The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-04-22
The Floods in Tenncs.cc.

For the past ten days or two weeks the
experiences OF the people living along the
shores Of the Cumberland, the Stone. and
the Duck rivers have been in terror, an
Niety, and loss. Almost similar condi-
ton of affairs has prevailed among the
jewellers on the Tennessee at some local
tics, although in their case the authorization
has so tar proven worse than the reality
AT this point the Cumberland has declined
between three and four inches to the ioy of
the people, hundreds OF whom for the last
week have been driven from their houses
in two-scorc streets or more, and are still
unable to occupy them. 1t is estimated
that the freshet here has made homeless
more than 200 families leaving out of the
question the privations suffered by hun
drcds OF others, who, prefering to remain
in their dwellings, have been compelled to
take shelter in the upper rooms from the
rising flood. There has been. of course,
much direct damage inflicted on merchants
and private individuals by the invasion of
their premises by the waters and the storm
together; but the principal evil effects of
the flood and the rain-falls in Nashville are
found in the main in the personal incon-
fence that has been suffered by citizens
ana by those resiue near the city,
most of whom. because of the wide
extent Of the flood in almost every di-
rection around Nashville have been una
bic to come to town for the past few days.
Looking up the river from the outskirts
the eye meets long dreary vista of waters
spreading on either side, as if the channel
of the Cumberland had suddenly widened
into great lake. AT intervals rises the
top of submerged house or tree. In the
city, among the streets that lie under the
water and along the river bank, an I'M
natural stiffness prevails, and dug-outs and
canoes do service. The mails have suf
tercd serious delays, and for few DAYS
there was much trouble with the trains on
the railroads leading to the city, What
has been said above of Nashville is true
also of Edgefield, across the river.
a dispatch from GAINESVILLE says that the
Memphis, GAINESVILLE and Louisville road
is under water at Palmyra, ten miles below
that town, to the depth of three or four
feet, stopping the trains. Arrivals on
Friday by steamer from Paducah report
very distressing state of things down the
Cumberland. In many places fences have
been swept away for long distances along
the river, and the boiling river is full Of
debris, the wrecks of farmers fields.
The llolston at Knoxville has become
swollen with therest and has done its share
in the general destruction. A loss of about
IS, 900 has resulted from the flood in that
city to the corporation through the sweep
ing away of bridges, and to merchants and
others whose establishments were situated
on the creeks within the limits of the town.
The news from KnoXpille Monday night,
says that the sun was shining bright
ly, and the river had fallen about four feet
and was declining rapidly. On Monday,
Tuesday and Wednesday last the rain fell
in such quantities at Shelbyville, on Duck
river, that the stream overran its banks,
with disastrous effect to bridges across
creeks in the vicinity of the town and to
the town itself. A large part of the town
was under water, as was a considerable
district beyond and around it. A great
many families left their houses in consc-
quenCe.
The flood in Stone River Valley has for
tunately not been as bad as it might have
been, at least so far as is yet known. A
pouring rain fell all night Tuesday, but it
stopped there, and thus Murfrecsboro' was
preserved from worse inundation than did
lower portions of many houses were filled
with water. At Chattanooga on Thursday
the river rose nearly two feet in six hours.
but no danger of "A flood was apprehended
at that place. There is no satisfactory
knowledge of the losses to farmers by these
floods but ii is believed to be immense.