Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1868-08-06
THE FLOOD IN THE PATAPSCO
Correspondence Of the Washington Star.
NEAR SYKEsvILLE, Md, July 90.

NEAR SYKEsvILLE, Md, July 20.
Editor Star.-The entire Valley of the
Patapsco presents one scene of ruin. I'M
mense structures of granite used for man
ufacturing purposes have melted away be-
fore the torrent. Dwellings, shops,
barns, fences, trees and gardens have been
carried away by the food, and many lives
have been sacrificed. The destruction as
far west as Ellicott's Mills Cor city, has
been described in the papers. The first
place on the railroad west is the old Foun-
tainvale place occupied by the family of
Mr.. j. G G. Kennedy, of Washington,
as summer residence. An immense oak
tree, which struck the house twelve feet
from the ground, carried away the upper
and lower columns of the piazza and inju-
red the building considerably. The shrub
berry is covered with several feet of sand,
and the water carried off 10000 feet of
lumber and II tons of bone fertilizers. All
crops and fences on the low ground are
swept off, and in many places the soil it.
self. More than a thousand beautiful
trees are torn up by the roots. Mr.. Ken
nedy left Washington the morning after
the food, unconcious of its occurrence I'M
til be arrived at the Relay, where he wit
messed some of it's effects, and heard cxag-
gerated rumors of its. ravages. After a
walk of eight miles, over rocks and stones,
the railway track being mostly destroyed,
he found his family safe. They remained
under their roof until the water reached
the house, when, in terrible rain, they
fed to the high ground. The house is
a century old and was never before sur
rounded by water The river filed the
lower story aud reached height of four
feet in that above-spilling and mixing
things general and causing considerable
loss At Elysville the loss is dreadful. =
Garey's fine three story brick house is a
ruin, the large bodybuilding having been
swept entirely away. Silver, costly fur
niture, carriages, buggies, china and glass
ware; contents Of cotton factory and stores;
barn, well filed; large stock Of goods, ten
ant houses, two carriages, buggy, carts
and wagons destroyed and beautiful
grounds ruined; entire loss, $500, O00.-
At Sykesville, hotel and store washed en-
tirely away. Tysou's Iron Works and
tenant houses swept off All of the railroad
bridges for twenty miles gone, and not a
section of the road uninjured. Houses
swept off at every point on the stream,
and every growing thing torn out by the
roots or covered by heaps of sand. The
family of Mr.. Carey were saved by escap-
ing on drift wood into trees. On the lit
tie Patuxent the destructi n of crops is
immense. Mr.. Brozena who purchased a
part of the Carroll Manor for $125 600,
had more shan 800 acres of crops SUMNER
ged. The destruction of property in all
this region is terrific, and many families
lost houses, clothing and provisions in ad
dition to their crops. Many of the roads are
quite impossible, and every bridge for
twenty miles on the Patapsco taken away.
There was not one telegraph pole left
standing from Woodstock to Ellicott City
No lives, as far as known, were lost west OF
Ellicott City. but the value Of buildings,
crops, fences, machinery, railroads, tele-
graph lines &C., &C., is incalculable. Nc
such food, nor anthing approxlmating. il
| has ever occurred since the settlement oil
the country. Great strips of old forest
trees are swept clean. and the line Of the
railroad and river presents a remarkable
scene of destruction. Notwithstanding the
great energy of Mr.. Garrett, it will take
several months to restore the railroad tc
Its recent condition. In addition TO the
losses the depreciation of property ha:
been such that it will require years tc
overcome it. We are endeavoring to re-
store temporary Geographic con..uuni
cation along the line Of the railroad, ane
to do 50 we attach to trees, fences, rails
and any object that will keep the wires
from the ground.
Gold IN New York, 145s