The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-10-02
IEE FLOOD IN TIE JAMES.
Scenes Mt Richmond-Large Part OF tho City
Inundated-Immense Destruction OF Pro-
perty-i4ibby Prison on Firo.

Scenes Mt Richmond-Iarge Part or tho City
Inundated-Immense Destruction OF Pro-
perty-Libby Prison on Fire.
RICHMOND, Oct. l. 1870.
About five O'Clock this morning the fresliet in
creased by the great body OF water from the Upper
james, came rushing down, bringing with It trees
lumber, barrels OF nour fragments OF houses mil.
wheels, haystacks and the bodies OF dead animals
rising suddenly several eet until it has reached
twenty three feet above the ordinary level or the
river, and is scarcely two feet from the base OF the
Danvile railroad bridge ana the foot bridge to Man
chester.
The whole or Rockets is submerged, and the peo-
pie are removing their families ana furniture In
boats to places OF safety.
All that portion OF the city lying between the
James river. Shok0e creek and Churchill is entirely
inundated. On Nam street the water high as TO
run through the street they pass through 1t.
Butchertown and the region known as the valley,
to the north OF the city, is sheet or water
Large numbers Of vessels have been torn from their
mOorings at the wharves.
At Rockets, which has been completely destroyed
by the frantic rush Of the waters several thousand
hOgsheads OF tobacco stored In Mayo's warehouse Is
in imminent danger OF submersion. and pacards are
posted requesting citizens to help remove 1t.
Intelligence from Lynchburg this morning stat e
Lnat TIE river mas ilau SECOND rise at tnaJ p0nL
which VIII cause o still greater rise here ana per
haps accomplish untold destruction OF property.
Immense crowds of people are massed In the VI
entity OF both the bridges In danger, expecting
each moment to see them swept away by the tor
rent. The old market Is submerged and the people
are buying on the next street, to which the buck
sters and butchers have removed their stalls. The
second door OF Haxall's great nour mills has been
cut to give vent TO the water in the event OF 1t
rising to that height.
The Danvle train left this morning., but after
proceeding two miles found four feet OF water on
the track, and 1t was forced to return.
The river Is rising at the rate OF one foot six inches
per hour and the creaking and grooming or ap-
bridge TO Manchester. The fire department has
been called out to render assistance TO persons I'm
the submerged district, and the police are stationed
at places OF danger To keep the excited populace
back. The Libby prison has caught fire and the
roaring and cracking OF the flames are mingled with
the kissing and seething or the madly rushing tor
rents.
owing to the great quantity OF water in the lower
story OF the Libby prison. the flames were soon got
under, and the fire was put out without serious
damage TO the property In the building.
Up TO the present e p. MI the river continues
steadily to rise at the rate already stated the
rounding country being vast inundatton, which Is
witnessed by over thirty thousand people, crowded
every nil and house top available.
AT quarter past twelve the entire portion Of Mayos
Bridge, extending from Manchester TO Mayos
Island, was swept away by the ioamlng torrents
and the huge mass Goated slowly down the river.
Further down, towards Rockets, all docks are COM
pctely submerged and seriously damaged. The
sheds and siorehouses OF the York River Railroad
are inundaedt also all the sheds below them and
the water ~ now up to the caves OF the OLD Domln-
ion Steamship Company's wharf sheds Happily
the energetic agent OF this line had all the frelghLS
removed to places OF safety by nine O'Clock last night
The wharf sheds OF the James River line OF steam
ers have been swept away, and fears are now enter
taned Tor the safety Of those OF the Old Dominion
AT hali-past twelve barrel factory, over two
hundred leet IN length was carried away by the
The Trcdegar Works are in danger OF nundation
but the canal has been cut away above the water
works in the hope OF saving the works.
The water has risen TO make II impossible
for the street cars to run. Between Fifteenth ana
Eighteenth streets the cars were piled until noon
when the water coming in at the windows the
cars were stopped and ferry Is now run all the
main streets from Fifteenth street to Eighteenth
street.
The water is up to the counters IN the stores and
boats and rats are sailing along the sidewalks The
excitement II possible, increases with the rise OF
the river.
There can be no estimate given Of the damage to
property, which is immense Half the population
are moving and the scenes are exciting and FREE
quently ludicrouS.
me DanylIle Railroad bridge is next expected TO
CO. The sides OF II are now being cut to let the
water pass through.
All day the river has been dotted over with small
houses and wrecks OF houses, fencing, dead cattle,
&C.. drifting down stream The gas works are sub
merged.
An Afternoon in the Doomed City-A Series
Of Terrible Observation-Disclosures of the
Manchester NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Scenes mt
KOckctts-The Loss S4sOOO,OOO.
RICHMOND, Oct Ill p. M.
This afflicted city seems to be doomed. It's story
Is replete with terrible ca,ames, and disasters by
fire. hood and death in Its most horrible form have
taken 1t by turn since the close OF the war. The
burning Of the business portion OF the
city In 1865 was followed by the disaster
at yauxhals Island in June, 1859: then the fearful
calamity at the Capitol In April last and now comes
q disastrous nood, which yet threatens to be more
formidable than all the foregoing disasters The
aspect OF the inundated country beyond the river
and the half submerged city Is that OF second
Deluge with floating fragments of every specimen
country people.
AT three p NJ. the river had risen another foot,
when the vastly increased raging food lifted the
remaining portion OF the Manchester bridge from or
the piers. This was about three hundred yards In
length, and 1t swung round slowly until II became
lengthwse in the stream, when II moved like huge,
massive rattan Illustration OF the terrible force
length which was built by the soldiers OF the Union
army Just after the evacuation OF this city In 1865
was now gone, and the attention Of the excited
crowd became conferred on the Danville Railroad
bridge. Here the masses had TO be kept back
by main force, the police In various in
stances having had 10 resort TO extreme
measures. In vain the maddened element dashed
against the bAso Of this sturdy bridge, each hour