The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-10-03

morning a large colored woman was seer
clinging to q tree, in the midst Of thu
secthlng waters, where she Ind been mos
| OF the night. Awhile since, two heroic
men rescued her A man was Seen tllil
morning, without a shred Of clothing, OF
the top Of one of the Island buildings
whittier It is supposed e,drifted from
some building above, and succeeded ii
rcscuing himself SO far as to gain thC
building; but which is still in peril.
One man, it is said, has lost his liIe ii
the attempt to save others, and scvcn
others have run great risks, and but very
narrowly escaped. A Mr.. King has
proved hero in resculng the family o.
seven, and others; and Rev. Mr. Ames
has worked most herolcally and success
fully.
Bolivar Heights, from Jcierson's Rock
for a long distance above, are crowded
with anxious spectators, who are com
PEELED 10 witness what they cannot avert.
The waters rose with the most aston
ishing rapidity, leaving tho people nc
time to remove their effects, and with
scant time to saye life. Many manifested
| q strange pcrvcrsfty in refusing toaccept Of
rescue when It was possible until it be-
came impossible. One stone building, sit
uated below the Island, and out in the
strongest current, still stands and it is
hoped will, as it contains some twelve OF
fifteen persons, whose cries can be heard
as well as they themselves clearly seenr
but their only hope is in the power Of the
building to resist the waters. 1t is fear
,ful and most lalncntable scene.
The water has apparently reached its
height. But, since morning, to this writ
ing, lat noonJ has receded but very little.
The Potomac is rising, but no apprchen'
sions are teltIrom it, M .E SH
The Winchester railway trestles, rs far
up us above Shenandoah City, are COM
pletcly gone, and bridges above are gone,
and other damage done, that cannot be
repaired short Of two weeks. The Balti.
more and Ohio road is yet intact, and the
cars running regularly. a, DIV.
four correspondent modestly adds.in a
private note, which We choose 10 give him
the benefit of: "Ihavc the satisfaction Of
being the suggestOr Of the means by
which the family OF seven were rescued
and by getting them acted upon. MIR.
King deserves all the credit Of the eXecu-
tion OF them. .f l.t1jS Ti}f.-
'' The Flood at Washington.
WASHINGTON, October /.
One of the most sudden and destruc-
tive treshets ever known on the Potomac
river set in here about dark yesterday
evening; has been steadily increasing
since and, up to the present writing, the
water Is still rising. Great destruction OF
property along the Potomac has been the
consequence, all the way up as iar as
heard from. 1,
About six O'Clock this morning, Heavy
timbers Joined together tloatcd down past
Georgetown. They were soon recognized
as portions Of the Chain Bridge, and sub.
scOl,cnt information has confirmed the
fact that the two spans OF that bridge over
the rapids fell in this morning, cutting OIL
NIL travel in that direction. ..r... 3
4 large quantity Of heavy mill gcaring
and flour in barrels has been passing
down all the morning, which Is supposed
10 come from Seneca mills. Various 4rti'
cles Of household furniture, bedding, &c,
arc also constantly passing, indicating
serious damage above, and possibly loss OF
life. 4 bureau washed ashore just above
the Agueduct bridges on the flats, which
was found to contain female clothing and
some money. ~ ~ I n
In Gcorgctown,the damage has been
heavy in consequence Of the hasty re-
moyal OF goods. $4,000, it Is estimated,
would NOT cover tho damage IN George;
town alone, which might have been saved
II the precaution had been taken to tele'
graph from above Of the coming danger.
This is regarded as great oversight by
those interested. .t
At the Long Bridge hundreds Of people
arc collected watching the current OF the
river. The last trim Of cars passed over
at s o'clock this morning. Travel is now
entirely suspended over both bridges-the
turnpike and railroad. On this side i'm
mcnse quantities Of DRIFT wood arc pressing
against the bridge, and 1t is feared the en-:
tire wood work will go on ebb tide.
About five hundred feet Ot the causewNy
is entirely swept away, md the water
rushing through at q fearful rate. Both
spans nearest the south draw have broken
away, and the draw, swung around about
twelve feet. "
Five hundred feet Of the railroad track
between the bridge and lIoach's Springs
has been swept away, and the current Is
sweeping over the road with the same
force as In tho middle Of the river. A
large portion oI the trcsScl work under
the railroad bridge has been carried of.
making It unsafe to even walk over that
bridge. ...I.f :, ...'...ra g.
There Is no telling the amount Of dam
age done both bridges until the water
subsidies. Chairs, tables, bedsteads, bu-
reaus, and almost every article OF turnl'
turc has been caught along tho bridge A
colored man t0wed ashore bureau con
tanning q large quantity Of clothing and g
silver watch. Several fiat boats and
canal boats have passed through the south
drawer Of the bridge, and . section Of
tho chain bridge Aps lodged there, afford
ipg a hold Tor the drift wood which is
adding pressure hohtly against the bridge
Al Harvey's wharf tho water has never
been so high, except on ono OCCASION
about sixteen years agc-when 1t was
four inches higher.
A white boy, named Willie Ford, lost
his balance from Maryland avenue bridge
Il a a. 1,aI akat1y III,