Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1870-10-06
The Late Flood.

destruction Of the crops and propert
generally, scarcely equaled by the ravage
OF the late war; In the southern an,
eastern portion Of the State the destruction
| OF property was immense, particulars 0
which we publish elsewhere in this paper
But, more especially was the amount o
property destroyed great in the Valley
of Virginia; and the number of human
lives lost, and in some instances whole
families swept of with their houses, gives
a feeling of horror to the recital of the in.
cidents. The North and South Branches
of the Shenandoah River were not known,
for the last sixty years, to have been SO
high +; indeed, it is the opinion Of the
coolest inhabitants" that there never
was so great volume of water in the
beds of these streams. The outstanding
crops in the bottom lands have been
entirely swept away, together with fenc-
ing, trees and contiguous buildings
Along the South Branch, especially, the
destruction of property was immense
Besides the crops, fencing &C., nearly all
the Mills and great number of other
buildings were swept off by She food.
At Riverton Station, aDode two miles
west of Front Royal, the Railroad Bridge
was entirely carried of, the water sweep
in over the top of the Bridge which is
about 60 feet above low water mark
Several houses in the adjoining fiat were
swept away, together with two families,
inmates of two Of the houses. Henry
Hoskins and family and Sister-in law,
living about mile and a half above
Island Ford Mills, were washed off by the
flood, and all persisted except MIR. Hos
kins who managed to grasp hold of some
bushes, and was finally saved. Mr.
Blakemore and family, consisting of his
wife, three daughters AMI two little sons,
living a short distance above Front Royal,
were swept off with their house, and all
persisted except the two little sons who
swan to tree, which they climbed and
remained there until next day when they
were rescued. Some spectators, at the
Bridge at Riverton, beheld little girl,
supposed to be about twelve or fourteen
years old, and probably the daughter of
Mr.. Blakemore, pass down the stream
kneeling upon bunch of debris, with her
arms folded and face turned upward, and
seemingly unconscious of all around A
short distance behind, a man followed
upon a log, and YES supposed to be her
father.
The spectators at this point on the
River counted ifty-four buildings, such
as Houses, Barns, Mills &c, pass down
with the food, together with vast quantities
of corn, barrels Of -four, hay stacks and
every conceivable kind of debris.
The Bridge on the Laray road, known
as white House Bridge Was entirely swept
a way, and i is said I'll the houses ad-
jacent in that vicinity we're also taken.
Farther up, Mines Large Iron Works
were entirely swept off and destroyed A
family by the name of Kite, i'll Page
county, are also said to have persisted by
the food.
In the lower counties along the Shenan>
doah River the loss of life was consider
able and the destruction Of property i'm
mense. At Berry's Ferry family i,
reported lost. 4 negro man was drowned
at Castleman's Ferry in attempting to save
some horses belonging to Kemp's Stage
Line. The particulars of the food al
EIarper's Ferry, and on the Potomac arc
published in our gencralnews columns.
The damage On the North Branch Of
the Shenandoah is not so great as that
on the South Branch. Up 10 the present
writing We have heard of but few lives
lost.
The Railroad Bridge about two miles
from Strasburg, over tho North Branch
was greatly damaged a portion of the trestle
work being swept away. The Freight
and Passenger trains bound west had
passed over this bridge only a very short
while before. The passenger train being
stopped at Rivorton, ON account Of the
destruction of the bridge accross the South
Branch, endeavqred to return to Stras-
burg, but the bridge had already beer
two greatly damaged Both trains arc
cut off between the two Branches of the
Shenandoah.
Almost the entire corn crop along the
North Branch has been swept off. The
bottoms along the entire course of tht
river were entirely inundated, and pre-.
scented the appearance Of vast lakes.
J The Bridge across the North Branch, q
few miles south of Mt. Jackson and the
bridge across the same stream on th,
road leading from New Market to tht
Depot, were entirely swept away.
The Bridge across Middle River, a
Mt Crawford was also swept away. A
black man, whilst attempting to take
Maj. Hawkins, Agent of the Piedmon
Life Insurance Co.. across was drowned b