Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-02-26
THE RUSH OF WATERS.
Damaging Floods Reported South and
East

LGlea
bridges GA the Western and Atlantic
Road GOBe-A Vile OF Track washed
Away - Chattanooga in Danger Of
OVernOw-TrOubIe on the East Ten
nessee, virginia and Georgia Road
Odd Prebs. Predicting u Rapid Rise
at NashyiIIe-Easf Tennessee Flood
ed and Knoxville Threatened-Dis-
astrOus News from all Directions.
Maj. Geo. c. Conner, agent at Chatta-
nO0ga Of the Western and Atlantic Rail-
road, is at the Maxwell House, and had
telegraphic communication yesterday with
his subOrdlnates in regard TO the appre-
hended food at Chattanooga. He stated
that al the date of his latest adyic the
river was within seven feet Of the level Of
Market street. Three bridges on the
Western and Atlantic Railroad, over Chica-
manga creek, two near CatOOsa Springs
and one near Ringgold, and about a mile
of track in the same vicinity, had been
washed away. He telegraphed orders to
put all the freight in the depot at Chatta-
nOoga into cars and to keep the engines
fred I'D IN readiness TO move il to elevated
ground, in case of danger.
1t was also stated by Mai. Conner that
the East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia
Railroad had been building a new bridge
at Charleston, across the Hiawassee, and
using temporary structure in the mean
time, and that the latter had been washed
away, which will seriously interfere with
business on that road.
The conditions this year in upper East
Tennessee and North Carolina and Virgil
MIA are very similar to what they were in
1867, the year of the big food, but the rain
has not lasted so long as it did then-seven
DAYS: hence, We believe that the appTe-
tensions of a food will not be realized.
Our own river is rising fast and Old
PrObs sends notice of still more water:
WASHINGTON, Feb. p, p. MA. g.
Ford. Signal Service Observer, Nashville:
Notify the press that a rapid rise IS expect
ed in the river at Nashville.
II w. HOWGATE.
Wednesday night there was a land slide
on the South and North road a short dis
lance this side Of Culman's Station. The
passenger Train due in this city at 1880
Thursday morning will not arrive till4:zO
A. NJ. to-day.
There was break in the Memphis and
Charleston road between Stevenson and
Decatur.
The passenger train on the Nashville and
Chattanooga road, which left here at s \.
NJ. Yesterday went as far as COwan and re-
turned at 7:I5 p. NJ, there having been no
additional damage done 10 the road between
Nashville and that point.
The Southern Express Company will not
receive freights for points beyond COwan
till the break in the road can be repaired.
A portion Of the track Of the Winchester
and Alabama road was damaged near
Decherd.
Il may puzzle some to know how food
at this point can be predicted from Wash
incton. The Signal Service Bureau has,
We suppose, observers within reach Of the
head-waters Of the Cumberland, and the
unusual smounts-of rain which has fallen
in that region, recently, would certainly
Justify the conclusion that there will be
a big swell here before long.
Since the above was put in type, we have
received the following:
At three O'Clock yesterday afternoon the
Signal Service gauge showed the river TO
be TWEEN v-four feet above low water mark
and rising fast.
Special 70 The Union and American.
CHATTANOOGA, Feb. 70, $50 \. Mo
serious damage in this city f1om the storm
is reported.
Tie riyer is now higher than since 1867,
though about twelve feet below the high
water mark Of that year, and rising al the
rate of seven inches per hour.
There IS considerable excitement in the
exposed portions of the city and people are
mO7ing their household effects TO safer
points. All the depots and warehouses are
being cleared Of freight, in anticipation Of
IN overflow.
Three bldges and q half-mile Of track
are gone on the Western aud Atlantic road,
aud bridge over the Hiawassee, and sew
elal culyerts on the East Tennessee, Nir-
cinia and Georgia road. A train on the
Western and Atlantic road is cut of and
the passengers are having a lively time
fOragilg on the country.
On the Memphis and Charleston road,
the bridge over Crow creek has been swept
away and a large eXteu. Of country IS
under water.
The Alabama and Chattanooga road is
also badly damaged.
We had no trains yesterday CThursday)
from any quarter.
Dispatches from Knoxville report dis
astr0us floods, the river being higher than
has been know for years. At Knoxville,
the water is only four feet from the mark
OF 1861, and rising al the rate Of SIX inches
per hour
In the mountains east Of Knoxville more
snow has fallen than for eight years past,
and fears are expressed that the present
floods are but the beginning Of disaster.
Mills and bridges are being swept away in
every direction.
The gas-works at Knoxville are already
flooded.
Atkins mill, at Knoxville, and Hewitt
* Chapman'S mill, at Ringgold, Ga, are
both gone.
The losses everywhere are said to have
been very heavy, but it will be impossible
to tell how great until the waters suOside.
1t is believed by the people Of Knoxville
that they viii have higher water than in
1867. Here, we are making all possible
preparation for the worst, so that if the
town should be flooded the damage could
hardly be as great as that caused by the
food Of eight years ago.
To the Associated Press
KNOXVILLE, Tenn, Feb. 25-The river
is forty feet above low water mark, and
is rising rapidly; mills and bridges swept
away in all directions. More damage ap-
pretended.