The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-10-06
The Flood In Virginia..
We make the following extracts from
L.

SiuCe our last l6ou0s tuo SIeAt uOou
has been the prevailing topic Of fthought;
brought to our very doors, and left such
who have witnessed the vast expapse of
water, and known anything Of the ruin
it has wrought, will soon forget the fresh
of 1870-the greatest of century. For
tunately, not g single life has been lost.
but not less than 100. families have been
expelled from their homes by the angry
waters; and not only have our business
interests suffered materially from the
suspension of trnde consequent upon the
excitement, but the actual 1peouniary
loss sustained by this community can
not be estimated at less than 81, 600, 900.
We speak only of Richmond; of what
the country above US has suffered we fear
to hazard an opinion. Time will bring
the figures out with frightful boldness.
THE RISING OF THE WATERS.
Commencing to roll down upon us ut
about noon on Friday, at midnight the
waters had attained height unusual
even for n freshet. All. through the
night it continued to rico in ille harbor,
at tho rate Of not less than foot and e
half an hour. When morning came,
bright and cloudless though it was, tho
river was swollen to dimepsions calcu-
lated to fill with dismay the hearts of all
who dwelt or did business in low lands.
The islands in the river were over-run
with rapid current; the vessels in the
dock mad risen to the level OF the
wharves; the bridges over the james
were trembling beneath the blows of the
drift.wood and the beating of the waves
against their tough timbers; and the re-
nrt NOR hof bn o,14
ing its way into the streets in the lower
part of the city. There was little lake
on Cary street, and the people of
Rockets found the river literally at
their doors. Still there were those who
said the fresh had reached its highest,
and that Richmond was not in danger.
Nobody fully realized the situation.
THE WATER IN THE STREETS.
Fortunately, however, some had heed
ed the kindlymeant warnings received
from the sufferers on the upper James,
and made preparations for the flood. A
good deal of the tobacco had been gotten
out of Mayo's warehouse during the
night, but there were still hundreds of
hogshesds there, and some consignees
did not seem Mt all alarmed. A few
lumber merchants had taken precau-
tions, one or two foundrymen had
cleared their floors, and many people in
Rockets were ready to move. As re-
ports were received of ''still rising" or
''no fall" many more began to get ready
for on overflow; and at about 10 O'Clock
the whole of the lower part of the city
was in state Of excitement. The water
had now risen nearly up to the caves of
the steamboat sheds at Rockets, and
Gillie's Creek had overhown its banks.
Up town also, matters looked serious.
From Cary street the water passed over to
Main, filling Seventeenth street as it came
along, and almost without moments
warning the butchers and huoksters at
the Old Market found their feet getting
wet When the reporters went up to
the Police Court in the upper part of
mnrket-house at half-past 8 o'clock they
walked there dry shod. When they came
out at half past 10 the water was almost
knee-deep on the pavement.
Meantime the water was still rising on
Min street, and ladies travelling from
one hill to the other were under the ne
cessity Of standing up on the benches to
keep from getting wet At IL O'Clock
the cars could 10 longer go across, the
water being deep enough to swim II
horse. The cars on either side of the
stream, however, continued to run to the
waters edge during the whole day with
punctuality and regularity that reflected
credit upon the management of the Su-
pcrintendent
AT THE BRIDGES.
Mayos bridge was the chief point OF
interest, however, during the fore part
of Saturday, for it wns expected that it
would be soon washed away. A large
crowd waited on the river bank for hours,
in the scorching sun, waiting to sec the
catastrophe, aud, if the truth must be
told, manifested no little impotence and
disappointment (such is human nature)
that it so long resisted the attack of the
element. At one time it seemed impos-
sible that it could stand an hour. The
river was filed with drifting stnff.
There came along logs, mill timber, hay
stacks. trunks, barrels. boxes, pieces of
fencing, chairs, tables, benches, gates,
wagon-bodics, harness, pumpkins and
wntermclons, agricultural implements,
bonghs of trees, and two or three whole
roofs of houses. Luckily most Of tho
debris following the track of the swiftest
part Of tho current was cnrrje,l riolt nm