The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1870-10-13
THE GREAT FLOOD IN VIRGINIA.
The Richmond Wing saws

still thick with mud and darkly discolored,
nearly back in their accustomed channel,
could family realize the feeling of old father
Noah as he came out of the ark and beheld
the desolation which forty days of deluge
had brought upon the land. The scene, while
defyinc description, was not like that which
appals and sickens the beholder who stands
on the battle field the day after blood
bought victory. because, amid the gloom and
desolation, destruction and suffering which
everywhere met his eyes, there was no loss
of human life to deplore, no wives had been
made widows. no children orphans, no moth
ers sonless. But if, from viewing the wreck
of Mayos bridge, the vast heaps of ruined
fertilizers, the cords of damaged goods, the
rusted machinery the slackened lime, and
the multitude of other conspicuous items of
loss all along the track of the flood, he turn
ed his steps towards Rockets Butchertown
and the valley, he beheld there instead Of the
dove with an olive branch, gaunt, grim-vis-
aged Want.
There dwell the humble and the ignorant,
who, through years of toll and privaton,
manage usually in some way or other to col
lect around them plain furniture, little com
fort, and modest luxuries-simple in them
selves yet all the world to them. because they
are their all of wealth. Then their houses
are in the main frail structures, which, while
they afford shelter in calm weather, are une
quail to Il struggle with u flood such as we
had here Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The
business community, in estimating its wealth,
always leave them out of account, and yet
their aggregate substance amounts to a round
sum when listed. Many of these unfortunate
people yesterday morning had waded through
mud knee-deep to find their dwellings,, if
standing wrecked in many instances beyond
| no tbai, firm
and broken and their stock of food swept
away. In fact, without credit, OF that left
upon which to base credit, and without 4
meal in advance, they had to go to work to
hurriedly cleanse room enough to afford them
immediate shelter.
This is no strongly drawn picture, for we
saw men, women and children at Rockets,
for instance. wading knee-dcep in black,
stencil giving mud, whose faces showed that
they felt the irreparable nature Of their loss
es. And then at least twenty families in
this unfortunate locality alone had their
houses and contents swept away by the flood,
and yesterday saw only bare grounds where
three days before they boosted what they
called homes. Words are not adequate to
the task of pcturng the desolation and ruin
people living in the submerged districts I'm
less the ch 'itable give them immediate as
sistance there must be great suffering among
them.
The loss in Page county is estimated at
$50 900, and it may be more. The number
o: lives lost cannot be ascertained. Several
dead bodies have been picked up, but not yet
recognized. Great want and desttution ex-
ist among persons who, but few days ago,
were in atfiuent circumstances, and it is
hoped that something may be done for the
sufferers quickly.
A Mr.. Jennings, who is the miller at Rio.
on Thursday night awoke and found the wa
ter fast taking possession Of his home, and
Immediately set to work to rescue his wife
and children from the destroying element.
Taking his wife and Youngest child, he
sought to reach the land by wading, instruct
ing his two other children to follow Fear
full of the impending danger, the children did
not heed the admonition of the father; and
after reaching the land with his wife and
child he turned only to see his house and the
remaining children swept onward with the
rushing waters. The rise of the river was
then at the rate of about ten feet in twenty
minutes, and few Of the inhabitants of this
little village were able to escape. Mrs.
Wisely, the wife of one OF the millers shared
the same fate of the two children of Mr.. Ipn-
nings, being carried off in their house.
writing from Fluvanna county, gives the fol
lowing
The house at the ferry where the James
and Rivanna come together, which has with
stood the floods Of almost century, was car
rled Off. The ferryman-a colored mainland
his wife remained in the house until the wa
ter rose to the caves, without any means Of
escape. For the purpose OF rescuing them,
Mr.. Davis, Mr. Fuqua and young Agee pro-
cured boat and went to the house, but the
colored people refused to get in u boat On re-
turning to the shore the boat was forced
by the current against a tree and upset
Young Agee attempted to swim to the shore,
and had nearly reached it, when he sank to
rise no more. Davis and Fuqua chung to
tree which they had reached and supposed
they We're safe, as did those who witnessed
the scene, but the water continued to rise
very fast, and it was soon evident that the
water would cover the tree or wash it up.
The relatives and friends of these men who
had risked their lives SO heroically to save
the lives OF the two old negroes in the ferry
house witnessed their perilous condition with
the most intense agony 1t was proposed to
offer reward to any one who would venture
in boat to so to the parties. Very soon
$4,000 reward was raised for any one who
woull 90 to their rescue, two of the Messrs.
Hodgson subscribing $500 each; but before
torn up by the roots and these two heroic
men and the noble youth Agee Che was but a
boy) We're swept away by the raging flood
The two negroes remained in the house until
it was carried off, and have not been heard
of since
DEMOCRACY.