The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-06-22


we receive accounts of the great destruc-
ton to the grain crops especially. Wheat
oats and other small grains were just har-
vested, and the damage is quite extensive
from the fact that much of it has sprouted
in the shocks and is considered almost
worthless. Such portions as were not har-
vested have been blown to the ground, and
only small quantity will be saved there
from. The bottom lands were overfowed
to such an extent that in many instances
their culture for this season will besentirely
abandoned, while the uplands Sares washed
to terrible extent, and great gullies were
made by the foods of water bursting
through the hillside bitches. Hundreds Of
bushels of grain has become q total loss:in
being carried away by the surging waters
which over1owed the fields. In every inn
aginable way the feshet has inflicted dam
age and loss upon the farmers, which will
aggregate thousands of dollars and impov-
erish our citizens to fearful extent.
The interruption Of the mails and the
unfrequent means of communication with
remote localities prevents a full statement
of the actual destruction which is known to
exist in every neighborhoed. The farmers
are too busy in saving the remnant of their
grain crops and repairing damages to fen
cling for them to visit our town, BY which
we might learn the particulars from each
locality. But we have gathered such in
formation as was attainable, and herewith
append the main items of damage to mills
and bridges which are reported up to this
time.
Wilson's bridge over the Saluda River,
near the town of WILLIAMSON, was swept
away by the freshet. The mill-dams Of
Messrs. j. G. ]. R. Wilson and Dean, on
Big Greek, are Likewise destroyed. Martin
V. Barkley's mill-dap on Grove Creek, in
Gresnyille County, formerly known as Sui
livan's mill, is also gone. The mills of T.
W. Anderson, near Wilson's; bridge, are
damaged TO some extent. Our correspon-
dent at Williamson writes that the crops
on Big Creek bot toms are almost an entire
loss, and that the wheat and oat' crops in
that vicinity, which were unusually fine
prior to the freshet, are now in a sprouting
condition in the fields: One crop of wheat
threshed by Messrs. C. E. Horton & Son on
Monday last resulted in only one-fourth
being regarded merchantable, while the
remainder was classed almost worthless.
Cooley's bridge over the saluda was only
slightly damaged, although it has been ru.
mored that this elegant structure, which
cost Greehville and Anderson Counties
about $46Os, was carried away. But VIC
are grati6ed to state, upon reliable authori.
ty, that the only damage was the washing
away of the embankment made of rocks
and dirt, which interrupted travel for the
time being. 1t was also reported that Dun.
hams bridge went down the river, but this
proves mistake, as it remains intact. :
The bridge over Three-and- Twenty at the
Pendleton Factory is reported gone, and
other bridges IN that direction ;oyer small
streams we're swept off The bridge over
Deep Creek and Earle's bridge over the
Seneca are all right at this time, although
the former was slightly disabled during the
freshet but we believe that communication
hasbeeu uninterrupted with that portion Of
the County. The bridge over Broadway
Creek at Prevost's mill was n.such a con-
dition that the public were warned against
crossing, resulting from one of the benches
being moved by sthe high waters. Alto
gether, the citizens of Anderson are to be
congratulated upon the, meagre loss in
bridges compared to former freshets, espe-
cially when it is known that the money
raised for the construction and repair OF
bridges was nearly exhausted before the
freshet. The substantial character of the
work done prevented greater loss ip some
Instances, we have no doubt, and it is truly
fortunate that there are no very heavy ex-
penditures required upon bridges beyond
repairing, which would entail deficiency
tax upon the people. -.-,-,--, -y
The railroads met with the severest losses
in our County. Besides the fearful catas-
trophe at the Broadway trestle, on the
Anderson Branch, there was considerable
damage on the Blue Ridge Railroad, about
seven miles from Anderson, near Birds
Crossing. The trestle over Steele Creek is a
total loss, from the fact that the bed of the
stream was washed out several feet in depth,
and it will require an entirely new trestle
to enable trains to pass over it. In two or
three weeks the structure will be replaced,
we understand, when train will be put
upon this end of the line for the accommo-
dation of the public. At present the mails
and passengers for Walhalla, Seneca City
and other points in that direction will be
carried in hacks.
We are informed that Wilson's bridge,
in floating down the Saluda River, struck
the middle span of Cooley's bridge and was
broken in twain. The debris went on down
to Erwin's bridge and carried that structure
with it. This was a severe test of the
strength and solidity of Cooley's bridge,
and proves that it is a substantial piece of
work.
The damage to the Greenville and Colum-
bia Railroad below Ninety Six has preyen-
ted any regular trains from Columbia since
last Saturday. Between Aston and Colum-
bia the washes were inconsiderable, but the
water overfowed the track in the Broad
River bottoms, and trains we're not run.
ming until Tuesday, when communication
was opened between Columbia and Helena.
The track along the bottoms Of the Saluda