, Fayette, Bath and Swami streets,
and the wrecking of the Gay, Baltimore ana
Pratt street bridges, is very heavy, probably
not less than $500, 900. The damage to private
property within the limits of the city IS proba-
blv not less thar 100000. The loss in the
vicinity of the city will probably swell the total
damage to about $4,000, 900. Many of the
streets are torn up, and vast section Of the
city last night presented most dep!orabe con-
dition. It will probably be several days before
full estimate of the damage can be obtained.
Several lives we're lost in the city, and there
are rumors of others having been swept down
in the current.
MIR. Carr, one Of the Police Commissioners,
made narrow escape, by the upsettng OF
boat in Harrison street, in which ne was en-
paged in rescuing some Of the Hooded Inhabl-
tants.
The City Council met last night in special
session, and took prompt and ethclent actloh
for the repair of the bridges, and Tor the gen,
eral relief of the community, as recommended
by message from Mayor Banks.
About midday the covered turnpike 6ridsc
at E!lcott CRY gave way with thunderlng
crash, and the hugo mass went whlrllng do"h
the stream Two miles further down 1t struck
the new iron railroad bridge Of the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad Company. 1t was thought
at first that the structure would stand the pres,
sure, but, as the mass of logs piled higher and
higher against it, it too gave way, and Is en-
tirely ruined.
That portion of Ecott City lying at the foot
of the hills on either side Of the river was tho
roughly flooded Everything was washed away
and number of lives lost. DR.. Owens 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 we're com
nrised in these households cannot be ascertalned.
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 great damaged.
The loss of life by this casualty is believed by
parties from Elcott City to be not so great as
sixty, as the telegraph report stated, but Will
reach ten or twelve.
The patapsco washed entirely through the
lower portion of the large nail factory at Avalon,
mile above the Relay House, and the machl-
nc1y at the works was damaged to very great
extent and the stock on hand entirely carried
away. The houses of the workmen, surround
ing the factory, and like it situated on low
ground, were inundated, the water even reach
inc the second story OF some OF them.
Roberts Flour Mills, located at the western
end of the viaduct over the Patapsco, near the
Relay House, was inundated on the first and
second foocs, the machinery greatly damaged,
and the large stock OF barrcllcd flour and grain
washed away, causing loss OF many thousand
dollars.
A building known as Whites dollhouse, on
high bluff near Elkridge Landing, was washed
away, but luckily no loss of life occurred, al,
though the people in the house we're exposed
to great danger. r.
The engine house at the Relay House, where
the water was pumped into the tanks Tor, sup
plying locomotives, was entirely destroyed.
The Touring mills of Charles A. Gambrl u
Co., on the bank of the Patapsco between the
Relay House and Leicester, suffered great dam
ace. The building is undermined, and the
stock of flour and grain washed away.
The cotton mills at Mount Washington and
Woodbury. must have suffered severely, as large
quantities of cotton, in bales and manufactured
GOODS passed down the Falls. Quantities Of
machinery from the mills were also observed.
ALEXANDRIA CANAL AQUEDUcT BRIDGE.
We published, yesterday, this bill, as 1t
passed the Senate. When it was called up
Mr.. Cameron said the Senate would scarcely
pass this bill if they knew what they were
about. 1t authorized bridge to be built that
would 90 into the hands of monopoly that is
now so powerful that it has been enabled to
prevent any other connection between Wash
ington and the West and the North, except
over its OVID lines. This corporation was the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and as an ex-
ample OF it's great power and influence he
would call attention to a bill which he asked to
be passed some time since, TO authorize the
construction of q line between Washington and
Baltimore, but which the Committee on Com
merce refused to report, although year after
wards he had heard that bill granting SINH
lar franchise had been passed lie would Of
fer an amendment providing that any Company
hereafter desiring to construct railroad IN the
District of Columbia shall be at liberty to cross
the said bridge, and requiring the canal to
commute fares and check baggage tor any such
company the rates to be fixed BY referees,
and forbidding the privilege to any company
that shall refuse to connect with or check the
baggage Of another so authorized.
Sir. Sherman said this was bill to put it in
the power of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
to control further monopoly. This company
has now such control over the Maryland
Legislature that it is impossible to obtain
charter for railroad through Maryland with
out its consent, and thus Washington was sub
stantialIy isolated from the rest OF the country.
They refuse to connect with any other to Wash
ngton; while they avail themselves of the lib
eral policy of Ohio aud other States to make
connections in every direction. They desire to
make connection with the Northern Central, "a
railroad that greatly promotes the commerce of
the West. They desire to get possession of
this bridge 50 as to monopolise the the travel
of the South as we'll Of the North, the only
other bridge, the Long Bridge, being an etfete
structure. A great deal of feeling exists on
this subject in the West, which is utterly pow
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad gets the control
oF tbio roa Il to 4 leyendria If will cOmnlete its