The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-10-04
A youth named Whitlow fell from the
bridge below Deans foundry and swan,

A youth named Whitlow fell from the
bridge below Deans foundry and swan,
ashore. s .sis 3 .tss.i.g :s i.gsess5f ss...s. .
q "A dwelling, with family In 1t and lights
on the mantels, was seen floating down the
river, and has not been heard OF since. s
Three large canal boats went down the
river during the night; one, having head
lights and crew aboard, Is said to have
struck the bridge pier below and gone to
pieces, and all on board drowned. ~.
= Only telegraph poles are left standing for
miles below the city. In several instances
houses and offices were floated away just as
the occupants had left. Major Walker, the
lock-keeper, barely escaped after the water
had reached the floor. He spent the night
on crag. '.ersErss5. r.
Above, the well.house and wells were
both carried away, and nothing saved. The
bridge at Robinson's mill was swept off by
the torrent, and the freight-boat {" Swan y
was fired by the explosion of a kerosene
lamp, and about five milesbelow the city was
upset by drift wood. She had a valuable.
cargo, and was total loss.
The packet boat from Lexington has
never been heard from. A boat went to
pieces on the bluff below the first locks.
There were several persons aboard, who
were hailed from the shore. They ~eaz.s
swered, but none Of them were saved.
It Is impossible to estimate the loss of
life. Many unknown persons must have.
found Watery graves. z
Persons Oh the banks for miles below
Lynchburg say they heard shrieks, groans,
and cries for help, all night, but the dark
ness was SO intense that it was impossible
to discover them.
A large carpenter shop, with $40, 900 o {
improved machinery, was washed from the
city and lodged on an island five miles be-
low, and is standing as erect as though it
had been regularly placed there, with the
machinery intact. t,.ez ~ Esf -
A mother and her children were clinging
to some object to save themselves. One
little girl, whose strength was exhausted,
said 9 Kiss me, mother; ] can't hold OH
any longer;' and the little soul went
down.
The rolling mills, four miles above the
city, heretofore scene of thrifty pros
perity and industry. where several hundred
persons resided, suffered terribly. AS late
as 10A o'clock on Thursday night there
was 10 apprehension on the island on
which the work and houses of the opera
tiyes were located would be exposed or in
undated, and many, after their das's work,
sought their beds. About 10 o'clock the
waters, which had continued to rise with a
wild uproar, were seen to encroach on the
flat ground.
The alarm was given and efforts were be-
gan to set the women and children and
particles of value on the other side of the
channel. A bridge of boats was secured
across. and the labor Of moving COM
nenced with diligence. Meanwhile the
waters rose every moment and the passage
becoming more difficult and precarious,
which caused the excitement to increase in
proportion to the danger. Suddenly, at II
o'clock, the canal rose more than one foot,
and several heavy boats and mud.machines
were precipitated against the bridge,
breaking it and instantly severing comnlu-
nication.
The water was now rising on the fat,
and the terrified people took refuge in their
houses. The waters still steadily and rap
idly assembled, and loud cries were made for
relief and succor. Boats were put off the
southern bank Of the canal to rescue the
people left in the houses, and the last
of the families were removed safely by
hardy, heroic men, who Incurred in-
credible difficulty and danger. About
thirty men aid women remained, how
ever, Oh the island, through long
night of terror-some in the upper stories
of their cabins, some in the tops Of trees,
and several in the narrow strips of sand,
from which they expected the waters to
wash them away every moment. Fortrl-
nately they escaped, and were safely
rescued.
At 4 o'clock in the morning sudden rise
in the canal was caused by THE washing
away OF portion of Judith's dam, and the
water rushed with such volume and vio-
lence, dragging down the mud-machine,
bumpers, flats, &C., that, colliding with the
bridge of boats, broke it.
The canal thus flooded the island from
eight to eleven feet. The water was more
than three feet over the ground floor Of
residences, and everything was abandoned
by the frightened people, who betook them
selves to the upper stories and expended
every effort to escape. Cries of g murder"
"help," mercy" and piteous prayers
and appeals to Heaven for assistance, rent
tue air, mingled with the noise Of the storm
and swelling waters.
Strong men testify that in all their eXpe-
rience of war and peril they never eXpe-
rienccd such sensations, nor looked on such
a scene.
All the dwellings on the Island, with one
exception, were upset or capsized by the
storm. Foundations were washed away
out-houses and porches carried off. The
losses inflicted on the company and work
men are very heavy-the former, $4,000 or
$4,000; the latter, 900 or $4,000, in fur
niture, bedding, &c. The scene of desols-
tion is so extended that it is impossible to
estimate all the losses. 1t will exceed mil
lions. The perpendicular rise Of the water
was thirty-six feet.
One of the most unfortunate and serious
consequences of the food is the destruction
visited upon the mills and the destruction
of flour and breadstuds, great quantities of
which were not only swept from here, but
from the country mills above.
Collections are being taken UP for the suf-
icrers, many of whom have lost everything,
n fss .sqe saaastit1sss; n