Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-03-19
A TERRIFIC CLOUD-BURST.
The Northern Part of Lincoln
County Devastated.
Damage TO the Extent of $780,
600 Sustained.
Fa1sttcrlue Ernress.

Fayetteville Express.
The most terrific and destructive rain and
hail storm ever seen in this part OF the
State, visited the northern and northeastern
portions Of this county Sunday morning
last, at about eight O'Clock. A black and
Ominous line Of clouds swept over a fertile
and productive strip Of country twenty
miles long and five wide, delUging the
earth with torrents Of water and showers Of
hail. If the reservoirs Of heaven had been
suddenly undermined, the floods could not
have descended with greater force and fury.
In a few moments the creeks and water
courses were swollen to frightful proper
tons, and the mighty rush Of water spread
terror among the inhabitants. Barns,
dwelling-hOuses and fences were swept
away and sheep, cows, horses aud
mules suddenly engUlfed in the raging
food. s. n OTTis creek rose fifteen feet in
twenty minutes and a wall Of water five
feet high, OyeIspread with q layer Of hail
fifteen inches thick, swept down that
stream into Elk river, with a rushing, roar
ing sound, that excited general cOnsterna-
tiOn. East and West Mulberry and Cane
creeks, over which the storm extended,
were equally swollen, and the river at this
place was gOrged with immense quantities
Of drift-wCOd hurled iniO it by It's raging
tributaries. The village Of Oak Hill,
where the storm ragged with great fury, suf-
fered heavily. The creek at that point
rose with frightfuI ra2idity, and swept away
everything in its course. The water shot
out from the banks into the middle Of the
stream and spOuted up TO the height Of
twenty or thirty feet. The steam saw mill
nm hi aeeu- Nurrl1 md -lnHnh 1sEa-
ally washed away, the heavy engine being
swept from its bed and moved some dis
lance by the CuTrent. The building was
carried of and nothing saved but the ma
chineTy, and that in q damaged condition.
The proprietOrs estimate their loss at
$1,000. Stone x RO5iusOn's Touring mill
was badly damaged, the piping being en-
tirely washed away. The building was
saved by knocking in the doors and allow
in the water to pass through the lower
story; otherwise it would have been
swept away. Mr.. JEFF. N. Stone, one Of
the pTOprietOTs, who was in the mill at the
time the storm occurred trying to move
some -four from tie lower 10 the upper
floor, made a narrow escape, WheA the
food struck the building, 10y leaping into
the water and swimming to the shore.
Mr.. ". +. Cole was tue heaviest sufferer,
being damaged to the extent Of $, 800. He
lost his barn, stables, cribs Cthe latter Cur
tanning large amount Of p-Ovenier), a
wagon and buggy, ana about one thousand
yards Of good rock fencing. The dwelling
house Of Mr.. Josiah Armstrong immeIi-
ately in the village, was swept away and
{ h family barely escaped with their lives.
They lost everything and were consequent
ly left in very destitute circumstances; but
We are glad TO learn that their unfortunate
condition has not escaped the notice Of the
charitable, and that substantial aid is being
extended them by their neighbOrs, as well
as the citizens Of Fayeteviile. MsssTs.
Stone & Robinson, who are themselves
heavy losers by the food, were aIuorE the
first TO offer 1Ir. Armstrong assis. auce,
agreeingtO furnish him with breadstufs
for year. 1t affords us pleasure to chroni-
Gle such a remarkable instance Of beneyO-
lence,
Mr.. John Moore was unfortunate enough /
to lose 1900 feet Of select lumber, valued |
at SEQ.
Mr.. Willie Llndess, whOlives above Oak |
Hill, lost a valuable mule, which was car
ried of By the food and thrown out Of the
creek in front Of the village.
Mr. Geo. Whitaker lost seventeen sheep |
and forty hogs, and Mr.. Hugh TomisOn |
eight head CT fine csttle.
The farmers suffered dreadfully, and it |
Is almost impossible to estimate the dam
age done to the agricultural interests Of the |
county. The storm spent Its fury on the /
country lying along East and West Null
berry creeks. A tremendous volume of ]
water fell there, and the shower Of hail is
described as terrific, some Of the stones
being as large IS hen eggs. The
two streams mentioned rose to a
plOdigiOus height, submerging farms,
sweeping away HOUSES and fences, and
drowning large numbers q horses, mules,
sheep and hogs. The waters subsidized as
rapidly as they had risen, and bushels Of
fish were thrown out on the banks to be-
ZONE the prey of men and boys who forgot
heir own misfOrtunes to indulge in the
exciting sport of capturing the unfortunate
Of the funy tribe.
The damage done 90 the farmers living
n the neighbOrhOOd of these streams is in
,alcUlable. Many Of them are literally
iuined. Their landSare so badly washed |
IS 10 be almost unit for cultivation, and
numbers Of them utterly despair of max
I 9 crop.
We are only enabled 20 give tie names
# few of the sufferers in that section.
Mr.. William Thomson, who lives on a
Ork of West Mulberry, lost several fine
iOrses, and Mr.. LOdwick Robinson, a valu-
.ble colt.
Mr.. John Cauaear's distillery, on West
above Bonneville, was washed
way ard s. barrels Of whisky consigned
0 the food.
Mrs SteelmaD, a widow living in the |
anne neighbOrhOOd, lost her smOke-hOuse, |
about $500 worth Of meat.
Mrs. PARKS, another widow, suffered !
ieagily in the item Of fencing, losing over |
tx hundred panels, valued at as many
ol'ars.
!. The storm was very severe IN the yicini-
: Of Lyncbburg, aui we hear Of a eat
cal Of damage done i'm thar direction.
Col. Hughes bonded warehouse Ie.r
bat place succunbed 20 the food, and 10 /
arrels Of whisky accompanied it on the
Oyage. Ninety barrels Of the invigOratiDg
Iice have been recovered, but all Of them, {
is feared, are badly watered. 7
The Cane creek country did not escape c
be terrible visitation. In the neighbOr- I
God Of Talley's store the rainfall was ire {
lendOus, AID the hail literally pelted the / r
ark from the trees. A spring branch in
nat locality, which is. usually no wider b
nan a hat-band, assumed the proportions | e
a full grown river, and swept away hun
reds Of yards Of fencing. A gentleman
wing in that vicinity tells US that the
ater at one time was twelve inches deep 0
J his yard, and that the hail drifted up in
.eces TO the depth Of six feet.
As we said before, II is almost impossible,
st uOW, to estimate the damage done in
rs county by the storm; but well posted
sntleman, who have the means of know =
e, think it will not fall short Of $4,000. ! y
The wheat crop is badly injured in the I.
calities mentioned, and the hail played N
lvOc with the fruit trees. y
The region Of country visited by the >
0rm is very fertile and productive, and it 81
Inhabited by some Of our best farmers, v
hose misfOrtunes at this juncture must be
Earded as public Calamities. We had no u
in Of consequence in Fayetteville, on .
e eventfUl morning mentioned, and the
yer was falling when The sudden rise @
me down. The copiOus offerings Of its al
lbutaries soon caused it to rise rapidly, CO
,Weyer, and the great quantities Of mud By