Pioche daily record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1872-1876, 1873-08-23
LOCAL ITEMS
PHOEBE FLOODED.
Thousands Of Dollars Worth NJ
Property Lost.

VNFy LOST.
yesterday at 4 O'Clock in the after.
noon, an exceedingly heavy storm was
seen approaching from the northwest
1t was first generally noticed at n dis.
lance OF about five miles from town.
sweeping over the plain with more Of the
appearance OF high wall of dense foo
than OF an ordinary rain storm. In less
than ten minutes it reached us. The
SKY began to darken, and it was mecca
sary to use lamps and candles in houses
People walking on the streets began to
hurry. their footsteps, transfers mt
their horses to full speed, and borsemen
spurred on their steeds to obtain a place
OF shelter. Doors and windows were
Closed as protection from the coming
storm, and everything betokened GEN,
erai uneasiness and hurry. First came
few exceedingly large drops of rain.
mingled with hail, which melted as
soon as it touched the ground. Grad
ually the rain fell faster and faster. till
IN lew minutes the air was so filled
with 1t that one could scarcely see farther
than 200 yards. On Main street there
was at first small stream probably two
or three inches deep and foot and
nan wide. This stream increased in
size gradually, until in about ten min
utes the whole width OF the street was
covered with madly.rushing torrent of
wafer :, Hundreds of persons lined the
sidewalks until the rising river forced
them back into the shops, stores and
saloons. Though no clouds could be
seen, the lightning flashed in the sky
almost every moment, and the quickly
following, loud crashing and rolling Of
the thunder told how near to us were the
discharges. Cobblestones, powders
fragments Of rock, old boots and shoes
large and small dry goods boxes, barrels,
planks and scantlings, and whatever ami
mails had CHANGED to get into the stream,
were borne down at an almost incredible
rate OF speed. Every available hand
was at work bailing out cellars and
sweeping the water and hoeing and sboy.
cling the mud from houses and side.
walks, but the task was as vain as that
OF Mrs. Darlington in somewhat SINH.
lar undertaking. Cellars were filed, and
the floors of houses We're covered with
from two to eighteen inches of water,
mud and stones.
TWO STORMS MEET.
Whilst the above described storm was
flooding the lower part of town, another
was coming in an opposite direction.
The two storms met not far FROM the
American Flag mine. The amount of
water said to have fallen there was enor-
nous. 1t was SO great that some even
thought a cloud-burst had occurred.
Bowlders weighing over two hundred
pounds were carried down with the
stream. The No. shaft of the Meadow
Valley Company is reported by the miners
who were forced to leave it to be full of
water to the eighth level, about $50 feet
from the bottom. Miners came to the
surface thoroughly wetted, and far more
frightened than wet.
THE DAMAGE.
The damage is almost commensurate
with its canse. Among the few who
have given us rough estimates of their
losses are Ashim Il Bros, dry goods and
general merchandise, 1000 to $4,000;
A. Flynn, boots and shoes, 80, 500; NJ.
Wilcox, boots and shoes, $1,000 to
$4,000; Colman d Tyler, Capitol Sa-
loon (cellar broken in), 1900; H. Fren-
denthal, bakery, $500.
This would make total, in round
numbers, OF $4,000 lost to business
men alone. But this does not at all
give an adequate idea of the damage.
Chinatown seemed to be almost ready to
float away. On the lower side of Main
street the water passed through the Chi
nese deus from front doors to back, and
corrals and hogpens were burst through,
and the fences carried off. Many of the
residences on McCannon street, on
Meadow Valley street, and all the smaller
streets back of it on the side OF Spring
Mountain, on Davis street, and other
localities, were also flooded. Water,
mud, and gravel flowed into them, over
carpets and furniture destroying furs,
silks, etc., to an amount probably greater
than that lost by business men. Kitch-
ems being flooded. and provisions being
destroyed, q greater number than usual
were obliged to go to restaurants for din
ner. But here again was a difficulty.
Many of the restaurants had also been
flooded, and in one case, of which we
know certainly, all but the regular pat
rons were sent away dinnerless.
ACCIDENTS AND INCIDENTS.
Whilst the stream down Main street
was deepest and swiftest, wooden wash
tub was borne rapidly down past the
long lines Of spectators, who cheered it
on its way. Shortly after, another ves-
sci, used for the same purpose. but made
of tin, was seen careering Ger the
wave" near Cronan's store. The
whilom bearer of this one, heather
Chinee," followed his property. His
legs were taken from under him by the
force of the current, and he was soon
floundering in the water. He was rolled
over and over; and at times was CON-
pletely covered, so that several thinking
his life in danger started to save him.
At last, however, he reached the side
walk, and-best of all-he had his tub.
When the storm was at its hight, two
Indians were seen standing statue-like
upon the rocky peak of the high hill to
the east of Lower Main street, seeming
to be in the midst of the lightning that
was continually lighting up the heavens.
They looked down on the destruction
that was going on below them with the
greatest complacency Notwithstanding
what appeared to be their uncomfortable
and even dangerous position.
A large fragment of rock weighing prob
bly, $50 pounds was carried distance of
a hundred yards down Main street by
the force of the current.
Several wagons in the lower part Of
town were lying around the streets after
the storm and owners were looking for
their own, and identifying it when found.
The depth of water in Main street or,
rather, in main river, was at least q
foot.
Many cases are reported in which fam
lilies were obliged to camp" together.