The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-10-04

Great Loss OF Life ina the
Shenandoah.
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Twenty-Five Million Dollars Worth
OF Property Destroyed.
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The James River Canal Utterly
Ruined.
Appearance of Richmond After
the Flood.
THE DEVASTATION AT HARPtR'S FERRY.
Virginia Loses 100000 by tho FIoods-
The James River Canal Entirely Ruincd-
Tragic Fate Of Youthful Bride.


Tragic Fate Of Youthful Bride.
RICHMOND. Va, Oct. J. 1870.
Since the food subsidized yesterday scarcely an
hour passes that docs not furnish its quota OF the
devastation done In some quarter Of the state. 1t
would be endless task to particuarize the de-
structions OF mills, warehouses, stores and barns
the damage to railroads. canals and other corpora
tons, beside the ruined crops in the entire north
western section OF the State with which the HERALD
reports have teemed for the past three
days. Sunice 1t say that q rough
estimate places the loss in the State at not less
$25,O0OOoO The James river and Kanawha canal,
which Virginias statesmen have long been en-
deavOring to convert into central water line be-
tween the waters Of the west and the Atlantic sea-
board ia ruined beyond the possibility OF repair in
the next five years, unless by national aid. WINCH 1t
Is hoped, will be given.
Further intelligence from Shenandoah valley
states that the waters, rising with fearful rapidity
at noon had become an irresistible Hood, carrying
everything before 1t, rising to nearly fifty feet
Its ordinary depth. II presented a grand ana
fearful spectacle, bearing with It's currents
mills, dwellings, barns, crops-indeed, everything
that came in It's way. Large trees that had stood
for centuries and marked It's bank offered no i'm
pedimcnt TO Its power but swept away as
reeds. Its whole surface was covered with the
emulation from years industry. The destruction
II property IN the counties OF Rockingham. Shenan-
doah Clark and Jefferson has been terrible,
Guiding the entire crops or corn and hay, with the
unthreshed crops OF wheat rye ana oats. Along the
river bottoms almost oil the river mills III Warren
county are swept away with many dwellings,.
Near Front Royal the dwellings Of Mcssrs. Hill
Smith, Thomas, Blackmore, HosKins ana others
were carried on. Blackmores house was torn
from its foundation before his family, con.
n ~ Nyp II
could leave 1t. Mr.. and Mrs. Ridgeway 4 married
pair OF some six weeks, VINO were spending their
honeymoon with him, were swept away with the Ill
fated family. Ridgeway clasped his youthful bride
and held her with all The energy OF terrible
despair, until she ruthlcssy torn from
his arms by the drirtwood the mad.
dened current and quickly consigned 10
a watery grave. lie was caught in the branches
OF large sycamore some distance below where he
saw mis- young wife disappear, and IN six hours
afterwards he was rescued, III company with
from Page county, who occupied the top OF adj
joining tree. Two OF Blackmores chud,cn have
since been reported saved.
The dwelling OF Mr.. and Mrs. Hoskins carried
OF while they With their child were asleep and al
were lost. The damage IN this region IL uDprecc-
denied ana the Shenandoah twenty-eight feet
higher Lnal in the great hood Of 1892.
The rise in the Potomac is due to the great volume
OF water forced into 1t from the Shenandoah.
Scene of DesoIutOn nj Uarper's Eerry-Fear-
full Loss OF Life nj LAWYER Isiand-Niiraru-
I0us Escapes-Israyc Deeds Renclnbc red
Heroic Exeriians Of thr Surviyors--1hc
Main Trunk Of the Baltimore und Ohio
Railroad Uninjnred.
HAGPFEs PERRY, Oct. ,. 1870.
The brief statements or the damages resulting
from the freshet this point. printed in the special
dispatches OF the HERALD yesterday morning, 40
not begin to convey an idea Of the terrible losses
both Of lives and property learn Tins morning
that number OF lives have been lost by the de-
structlon OF the dwellings, along the shenandoah
just above this place, but particulars not obtain
able; In fact half OF the inhabitants OF the
town are busily engaged III repairing their shat
tecs houses for temporary shelter in seeking new
homes everything having been swept of ny the
nood, that there IS little disposition to waste time In
words. Shenandoah street. The principal business
street OF the town. running parallel 10 the river
along the base OF the high emIncnce ON which the
back part OF the town located, was swept from
end TO end, ana the earth washed out so as to ex-
pose the underlying rock for yards. on the SIDE to-
ward the river not half dozen buildings remain
intact and in places scattered piles OF rocks nngcd
with fragments Of brick alone remain TO show the
location OF massive dwellings standing but Few days
piled up huge trunks Of trees, rarers, roofs
corustaiKs and miscellaneous rubbish. Between the
street and the river lie the ruins OF the bridges OF
the Winchester Branch Railroad. Great piers or
heavy granite blocks, hurled from their foundations
by the mighty torrent lie shattered into Fragments
the heavy iron work twisted up Ike shayings ana
lies embedded in sand dozen rods from its former
position. The wood work long since went down the
river. The lower island where thlrty-two persons
were with their houses swept away, presents II sad
scene OF devastation, and It's soil Is entirely gone
and nothing remains except naked rocks and occa-
sonal deposits of sand. A large five story mill.
located on II, is standing together with the
house OF the owner, though In a badly damaged
condition. massive house. formerly machine
shop, this island was one OF the last buildings
carried away during the fearful hours or Friday
night. While house after house disappeared around
him the owner Of this building remained IN it. conf
dent OF the safety OF his refuge On Saturday morn
Ing the spectators the bank heard crash, and
in IL second every vestge OF the building had disaD.
pcared, excepting the wooden roof, which loated
the surface. Watching this as it was borne OIL
the bosom OF the torrent, they surprised to
see the bald head of the venerable owner appear Ut
one edge, and still more to him vigorously
Chamber upon 1t. He was rescued several miles
down the river by men who, attracted by his cries
put out after him iu boats. A resident
on the upper island named Shipcs, was seen
TO take his wife on his shoulder his
dwelling commenced 10 totter and strike out brayely
for the shore. The current swept him downward,
ana his wife, In her fear lost her old and persisted
The husband reached land in safety. but almost
crazcd with excitement and grief An old colorcd
man, living Shenandoah street, went 10 aid those
mperiued on the upper island; returning, he found
his little cabin in ruins and daughter and child
drowned. His wife, who swept away at the
same time lodged in the lower branches OF tree,
ana was rescued after remaining several hours In
this singular position. on saturday morning the
residents at Weayertown. small village on tho
Potomac below Iiarpcr's Ferry, heard cries for
assistance proceeding from an island the mid
die or the river and could he dimly discerned