The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-10-04
After the Calm the Storm.
A Great Flood on the Schuylkill.
The Waters Higher than Ever Before
and Still Rising.
The Dam at Fairmount Lost to Sight
Great Destruction of Property
in the City, and Along the
Schuylkill Valley.

From the 4th of August to the 2Gth OF September,
we were parched and painting for rain. The drouth
was more severe and longer continued than any IN
the previous history Of this city and its vicinity The
great storm of September Sth, which unroofed the
Boston Coliseum and spread desoation all along the
New England coast barely included Philadelphia in
its outer limit. There was a sharp brief nurry Of
wind and water, but scarcely enough to raise the
dust and lay it. The shower Of last Sunday was a
good, wholesome, generous one and when 1t had
passed the water was rushing over the dam. Then
came the recompense, the grand outpouring of yes
terday, a general opening of the celestial
nood-gates and to-day at noon the
dam at Paramount so long obtruding
its unsghtly and obnoxious presence, was lost to
sight. Three years ago there memorable flood
in the Valley of the Schuykll but the flood Of last
night and this morning so completely overshadows
it that it dwindles into nothingness Indeed within
the memory of the traditional oldest nhabtant,"
the grand rush of waters chroniced below has
been equalled, and only approached by the great ice
drift Of about twenty-five years ago. when the waters
were not high as they promise to go before we
have the last Of their turmoil to-day, although
the destruction Of property greater because OF
the packing, and drifting, and crushing weight of
the ice. Below we give as complete sketch Of the
state Of affairs is possible furnished by several
reporters, each of whom has visited the locality
which he describes
tBelow the Dam.
At an early hour this morning hundreds OF our citi-
inundating storm, that the Schuyikil had swollen
into the proportions of areshet; and anxious to wit
ness the sudden transition to flood from scarcity
OF water, wended their way to Farmount and the
wharves below the dam. On reaching there what a
spectacle met their eyes! Even with the tide at an
ebb, the river had swollen like huge monster in
anger, rolled in resistess torrents over the topmos
volumes up steep banks that had been touched BY
its waters for more than score of years. From
sne coad the bSs
even In the centre OF It's bed to-day you would hard
ebeT Rnow * beoW sS the Rd dam thousands nd had
gated to view the sublime yet terrific scene The
Wire Bridge was thronged with i spectators awedinto
had been opened, and man stood amazed at the
deluge that had descended! The noise of the rush
ing torrent could be heard for squares-not even the
busy hum of life and activity in the streets could
drown ID. Before you reached the rivers front you
knew that its waters were there.
Clustering in an affrighted group just below the
Wire Bridge were the canal boats which had been
waiting for weeks on account OF the owneSS OF the
river, to be 'lOcked" through. Their sides, long
wetted seemed to look aghast at the unwOnted nood
In addition to the ropes which attached them to the
wharves, many had thrown out anchors or heavy
articles to serve as anchors, and even with these
aids struggled hard to maintain their places The
greedy waters wished them for prey and mustered
round their prows in desire to roll and toss them in
Spinning with fearful velocity down the stream
Were barrels, boards, limbs and trunks of trees,
boxes OF cars fences in sections fifty feet in length,
sheep and pig pens articles of household use, ETC.,
all whrling in the eddies OF the darkcolored, muddy
water and threatening destruction to any bold craft
that ventured in their path. Here and there, upon
either shore, were numbers of bare-legged men,
armed with long poes reaching for and catching the
wave-tossed timbers. Many poor mans cellar has
been stored with winter fuel san i'll wind is that
blows nobody good!"
below the dam; every lumber-yard, coa-yard, and
stone-yard: every wharf, bank and landing was
the further rising of the tides and the torrent
Many OF the dwellings, and public houses were
flooded to their second stories, their occupants fed,
and their bare rooms echoing alone to the rushing OF
the waters.
the dam was visible only by the small bridge which
spans it, Its sides and top were covered by the tor
The Philadelphia Gas Works. at the foot of Market
street. came in for its share OF the nundation, AT
damage would be indicted, and the employees set TO
work to extinguishlng the various nres used on the
place. However, the water raised 80 rapidly that
before the Goals could become cool the water flowed
over them, thus creating dense smoke, which
in the neighborhood. Rumors that the works were
fire were spread, and the reports reaching the
fortunately their services were not required.
The owners of the lumber yards which line both
sides of the Schuykill win prove heavy losers The
by / O'Clock when the tide was at its height, but
little OF the hOating material was ft on any OF the
Wharyes below Market street At this time the
water had risen high that but little space was left
between its surface and the arches of the bridges
across Market and Chestnut streets, the span across
the Schuylkill, north of the Arsenal the Baltimore
Railroad bridge and Ithe Penrose Ferry bridge me
meadows in front of the Amshouse and the grounds
of the Eastwick Park Association were completely
overnowed, and all movable property located on
these tracts of land were washed away.
The cars belonging to the Pennsylvania central
Railroad which were tracked along the banks OF the
river, above Market street, all Hooded, many OF
them being washed from the rails and damaged by
pieces OF drift wood which struck them.
The City Mills were flooded and compelled TO sus-
pend work.
The soap works Of G. Cook x Sons were flooded.
The oil works of w. d. Hubbard were also
Hooded
Naylor Brc.'s lumber yard was inundated, the
piles OF lumber being washed from their louhdations
and many OF the boards lost.
The coal yard OF John Kensey the oil WORKS OF
Laird Co., the soap works OF Van Haagen MIC
Keone Co.. and the place OF Hammond Co.,
were all visited by the rising waters, and damaged
Several OF the foregoing places were forced 10
stop work, the employees thronging around the
wharYes, anxious spectators Of the nood which had
suspended their labor.
The machine shop and foundry OF Barnet lie Van,
at Twenty-fourth and Wood streets, was submerged
10 the depth OF eighteen inches on the first floor at
O'Clock this morning. when the tide was still within
four hours OF its Hood The place stopped work
Damage to it will reach at least s25O0
AT the Dam.
We say "at the dam" although this interesting
obstruction TO the free passage of the rivers water
dry for MANY weeks, Is no longer visible There Il
not the slightest indication that any dam is built be
tween the banks OF the river at Fairmount Tn,
flood rushes along in an unbroken Volume Withou
a fall even OF few inches from the Wire bridge 1,
the Girard Avenue Bridge
The timbers, barrels, and fences tossing down th
torrent rush over the spot where the dam SHOULD
encounter them, and know Of no such obstacle
The sheet OF muddy, turbulent water meets the ey
at the Paramount Water Works. These latter nay