Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-07-21
THE FLOODS IN TEXAS.
Immense Destruction of Property
Narrowing Scenes.
Correspondents Of the Galveston N sws.

Il
1I.-Friday this beautiful little
town presented scene which for
excitement and terror has rarely
been surpassed in the annals of our
State.
For week past the Colorado
river has been very high, rendering
it difficult and very dangerous to
cross even in a skiff, thus cutting off
nearly all communication with Bias
trOp and Austin; the stages and
mails being hemmed up and unable
10 get out.
Thursday night the good people
of LAGRANGE went to their beds,
leaving the river still some ten or
fifteen feet within its banks, and at
day it was found to have risen seven
feet, and at 9 o'clock it broke over
its banks above and below, thus
throwing two immense tides of water
upon the town. At IL o'clock the
waters had met in the flats, or val
leys, between town and the river on
the southwest side, and was swell.
ing very rapidly. At II o'clock it
found its level, and having driven
all the inhabitants out of the western
portion of town, it began turning
over the smaller houses and floating
them away toward the Gulf At l
o'clock it was within a block of the
Public Square, and rising so fast
that it drove the crowds back from
its edge. Here the scene beggared
description. Great crowds of wo-
men and children stood at the
waters edge, and with wringing
hands and straining eyes saw their
homes filed by the ruthless food,
and many Of them swept away or
turned over where they stood;
while the crash of furniture and
smashing of doors and windows told
too horribly the ruin that was go
ing on within. Men rushed
back and forth on horseback or
afoot, seeking their families or ask
ing for assistance to tie a house
already swimming, or claiming help
from the idle lookers-on to move
their furniture from those not yet
inundated, but We're soon to share
the general fate Wagons loaded
with furniture ratified TO and fro at
full gallop, some to the high ground
with their confused mass of house
hold wares, and others to take of
the remaining stores. Before )
O'Clock the public square was a
sheet of water. Store doors were
thrown open and merchants and
clerks strove to save their goods by
piing them in their second stories
and on the counters while every
man and everything available was
put into requisition to save the
women and children from the mad
torrent which was now rushing over
three fourths of the town. But the
day sank into the night, and pail
was spread over the scene, as If to
thwart the struggles of man to res
cue property and save life. "Men
forget their passions in dread of
their desolatiOn,' and all night
through their efforts never ceased,
although in the darkness but little
could be seen, yet the sound of the
hammer and saw indicated the eX-
tempore construction of boats and
RATS, while the lowing of cattle, the
shouting of men, the screaming of
women and children, crying fol
help, mingled with the increasing
beach-like roar of the mighty surge
filed the midnight air-they filled
the imagination with horrible fan
cies, and the steady rising Of thu
waters, the rapid currents rushing
around the corners, babe them
speed with their good work, or i
would he too late. A boat wa
made of the boards of houses ant
filled with strong Oarsmen, VIII
,Sent through the streets and yard
searching for those who needs
help. There was no party distinc
ton; friend and foe were allied to
pether TO meet the common enemy
Slowly, one after another, the
brought off the few who had deter
mined to stay and meet the fate o
their homes, but who became terri
fed when they found it so far eH
ceeded their expectations.
Saturday morn came, and foun
the little town, which but the da
before looked so fair and quiet
the confidence of its security, no
deluged with a remorseless flood
for on the square and in every stol
stood four or five feet water.
was wholly deserted, and all the l
Labitants had fed to the his
grounds and hills on the northel
and northwestern suburbs. The
was q scene of general confusion
every house was filled with the
citives, not only homeless but wit
out food-for they had not time
/: take provisions with them, or,
ig, they had, they were too terrified
eide, think Of it.
prop Quantities of provisions were
} Ne stroyed in the stores, such as sug
flour and cOfIee-the essentials Il
we're in barrels and too heavy to
lifted on counters or the upl
floors.
went to the Chalk Bluffs, Il
miles above, on the river bank,
better view. The scene was
rihlc. For fifteen miles, as
as the eye could reach to the noI
west and south, the country '
one unbrOken sheet of water
cept one hill, of some two and
half acres, about five miles aw
now occupied by the families
Mrs. Daney, Ed. Manton and
AR two others, driven there fl
- homea on the other side Of
river ,,,,.-..;. $500 49,,
1tor .-l ''fsv climate ma,
had of ~ asu When we say I
,ho water reacl ed nearly to
. . story widows of Cap
McDows la.ge bla',' nee, wi
stands on the 5enef- wei oil
prairie. a,,ro away fn .be
= omonc the clumps Of o
whose whose matted branches lapFe
T 'he CLASSY food, might be be s sex y
roofs cl houses, but yes'Nle'oy u