The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1870-10-29
The Great Flood III Virginia.

A late Washington paper gives
lengthy account of the recent disastrous
flood in Virginia, from which we copy
this:
AZ Harper's Ferry the destruction of
life and property WAS terrible. Shenan-
doah tIcet. the principal one in the place,
was swept from end 10 end. On the side
toward the river not half u dozen build
Jugs remain intact, and in places scatter
ed piles of rocks mingled with fragments
of brick alone remain to show the location
of massive dwellings standing but u few
days age. Against the buildings which
escaped destruction are piled up huge
trunks of trees, rafters, roofs cornstalks
and miscellaneous rubbish. Between the
street and the river lie the rufus of the
bridges of the Winchester Branch rail
road. Great piers of heavy granite blocks,
hurled from their foundations 10y the
mighty torrent, lie shattered into trag
ments, the heavy iron work twisted up
like shayings and lie embedded III sand u
dozen rods from its former position. The
lower island, where thirty-two persons
were with their houses swept away,
presents sad scene of devastation, and
its soil is entirely gone and nothing re-
mains except naked rocks aud occasional
deposits of sand. \ large five story mill,
located on if, is standing, together with
the house Of the owncr, though in badly
damaged condition a massive house,
turmeraly q machine shop, on this island
was one of the last buildings carried
away during the frightful hours of Fri
day night While house after house
disappeared around him the owner of this
building remained in it, confident of the
safety Of his refuge. On Saturday morn.
ing the spectators on the bauk heard a
crash, and in a second every vestigc of
the buiIing had disappeared, excepting
the wooden roof, which foated on the
surface. Watching this as it was borne
off on the bosom of the torrent, they were
surprised to see the bad head OF the
venerable owner appear ut one edge, and
still more so to see him chamber upon it.
He was rescued several miles down the
river y resident on the upper island :,
named Shipes, was seen to take his wife
on his shoulder as his dwelling com,
menced to totter and strike out bravely
for the shore The current swept him
downward, and his wife, III her fear, lost
her child and perished. The husband
reached land in safety, but almost crazed
with excitement and grief. An old col
ored man, living on Shenandoah street,
went to aid those imperiled on the upper
island returning. he found his little
cabin in ruins and daughter and child
drowned. His wife, who was swept away
at the same time, lodged in the lower
branches of tree, and was rescued
after remaining several hours iii this
singular position.
The damages to the Chesapeake and
Ohio canal are va-ieusly estimated at
from twenty to forty thousand dollars.
At Point of Rocks the feeder of solid
| masoncry, and hundred feet of banking,
are gone. Breaks are also reported at
other points down the river: The res
pairs will occupy u month at least. No
damage has been done the main line of
| the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, but
they are quite heavy on the branch To
Winchester. The water was twenty
five ana thirty ieet above low water mark
higher than on the occasion of the des-
tructive freshet of 1922
In Albemarle the food in some in
stances swept away entire families. The
| amount of destruction Of grain, tobacco,
cattle, mills and dwellings, ID incalculable.
Cattle and hogs were picked up and car
rice off like chips of wood. About City
| mill dams were destroyed. The kitchen
of the Mountain Top house, on the sum-
NIT of the Bluo Ridge mountains. was
flooded with water! Much suffering
among the poor of the delused district is
| reported.