Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-10-11
THE VIRGINIA FLOODS.
&; reat Loss OF Life I'm the Shenan.
dOah-Tragic Fate OF a fo"'hi"i
Bride.


ttf.t RIcHMosp, Va, October 8, 1870.
Since the food subsidized yesterday,
scarcely an hour passes that does not
furnish its quota of the devastation done
in some quarter of the State. IL would
be an endless task to Aparticularlze the
destruction of mills, warehouses, stores
and barns, the damage to railroads, ca
mails and other corporations, besides the
ruined crops in the entire northwestern
section of the State, with which the
Herald reports have teemed for the past
three days. Suffice i to say that rough
estimate places the loss in the State at
not less than S25,0OO,O00. The James
river and Kanawha canal, which Vir-
pinia's statesmen have long been en-
deayoring to convert into central water
line between the waters of the West and
the Atlantic seaboard, is ruined beyond
the possibility of repair in the next fiye
wears, unless by national aid which, 1t is
hoped, will be given.
Further intelligence from Shenandoah
valley states that the waters, rising with
fearful rapidity, at noon had become an
irresistible food, carrying everything be-
fore il. rising to nearly fifty feet above
its ordinary depth. 1t presented a grand
and fearful spectacle, bearing with its.
currents mills, dwellings, barns, crops
indeed, everything that came in its way.
Large trees that had stood for centuries
and marked its bank offered no impede
ment to its power, but were swept away
as reeds. It's whole surface was covered
with the accumulation from years in
dustry. The destruction Of property in
the counties of Rockingham, Shenan-
doah Clark and jefferson has been ter
rible, including the entire crops Of corn
and hay, with the unthreshed crops OF
wheat, rye and oats. Along the river
bottoms almost all the river mills in
Warren county are swept away, with
many dwellings. Near Front Royal the
dwellings ofMessrs. Hill, Smith, Thomas,
Blackmore, Hoskins and others were
carried off. Blaekmore's house was
torn from its foundation before his fam
lily, consisting of himself, wife and five
or six children could leave it. Mr.. and
Mrs. Ridgeway. married pair of six
weeks, who were spending their honey
moon with him, we're swept away with
the Inflated family. Ridgeway clasped
his youthful bride and held her with all
the energy Of terrible despair, until
she was ruthlessly torn from his arms by
the driftweGd in the maddened current
and quickly consigned to a watery
grave. He was caught In tho branches
Of large sycamore some distance 10
low where be saw his young wife disap
pear and in six hours afterward he was
rescued in company With man from
Page county, who occupied the top Of
an adjoining tree, Two Of Blackmore' S
children have since been reported saved.
The dwelling Of Mr.. and Mrs. Hoskin
was carried off while they with their
child were asleep and all were lost The
damage in this region is unprecedented,
and the Shenandoah Was tweDty-eight
feet higher than in the great food Of
1852.
HARMS PEREY. October 3, 1870.
The lower island. where thirty-twO per
sons were with their houses swept away,
presents sad scene Of devastation, aud
its soil is entirely gone, and rothing re-
mains except nakedrocks and occasional
7 deposits Of sand. A large 6ye-story mill,
4 located on II, is standing, together with
the house Of the owner, thonghia badly
damaged condition. A massive house,
formerly NADINE shop, 'on this island.
was one Of the last buildings carried
away dnring the fearful hours Of Satur-
day night. While house after house dis
appeared aroand him, the owner Of this
building remained in K, confident Of the
! safety Of bis refuge On Saturday morn
, ing the spectators on the bank Heard
crash, and in a second every vesiige Of
the building had disappeared, excepting
the wooden roof, which Aoated on the
I surface Watching this as it was borne
! off on the bosom Of the torrent, they we're
surprised 10 see the bald head Of the ven
cradle owner appear at one edge, and
still more so 10 see him vigorously
, Chamber upon H. he was rescued
several miles down the river by men
who. attracted by his cries, pat ont
after him IN boats. A resident on the
upper island named Shipes, was seen to
take his wife on his shoulder as his
dwelling commenced 10 totter, and strike
out braTely for the shore. The current
swept him downward, and his wife IN
her fear, lost her hold aud persisted.
! The husband reached land in safety, but
almost crazed with excitement and grief
An old colored man living on Shenan-
doah street went 70 aid those imperiliei
on the upper land; returning be found
; his little cabin in ruins and a daughter
and child drowned. His wife. who was
swept away at the same time, lodged in
the lower branches Of a tree, and vas
rescued after remaining several hours in
this singular position. On Saturday
morning the residents AZ Weayertc==,
small village on the Potomac below
Harpers Ferry, heard cries for assist
ance proceeding from an island near the
middle Of the river aud q man could Be
dimly diseerned ehnging 70 rock pro