The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-07-27
wEsrERy MARYLAND RAILROAD.
From the Baltimore Sun.

DeSfrucLQOn Oh Lives SHu 1ESPSAt
fy-Fiffy Persons Drowned-Twen-
fy-eight Houses Washed Away-
Flour and Cotton Mills Destroyed.
NEAR ELLIcoTT CRY, July "a, 911a P. NJ.
The, great food in the Patapsco river at
Ellicott City was unprecedented, and very
destructive of lives and property. Com
munication between the Baltimore-county
and, Howard-county sides of the river has
been, cut off by, the raging torrent, and SO
many bridges have been destroyed that
railway travel has been suspended. Within
the recollection Of the oldest inhabitants
the rise of water has never reached within
ten feet Of what it did to-day. .a.ga,
Gambrilrs lower Patapsco -four mill has
been entirely swept away, and with it two
men, one named William Steel and the other
- --- Snyder. Mr.. Steel, was afterwards
seen clinging to log, and it is said was
saved. GambrilPs upper mill has been par
tally destroyed. 3s
The extensive granite cotton mill Of Ben
iamin Deford, which is said to have cost
$160,000, is a.totaI ruin. In it Mr.. McCau-
ley, a night-watchman, lost his Life. ! Gray's
large granite cotton factory has been con-
siderably damaged. The house Of Mr..
Boone, the superint endent of the works, and
the gardeners house, are gone, but their
families were saved. 80, -4ses- sr..s ass.r.
The entire row of houses between the
turnpike bridge and the Patapsco mills are
all swept away. DR.. T. B. Owings's. new
house was forced by the water across the
alley which divides it from Palmer's row,
and his wife and six children climbed
to the roof of Mr.. William H.. Fountains
dwelling, there only to await destruction.
In few minutes the food carried off the
house Of Mr.. Fountain, who is the head
miller at Gambill's mill, himself, wife, and
daughter, the wife and six children of DR..
Owings who had there sought protection,
and four colored servants. Mr.. William
Partridge, mechanic, sixty years old, with
| his wife and grand daughter, are lost.
Among others whom the cruel waters
have carried away with their houses are
Mr.. William Patterson, wife, and son Mrs.
Farrer and her two grandchildren, Fannie
and Emma Duvall William Reese, q wheel
wright, wife, son, and daughter.
DR.. Owings was on the opposite side OF
the river after his house had gone, was
told his family was in the adjoining one,
and, standing there, saw it, too, driven to
destruction, unable to give the least assist
ance. He has only two children left, who
were away from home.
The stores of George T. Bradley and Jo-
seph II. Leysher, With all their goods, are
gone. Mr.. Leysher succeeded in saving
his books. 80
The body Of a lady was rescued from the
water at Hlchester. She was not quite
dead, and every effort was made to revive
her, but very little hopes Of her recovery
were entertained. The large railroad bridge
OF nlchester is an. entire wreck in fact, oil
the bridges over the Patapsco as far as the
Relay House are destroyed. II t-ns.=
The Avalon Nail and Iron Works, near
the Relay House, have been swept away.
No lives are supposed to have been lost.
The Union Company Cotton Mill, half a
mile above Ellicott City, is said to have
been very badly damaged, and much cot
ton lost. Tiber creek, which has been
generally very high in time Of o food, was
on this occasion not much swollen.
The telegraph wires are broken, and the
train which came from Baltimore this
morning was kept at Ellicott City all day
Some idea of the immense force OF the
water may be formed from its rapidly
washing away the walls Of the granite
mills, part of which were twenty feet thick.
The water in Gwinn's falls had been
| very high, but no damage was done to the
Catonsville Railway bridge or the sur
rounding country, as fer as could be ascer-
tanned. r-es l,i., ~. Il. 49,