Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1875-08-10
DAMAGE BY HIGH WATERS.

Within the past few days heavy rains have
prevailed, it would seem, over almost half the
inhab:table globe. Commencing in France
early in July, immense foods were caused by
the rapid rise of the Pyrenean rivers, SUBJ
merging the delightful plain that is enclosed
by the chains of the Pyrenese aud Ceyennes
and the arms of the Mediterranean Sea, en-
entailing upon the people of that section
calamity more terrible than which has not
been witnessed this century. Immense floods
are also reported from England At Peter
borough the river Meme rose from fifteen TO.
twenty feet above the ordinary level, and the
rise was so sudden that bedrooms in 4buildines
along the river were flooded. and the sleep
ing inmates barely escaped with their lives.
-Four thousand acres of land were submerged
between Earth and Denburgh, and the same
extent near Whittlesey. Floods are also re.
ported in India
The rainfall in the Ohio and Mississippi
valleys during the past three weeks seems to
have been heavy almost beyond precedent
The destruction among the half harvested grain
In the central aud southern portions of Illinois
and Indiana is said to hayo been fearful
One account tells of a sorry sight indeed, n
swollen river with its surface completely dot
ted with whea. sheaves washed from the fields
In Indiana and Missouri the dismal spectacle
of crops carried off by the rivers has been
seen. In Southern Illinois the corn has been
beaten down and washed out of the hill by the
storms and the ensuing overflow. In Ohio
crops in the field, still standing or in the stack
have been badly injured, and in many cases
swept away. Tho damage by the storms to
the railroads in West Virginia, Southern
Ohio, Indiana aud Illinois has been very se-
rious. The Petersburg branch of the Bal
timore and Oaio road was considerably dam
aged by high water, several bridges were
carried away, and the track in the heavy cuts
obstructed by slides and the washing of en-
bankments. The Cincinnati and Marietta
road also suffered to some extent. The Ohio
and Mississippi, the Vandalia aud the In
diauapolis and St. Louis roads, being all the
roads leading from Cincinnati to St. Louis,
were compelled to suspend running their trains
on account of the unprecedented rise in the
Wabash, White aud other rivers, and the de-
structiOn of bridges and culgerts. The
Wabash is reported to be from three to fve
miles wide at some places. In the Wabash
valley, in Indiana, the damage to property of
all kinds is loosely estimated at Sl2, 900, 600;
In the Western portion of our own State
the destruction is extensive. The town of
Pennington was submerged to the first floor of
the houses Fishing creek, which enters the
Ohio river as New Martinsville, rose until it
was ten feet higher than ,cas eUer hnoon be-
fore Stacks and shocks of grain and hay,
came down that stream in great numbers );
7GO to 800 cords of key wood several hun
dred thousand slaves; thousands of PANELS
of fence; dwelling houses, stones, saw-mills,
out houses, over fifty stand of bees, and all
manner of private property, with bridges, &c,
came down in drifts of vast proportions. The
damage along this stream was estimated at
exceeding 100000