Wilmington daily commercial. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1866-1877, 1875-03-20


FcENE OF WRECK AND RUIN ALONG THE RIVER
NATURE AND EXTENT OF THE ICE aoRoE.
Special Correspondence Of tbs Commercial.
Ponr DEPOSIT, March 10.
The ice floods in the upper Susquehanna
| fr,ed from their mountain fastnesses descended
upon this town, last night, with great destruc
tiveness. During the afternoon dispatch O
warning WAS telegrapeh from Columbia, Al
miles above, and about 730 p. M. the heay,
flood began to rise, passing by the town at
velocity which is variously estimated at from
fifteen to thirty miles per hour, Then many OF
the people, apprehending that the freshet would
pass safely by, gathered upon the wharves and
hillsdes to
| WATCH TIE NoyEL SPECTACLE.
and listen to the deep bass rumblings of the
| massive fields of ice, twelve or fourteen inches
thick as they collided with and ground upon one
| another Their chafng terrible, but yet
attractive to look upon as the moon shea soft
| light over the scene. Soon the whole river was
full, but the ice continued to pass on by with
apparently increasing velocity until towards ten
o'clock, when the current grew sluggish, and
then for the first time realized the fact that
| a lodgment was made at some point below. BY
eleven o'clock all movement had ceased, and
only the dull thud of the colliding fields of ice
was heard above tho town. But previously,
while the ice WAS choking i'll the river in front OF
the town the
MOST AWFUL AND CRASHING SOUNDS
rose above the craunchings of the ice, as the
heavy foes were precipitated with great vio-
lence against the lumber piles and frame build
ngB which stood nearest the wharves. This
spread CONSERVATION among the people, for they
then began to appreciate somewhat of the dan
ger impending, and to prepare for the worst by
removing store-goods and household effects to
the second stories, and out of the buildings upon
n mi al pft rio yprly
they were suddenly interrupted. No sooner had
the ice gorged i'll the channel than the water be-
gan to rise, and in very few minutes tue whole
lower part of the town was inundated. One
gentleman described the rapidity with which the
water rose in the town by saying that during the
time it took him to CROSS the street, the flood
then just entering it, and to rush into building
to remove some article, he found lie was COM
PEELED to wade almost knee deep III returning.
ALI descriptions agree that the
RISE WAS ALMOST INSTANTANEOUS,
though the greatest depth was not attained un-
til about O'Clock, this morning. The water
came in in successive swells first rising to con-
siderable height and then receding, repeating
this operation and increasing with each in-com-
ing wave. Many people were caught within their
dwellings, unable to get out and were remove d
i'll boats from the second story windows. At 4
O'Clock, this morning. both ends of the town
were completely inundated to the second stories
aud throughout the whole length of the town
flooded, with the exception perhaps of one or two
buildings in front OF the hotel, where the ground
seemed to rise. A short distance from either
ride of this the water spread itself over every
thing quite back to the hills. Not less than
ONE HUNDRED FAMILIES WERE DRIVEN OUT
from their homes, but with that real spirit of
Christian sympathy and brotherly affection
which pervades the town, especially in such cri-
ses as this, every homeless wanderer was taken
in by those who were fortunate enough to live
in the high places. No actual suffering was,
The greatest violence by the flood seems to
have been in the upper part of the town, in the
vicinity of Rock Run. Here three frame build
lngs were tloated ON their foundations, and
being struck by the heavy cakes of ice which
forced themselves into the streets in all direc-
lions, were
OVERTURNED AND DRIVEN ACROSS THE STREET
where they are still floating. These houses
were occupied, respectively by Miss Mary Wier
and her mother, William Hines with family of Il
wife aud three children, and Perry Hill colored,
who also had family. The occupants had for
tunately left the buildings before they were
moved. The depot building, above the hotel, is
also thought to have been move ed from its foun-
dation, but it is still upright. The locomotive
house i'll the other end of the town is under wa
ter almost to the top of the doors, and the small
Ter buildings are almost entirely submerged.
Through the streets the
WATER PoURs IN STRONG CURRENTS,
and barrels, boxes, outhouses and debris of all
kinds float on the bosom of the water or lie de-
tanned by some obstruction. Small boats fit
about in all drections conveying the homeless
to the dwellings from which they have been
driven out, and the curious to ali points of in
terest. In the shallow places men arc wading
about in gum boots up to their knees, removing
whatever is not already ruined to more secure
places. feeling of general despondency per-
vades the town business is entirely suspended
except III a few stores near the hotel. The bet
ter classes of the people gravely contemplate
the scene of ruin while another class have given
themselves over to strong drink and revelry even
amid the wreck which stares them in the face at
every turn.
THE suFFERERs BY THE FLOOD.
The lumbermep are the greatest sufferers,
and this being the principal interest of the town
all else will be visibly affected thereby. 1t is
estimated that there were stored in the three
yards of Bond Bros. d Co., j. H. Rowland &
Co. and Davis u Pugh at least $3.50, 900 worth
of prepared lumber, which will be badly dam
aged, not pile being left standing in its origin.
al condition. but much of the stock broken and
damaged. or course all Will not be a total loss.
Jno j. Bucks steam saw mill and the sash fac
tory and planning mill of j. Ii. Pugh 4 Co. are
ii lojed, aud their machinery and much of their
stock will be seriously damaged. The water
stands several feet deep in the Cecil National
bank, but the money and books vera previously
removed. Mr.. Tones private office Ii also
flooded and his fine private desk, worth between
5000 aud 3 !, 900, il overturned and broken. MIR.
Tome park and hot house have also some water
in them but his flowers are not much damaged.
HIS private stables, costing 22,000,
WERE Set ON FIRE.
by the slacking of barrel of lime which was
reached by the water, but the flames were dis
covered in time to avoid contlagraton. The
basement of the Presbyterian and Episcopal
churches are flooded, and the water is several
inches deep III the sabbath school and lecture
rooms of the Centenary Methodist Church. The
following business men will also sus-
tain more or less damage from the ris-
ing of the waters in their stores, &c.
J. j Heckert & Co.; Henry johnson, and Thorn
as Ringgold, both colored grocers Charles Z,
Sisler, baker Casper Mohrlen, the ice man,
who thinks his fine store ID badly injured ; Il.
b. Frazer, dry goods II. @ Nesbitt, d Co.,
grocer4 ii. O. Nesbltt, the largest dry goods
dealer in the town Tome Co., dealers in hay
and grain, whose warehouse which ID used for
this purpose and also for the Baltimore Sus-
guehanna Steam Packet Co., s clogged with ice,
and whose books were not removed Colts
chalk 4 Orr, liquor dealers e. Cornish. restau
rant ~. w. Abrams. general merchandise Jes-
80 Stebbins, grocer and provision dealer whose
horses were removed with difficulty Augusta
Jones and Mrs Eliza Nichols, milliners Rey-
nolds Bros hardware merchants, who also
keep the express office P. ]. Lauter, butcher
E. Brown, dealer in agricultural i'm
plements Colson & Tosh, L Maudn u Co.,
Hugh A. Thompson, Cry goods d. NJ. Rey