The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-04-12

Great Dessrastion q Property.
N COLUMBIA

The rain Monday evening last was the
heaviest, and did more damage, thar
ever before witnessed In this commu-
nifty. About $50 o'clock, p. M, Helms
Branch was at its highest. Commencing
at Mr.. Gosh Whites, 1t washed his
fence away, and ruined his garden.
The swollen stream next washed and
destroyed the gardens of Mr.. Los. White,
Mrs. Thomas, Mr.. p. Gordon, and Mr..
Turner Creswell. The water entered
Mr.. Creswell's kitchen; tore down his
and Mr.. Gordon's fence, and in front OF
Mr. Gordon, on the street, the pavement
was washed up. Crossing the street
here, the fence on the Patten property
was swept down, as also that of Lamb 4
Boyd. The water here entered Mr.
Lambs house. Mr.. Boyd waded in
water waist deep to rescue his horses
from drowning. The garden of pr. Cox
was next swept clear, and a portion OF
his fence carried away with the stream.
Crossing South Main street, the stream
rushed into the house of Mr.. Helm,
tearing up the pavement in front Of his
house, and also making waste his excel
lent garden. The bridges across the
branch near Vauehn's shop were torn
up, and lumber and shingles of Mr..
Vaughns carried away by the current.
The Chairman uf the Street Committee,
MI. Parker, Tuesday morning had q
force of hands repairing the bridges
washed away. Lush Hough, COL, near
the wool factory, was damaged about
800, Ibis rock wall and stone spring
house washed away, as easy as II they
had been chips.
In front OF Mr.. Helms residence, two
negro women came near being drowned,
but were rescued by Mr.. Thos. j. Helm.
The culverts on High street and at
Walkers well were damaged, but were
repaired Tuesday morning.
IN THE COUNTRY.
The freshet did not spare the people
along Greene's Lick Creek. The Hope
Mill neighborhood suffered in an espe-
cial manner. 1t is thought that the
creek was higher than it ever was be-
fore. It rose clear out of its banks, and
entered stables, corn cribs, hen roosts,
and dwelling houses; in all OF which it
did mischief, and all of which were
thought to be above the high water
mark. 1t washed out one of the abut-
ments of the mill-dam, at Hope Mill,
and also one from Mr.. VIM. Folks mill
dam. Between these mills, distance
of two miles, the people are damaged,
in the way of washed land, fencing and
labor, to the extent of many hundred
dollars. Parson Baker says the fences
being gone will only give the farmers
something to do while. the ground is
getting dry enough to plough. Billie
and Pleas. Joyce think their mill-dam
and race are injured to the amount of
three or four hundred dollars, and that
they will not be able to accommodate
their customers for several days. Mr..
King, the merchant, sustained consid-
cradle damage. His horse came very
his crib, ard his salt, sugar, coal-oil and
molasses, were mixed with muddy wa
ter, which formed a compound that
will not find very ready sale. Mrs.
Kings chickens, being raised near the
creek, were able to swim, and escaped
a watery grave.
Mr.. j. j. Bryant informs us that the
rainstorm, last Monday evening, work
ed considerable damage to the farmers
bordering on Bear Creek, for two miles
above Sulphur Spring. Mr.. Cooper and
Mr.. r. III. OgleYie are heavy losers in
rails. The latter gentleman lost all Of
his water-gates but one. Major STRAIT
ton lost large number of rails, but
Scott Stevens and Mrs. Maj. Leftwich
sustained the greatest damage. The
creek washed two hdndred panels Of
fence for Scott. That portion of the
plowed fields which the water washed
over, will not produce anything this
year. Mrs. Leftwich, who has been
living within a hundred yards of Bear
Creek for forty years, says 1t was higher
last Monday evening than she ever saw
it before. Large stones, seemingly al.
most impossible to move, were carried
some distance, so strong was the current
OF the creek
Bill Tucker tells us that the freshet
in Flat Creek did more damage, proba-
bly,, thar along any other creek in the
county. River men have always con-
sidered this creek the swiftest and most
terrific when it Ia up, of all the creeks
that empty into Duck River. The wa
ter came down like tornado, and car
ried horses, hogs, mules, wagons, COWS,
miles of fences, and everything else that
came in it's way. All the land had Just
been broken up, was in mellow, pull
verified condition, and much of it planted
in corn. The creek and its branches
swept all of this loose soil from hundreds
ofacres, down to the bard, unproductive
clay. Vast fields, which before were
fertile and promised an abundant yield,
are now as sterile as an old Virginia red
hill.
At Carter's Creek, the destruction
was great. Hiram Hendley's stable
was washed away and mis- horse drown
ed. The water was up to the windows
of hiS Dwelling. Several houses on
Fountain Creek were carried away by
the rushing torrents.
Kerr & Vaught's mill at Darks Station
was washed away, also alarge lot OF
lumber,
From Spring Hill we learn that they
had a rain such as the oldest tnhRbitant
had never seen the like OF, doing incal-
culable injury to land, fencing, turn
pixies and Railroad. All the fences on
McCutcheon, Enon, and Rutherford
Creeks, have been swept away, and in
places to such an extent, that they can
not be repaired in time to make crop.
Little Bigby got entirely too big for
its banks, and did great damage to the
farms and fences: The All Hanna
place, and several others lying along
the creek, are said to be almost en-
tirely ruined.
Big Bigby drains the cream of Maui
~ county lands, and of course Inn
menss damage was done along its
banks. We understand that M. r. ID.
Ricketts, lost heavily, thousands of rails
having been washed away from his
farm. Major ]. W. s. Ridley thinks his
loss will amount to 5000; Jack Kit
trell lost very heavily; and Esq. Billy
Watkins damages are estimated at
81 BOP or S2o0e. --a .+
Lyle Creek washed SWAY many
cedar rails, etc. A tremendous big tree
was washed down from John B. Pad
gets, and so great was it's forcs, pro-
PEELED by the mad water, that 1t car
ried every foot-log and water>gap on
the creek. DIR. Akin, Gordon Brothers,
J. d. Padgett, w. r. Hodge, Mrs. Jane
0oodiug, and others, are sufferers by
the Aood. .
OVER THE COUNTY.
The "big rain that came dancing to
the earth" washed off all the beautiful
peach tree blossoms.
The report ofthe proceedings of the Cou nty