Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1876-09-07
I,he Great Rain Storm.

| Host ueetiuclife III Tie history OF
Grant county. A full description Of
its path and records of it's damages
to individuals would fill our paper.
The path of its greatest destruction
appears to be across the middle and
covering half of Grant county from
north to south. 1t was on both sides
of the Military Ridge, overlooking the
streams which put down towards the
Wisconsin as well as the Grant and
Platte and the valleys opening into
them. At Boscobel the Dial gives the
following account:
The water in Crooked and Sander s
creeks, has never been known to be
so high. On Crooked creek, Shows
mill dam was swept out, some of the
bridges were lifted from their abut-
ments and carried for over a mile
down the stream. There is not a
bridge on the stream that is not more
or less damaged. Fences, hog-pens,
chicken coops, wagon boxes, dead
pigs, pumpkins, &C., are lodged IN
fence corners and along the stream.
About twelve o'clock the rise reached
Palmer's trout ponds, covering the
ponds and his whole premises to the
depth of from two to ten feet, doing
considerable damage to the ponds
and Matching house, killing and wash
ing out many of his small trout. AT
the Brewery the water commenced
spreading into the fields and road,
and at one time it was thought Wis.
consin avenue would again be flooded,
and great damage done to cellars and
other property. In Mr.. Gotlieb
Christ's house the water was so deep
that nearly everything had to be
moved out into the street. Several
other dwellings in the upper part of
town were also flooded, aud the furni-
ture &C., more or less damaged.
John Pepper lost eleven hogs, drown
ed, probably worth about 5000.
During the storm, small one-story
house near Mr.. Cowan's residence,
was struck by lightning, but no dam
age done, except tearing up the floor,
ceiling, &c.
The damage to the railroad is quite
extensive. The express train west,
at ten o'clock, after leaving Wood
man, ran into a washout, detaching
three or four cars. No person was
killed or injured. All the slough
bridges and culverts between Wood
man and Prairie du CHEN are washed
ont and the road will not be repaired
so as to permit the running of trains
before Friday or Saturday night.
Mr.. Charley Brown wrote of the
storm at Beetown as follows
Tuesday evening, about 5 o'clock
p. M, the clouds gathered from all
directions, and seemed to center over
Beetown, in one vast black mass; the
people went to their respective homes
only to be awakened about II o'clock
by the heavy rain and rushing of the
torrent, that surged through our vii
lage. Lights could be seen Pickering
from all sides, as the people hurried to
and fro to save their property. One
could see men carrying women and
children to the bluffs pale with terror.
Barns were opened and horses, cat
tie, and hogs, were let loose. Fortu-
nately no one was drowned. Mrs.
the current that one corner and side
fell in. w. q. Wilcox's mill, situated
on Grant river below Beetown was
washed away root and branch, also
the large bridge above the MILL Rit-
ner Stevens met with some loss
After the storm, the heavens south
were red as blood, which proved to
be the burning of Mrs. Lancasters
barn, near Cassville. 1t was struck
by lightning and burned to the ground.
From our correspondent at Millville
we learn the flood was terrible, al
most covering the hollow from hill
to hill and the damage and desola-
ton it has caused are fearful to look
upon. Bridges and fences all gone
and crops washed away. Asususl Mr.
Horsfall is the heaviest loser as his
factory was carried to the head of
Kldd's mill dam, whore it was liter
ally torn to pieces and the carding
machine deposited in the bed of the
creek. Loss, about $1,000. About
one-third of Kidd's dam was destroy
ed, but by turing the water in the
channel used before the dam was
built the mill is still running and
ready to wait upon customers. In
the meantime tho dam will be re-
placed as expcditiously as possible,
when the mill will be prepared to
turn out work with its usual capacity
Further down the stream we find
Creager's saw mill and machine
shop ruined and dam gone. In the
hollow leading from Mt. Hope, Goans
house was carried away from it's
foundation and set down in the barn
yard several rods distant. The frame
addition to Norman Washburn's
house was torn from the main build
ing and lodged against tree about
rod distant and the aged couple who
were alone were obliged to wade to
the barn where they remained until
daylight relieved them, Their fine
spring house was destroyed and con-
tents taken, no one knows where.
The sympathy of tho community is
especially with Mr.. Horsfall whose
previous serious losses are fresh in
their memory Whether he rebuilds
or not depends upon the condition in
which be finds his machinery in.
The Witness has similar accounts
of the destruction around Platteville.
Every mill dam in that part of
the county is torn out or damaged.
Cheever's and Virgins woro nearly
all carried away. Tho powder mill
was damaged to tho amount of ST.
900. Mr.. Basis wooden mill dam
YVES washed out, and all the bridges
to the north and west are swept