The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1875-08-09
DESTRUCTIVE FLOOD.
GREAT GATHERING OF THE
WATERS.
Immense Loss to the Farmers.

It isa sad fact, of which the people
of this region do not need to be re.
minded, that on tho ID inst, our
country was visited With freshet, the
like of Which is unknown to the Oldest
inhabitant. Tho long continued rains
bad already inflicted serious loss upon
the farmers. aud hopes wcro being en-
tertained that the people would recover
from tho damage Of the fre,het Of a
week previous, when at once their
hopes were blasted, and they were left
in worse condition, probably. than
ever before. As is well known, there
had been little else but rain during
the latter part of July. The ground
was soaked with it, and could hold no
more. On the LIST inst, the rain GANG
harder, and was general. Nearly all
night on the 1st, and oil day on the
second, it poured down as il tho flood
gates Of heaven were opened. The
river began to raise with unexampled
rapidity, until at night the river, in
many places, was over its banks, and
the lower part of
TOWN WAS INUNDATED.
Third Street was 4 navigable stream.
The water got up into the houses to
such depth that the parties living in
there had to be carried out in boats or
OH RATS. Furniture was hastily car
ried into the upper rooms, and the fam
lilies scattered out among their neigh.
bcts who lived "up higher" Along
Third Street the water rose to the
depth Of s feet, while in the fields near
| by it was Is and 90 feet.-Communi.
cation with the outside world was al.
most entirely cut off. On the Polk
Creek road tho water was high enough
to swim o horse: on the Clarksburg
pike whale could have dispor.ed him.
self with ease; Town Run presented
perfect barrier to travel on tho eau.
ley Bridge road; while tho Staunton
road, as far as the eve could reach, was
inundated. AS night came on, tho
EXCITEMENT GREW INTENSE,
and if wc arc again to believe "the
oldest inhabitant," we must concur in
| his declaration that Witcher, jenkins,
and Imboden all combined never Gre
ated such terror aud confusion. Bust
ness of all kinds Except the sale Of red
eyc) was almost suspended. The
alarm became moro intense by report
afterwards found to DO withou! foun-
dation) that Barnes Mill had washed
away, and was coming down the river.
Had such been the case, the bridge
near the mill woald have been pushed
away, and it would have been impossi-
bic to have
SAVED TIE BRIDGE
across the river at this place. Scores
of men, with axes and poles, gathered
at tho bridge til, water was then
within few inches of i'll prepared to
cut holes where necessary, add push
under the bridge tho accumulation OF
logs, driis.wood, fencing, &C., that
came down. Dr.. Camden gavc to the
town authorities a largo number of
old rcsiiuum barrels, which were
burned on each side Of the bridge.
The bright glare Of the light over the
vast sheet Of water, tho crowds ofanx-
ious men and women, oil eagerly ask
ing the question:
"IsIT ASY uIsuEa :"
the pouring down Of the rain, and the
crushing and cracking Of logs and
driftwood as they passed under the
bridge, made up scene never to be
forgotten. In this connection severa !
good stories might DO told Of funny iu-
cidents that occurred; but the subject
is BY far too serious matter to joke
about. The imminent danger to all
the fearful loss tho flood would cause !;
and the sentence Of terrible hard times
during the coming winter, which tue
rushing waters pronounced, drove
away from thinking men any desire to
jest.-About . o'clock on tue morning
Of tho ID the water began to fall, and
by daylight all immediate danger was
over. On that aud the day following,
the inhabitants Of "Germauy" 70.
sumed their domicilcs but everywhere
in that region is devastation. Gardens
and fields arc entirely ruined A
thick slime covers everything, and the
stencil is abominable. In town, tho
MOST SERIOUS LOSS
is at John R. Ryan & Co.'S Steam
Taunery, and at Colonel Woodford's
Flouting Mills. The exact amount is
not known at this writing, but it is
very considerable. The loss to citizens
whose houses we're fool,d. is not very
great to each one. but in tue aggre.
gate piles up. TO good round 6su'e.-
The
LOSS TO THE FARMERS
we arc almost afraid to contemplate.
From tue head to the mouth Of the
West Fork comes the tame cry Of ruin
and devastation. What few crops Of
hay and stacks Of grain on the low
lands that were spared by the last
frcshet, urc washed away or ruined by
this one. Scores Of miles Of fcuciug
are gone; and thousands Of dollars
worth of valuable timber and lumber is
lost.-Auother sad view Of tho disaster
is the opinion Of all our physicians that
Il l:-....L III "a aal