Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-03-05
THE FLOOD.
Jasper Under Water, and Citizens Fly
ing Before the Waste of waters
N"ihinG Like Ht Seen I'm the sequatcbie
valley since Is6z-DestrucIiOn eT
Valuable Property.


nashville Banner.
I JASPER, Tenn, February p, 1S75.-
| The flood is upon this place and the citl-
zens are retiring before its steady sp-
| prOach On Thursday morning last the
water backed up from the Tennessee
river came stealing in on the southern
I side of the square, admonishing the in
habitsnts that trouble was upon them,
and in less than al hour after breakfast
many were fleeing from their homes to
higher grounds, Later in the day the
water began to lap around the depot
foundations, and Mr.. Thompson
promptly loaded the train with freight
and moved out TO high position to-
ward Bridgeport. 1t was well he did,
iOr in very few hours the steadily ris-
ing water closed over the railroad, max
ing egress impossible. The locomotive,
train and depot fixtures are now stand
ing about one mile from Jasper, near
Mr.. HOgue's place, probably safe. Con-
ductOr Taylor made an effort to run out
to Bridgeport OH Tuesday morning, but
the road was so cut to pieces near
Beene's culvert that it was impossible
to pass with the train. himself and
several others walked to Bridgeport
through torrents of rain and delivered
the mail, since which time there has
been no communication from here with
the outside world.
Just at this hour twelve o'clock NJ.
Saturday. the water is three feet
in the courthouse, and pushing the citi-
zens from the north side of town, and
still rising about one inch per hour. No
danger to life is apprehended, for the
ground gradually rises north Of town TO
the Cumberland mountain, which is
about two miles distant. Every body has
had ample time to save their movable
property, though some, 10th to believe in
80 great rise, were hurried up q little in
the last hours.
The water is now in every business
house in the place, and probably two.
thirds Of the residences. Sumo Of the
merchants are moving out entirely, and
others moving up Oh their top shelves,
deeming them safe. In nearly all of the
twO-story dwellings the families are Oc-
cupying the upper floor, preferring this
to troublesome moving.
Various opinions exist as to the hight
the water will reach, all being based
upon the amount Of snow in the noun
tains. The 1867 rise is variously dis
cussed, and speculation does not at all
agree as to whether this one will reach
it. In that year the water stood nine
feet in the cOurthOuse-the highest rise
ever known in Jasper.
The sound Of the saw and hammer is
heard Ill every carpenter-shOp still out
OF water. Boat building is the order of
the day, as many as thirty being already
afiOat on the streets.
The novelty of their situation has
brought out many excursion parties,
to ho. NOll
ing "gOOd times.n Older citizens and
rejecting, probably, upon the damage
they are liable to sustain. This will, Of
course, be considerable in the aggregate,
but will fall with moderation upon the
citizens individually, as they have had
time to remove or secure all destructa-
ble personal property. Further than
the mud and slime, washing up of
shrubbery, injury of wall paper, plast-
erlng etc, incident to backWater floods,
l do not think that Jasper will be dam
aged greatly.
The sprightly Valley Herald, with the
genial Baker at the helm, is in too deep
water for issuance, though he does not
intend to be drowned C',t-tOo "gritty"
for that. He has stemmed too strong o
current of obstacles to be sunk in little
back-water. Baker deserves big success,
and means to attain it.
The following merchants and business
men have had to back out, or back up,
from the back-water: Crsighead's hotel,
Jasper hotel, Deakins & Anderson, A. A.
COppinger, the postOffice, II. G. Blan-
sett, Mitchell on the corner, and the op-
posite brick store, s. B. Deakins & Co.,
DIR. Hall, Jesse rhatch, saddler; Bridg-
man, DR.. Alexander and family, and
young Brown, lawyer. This is about the
list on the square, with whom many Of
your Nashville merchants are doubtless
acquainted"
AS to the valley above, my infOrma-
ton is meager enough. Much heavier
damage will be sustained uD that way.
1 have heard that a saw mill, manufac-
turing mill, and all the bridges on Little
Sequatchie have been swept away. The
same in regard to the bridges OF Big Sc
qustchie, with much damage to farms
il fencing, etc. Communications from
that way is entirely cut off. The roads
are rendered impossible to anything but
a nimble-footed pedestrian.
Papers would sell well here now,
everybody is anxious to know about the
flood.
Young Hyde, of Hollins, Murray &
Co., and ScOvel, Of RosebaDk nurseries,
are water bound he-s. Their friends
need not be uneasy about them, how.