Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1870-10-04
Staunto1t Spettator.
HEAVY RAIN.
TERRIFIC FRESHETy
Great Destruction of Property!
Hills and Dwellings Destroyed !

1t commenced raining here on Wednesday
afternoon last, and continued, almost incessant
", from that time till Friday. The greater
part Of the rain fell on Wednesday night and
and Thursday morning. The freshet here was
caused chiefly by the rain which fell on
Wednesday night. The fall of rain within "a
consecutive hours was name inches and thirty
five hundreds of an inch. It was not partial
but general rain, and hence all the streams in
this part of the State were higher than evel
BEFORE so far as the memory of man, records
or tradition reveal.
We learn that Middle River and South River
were from sac to ten feet higher than the high
est high-water marks made within the memory
of the oldest inhabitant We suppose the
sane was the case with North River though,
at the time of this writing, we have not heard
SO definitely In reference to that river, as there
has been no communication, in consequence of
there The destruction of mills, bridges,
houses, fencing, farms and crops along these
streams and their numerous tributaries was as
founding, and the loss inflicted upon their I'M
fortunate owners incalculable
AS the Shenandoah River receives all the
water which falls in this portion of the Valley,
it was much higher, we have no doubt, than it
has been since the settlement of the Valley,
and the destruction along its course must be
terrific. Up to this time-Saturday might've
have not had any intelligence In reference to
the destruction caused by this freshet along
that river, but fear that it has been appalling.
The destruction of property caused by this
ireshet, in this county, is vastly more than
that caused by the enthusiastically and hos
tile-during four years of destructive and desc
lating warfare.
Up to this tine we have heard only from a
portion of the county, and but partially even
from that portion; but the accounts received
from different parts of the county all concur in
representing the streams as being much higher
than ever before known, and the amount of
destruction caused thereby unprecedented.
The damage suffered by the city of Staunton
was less than that occasioned by the memora-
bic freshet Of 1860, when Lewiss Creek, over
flowing its banks and leaving itschanpel, poured
considerable portion of It's swollen volume,
IN raging torrents, through Frederick, Angus
ia, Beverly and New Streets, tearing up pave
ments, filling cellars, undermining houses, and
digging frightful pitfalls in the Streets. Though
more damage was then done to Staunt~- :.
vas the effect of but a partial TO: .on' IL
Summer shower-which b aha heavy
the watershed vhicr opened to fall on
loss occasiorc' III feeds Lewis Creek. The
the t. Ii the town at that time, caused
,En Council to have the channel Of that
stream widened and deepened Had this not
been done, it is our firm conviction that the
feshet en- Thursday last would have destroyed
utterly the greater part of the business portion
Of the city No more judicious expenditure
was eyer made by the Town, and We will say,
en- PEASANT, that the most economical invest
ment the Town can make, is to expend what
may be necessary to make that channel, per-
manently, sufficiently capacious to carry off all
the water that may seek exit through it. Ii
necessary, it should buy the water-right attach
ing to the mill property Of Parkins, Nelson &
Co, which, we understand, bars the right of
the Town to deepen the channel at Bickle's
that point, the Town would be secure against
the perils Of food, and it could bid defiance
and laugh to scorn' the raging fury of Lew
ISIS Creek. IF this be not done, damages will
annually be inflicted, as heretofore, necessita-
ting each year an increase Of taxes to repair
them.
The quantity of water conveyed by LeWis's
Greek on Thursday last, during the day, was
much greater than that conveyed in the after
noon of the day of the freshet in 1860; for
on Thursday last, it was not only higher than
on that occasion, but it was so throughout the
day, whereas in 1860 it was high for only ar
hour or two. IF it had gotten into the Streets
on Thursday morning last, as it did in 1860
and had continued to pour through them
throughout the day-as it certainly would have
done-it would. we repeat, have destroyed
nearly all the business portion of the town.
The houses would have been undermined, anc
would have fallen in ruins. AS it was, fortu
nately, though the Town suffered, the loss wal
comparatively small, and its citizens have grea
cause of graduation. The chief loss is in thu
destruction of bridges We suppose-thougl
we have no means of ascertaining, even ap
proximately- $4,000 would cover al
losses, public and private, sustained within th'
corporate limits
STANTON. will not attempt to give i,
detail the damages done-we will mention only
the chief, which, as before said, consisted il
the destruction Of bridges. The bridge OF
Main Street, at Bickle's shop, was destroyed
At this place, also, the water and gas pipe
were broken, which had the effect of depri
wing, for short time, those living East O
that place, Of water, and those living West, O
gas. The West-enders CROPPED in darkness
but quaffed delicious water-the East-ender
wonld have preferred darkness to light" no
because their deeds were evil" but because
like Coleridge's Ancient Mariner" with ''wa
ter, water, everywhere" they had mot dro,
to drink"
A portion of the masonry on each side, sup
porting the bridge on Augusta Street, near tn,
American Hotel, yielded to the sapping of tn,
stream, and part Of the flooring Of tn,
bridge fell at the same time into the stream
A number were standing upon the bridge a
the time, though, fortunately, but one. Mr.
James Teabo, was precipitated into the ragin,
torrent beneath. 1t was like being thrown int
the very jaws Of death, for it was barely moss;
bic that his life might be saved But, to III
relief of all, who were terrified and helples