Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1876-04-06

vi OHc SIZE OF Inc faVlne Tie &atelS
tore. The largest trees were twisted
around ike straws, pulled up by their
roots and carried onward. down the
drain- The food tore out everything in
the ravine, and rushed onward, toward
the highway below.
I A large barn was taken uD bodily
and carried about fifty feet, when il
struck tree and was broken into
pieces. Next was Geo. W. Olrey :
dwelling house, one Of the finest in the
village. The rushing mass struck this
broadside, and completely cleaned cut
the rear and flont walls. The ends
stood and supported the root, under
which the water poured in solid
stream twenty feet high and thirty feet
wide.
I When the dam first broke the gap
was about twenty feet in width. This
increased rapidly after the water had
once gained 3 passage through It, and
continued to increase until nearly The
entire section, which was eighty feet in
width, had been destroyed fhe ravine
being narrow, however, held the water
back, and the water continued to run
for three hours before the reservoir was
exhausted and the worst of the dan ger
at Cherry Valley, the 6rst village enr
countered, was over.
A COTTAGE wHlRLINa IN TIE FLOOD.
A small coltage-house stood on the
opposite aide of the road from Mr..
Olney's. This was taken up whole,
whirled around on the surface like a
top for a while, and then down with
the water, Three or four other small
dwelling-hoases were taken up and
borne along until they crashed together
and snnk out of sight.
I DOWN TEE yAILIy.
Tho waters from the reservoir now
reached Kettlehronk, and the vast
amosnt Of water swept ACROSS 3 pond,
struck q line beyond and was turned
down towards Cherry Valley, James
vile, Leesville, Shorevills and New
Worcester. J. A. Smith & Cos
wooden mill stood at the head Of this
pond. In front Of it was dam which
had withstood many severe test, but
crumbled under the immense pressure
brought upon it and gave away.
MILLS DESTROYED.
The waters of the pond were added
to the already uncomfortable mass. The
lmlll a substantial brick structure, was
next struck aud crumbled. A short
distance away was the Bottolnly mill,
operated by A. u. Smith. This was
wooden structure, about fifty feet
square, and stood below draw which
held the waters of pond above, When
the water struck this it gave way, and
the waters of the pond served to still
further increase the vast amount which
was already sweeping destruction before
! it.
The mill was next struck and lifted
bodily to the top of the rushing mass,
andon it was swept to terrific rate,
whlliug and turning in all directions
unit it struck Ashworth & Jones mill.
This was the best mill on the stream,
and one of the best in the county. 1t
waA substantial brick structure, four
stories high, with an L for boiler
house. The Bottomly mill struck this
L with terrific force, knocking it to
pieces. The Bottomly mill was de,nol-
tished by the shock. The boiler-house
of Ashworth b Jones's mill was ruined
in an instant, and one end Of the main
structure was swept away. The boiler
was taken up and carried along.
TERRIFIC EXPLOSIONS.
Soon an explosion was heard above
the roar Of the flood, and stream Of
water was thrcwu several feet above
the surface of the current. Another
explosion followed, aud another until
five had occurred, and the boiler wss
blown to pieces.
PERILOUs ADVENTURE.
The next object encountered was the
highway to RosheG.le. Hero the food
struck a small bridge just as q man
named John Kreel and . resident Of
GAINESVILLE, was crossing. He, with his
team, was seized by the food and
swept onward A short turn in the
stream threw Mr.. Krsel into shallow
water, and he was rescued by those
watching the progress of the food
His horse was drowned and the wagon
broken 10 pieces. At Stoneyill the
dam gave away and the course Of the
food was through narrow valley, and
the roar Of the rushing water was dis
tinctly heard for nearly mile.
A RAILROAD swAMPED.
The food next passed over small
dam on the Boston and Albany rail-
road, Just above the GAINESVILLE depot,
when it approached the track with one
tremendons crash. The railroad ems
hankment gave way, opening . gap
four or FIVE hundred feet long and
twenty feet deep. Just before the
water struck the railroad eiabankment
at GAINESVILLE section Of the stream
forced it's way ON to the line OF the
road, and passing on both sides OF the
depot rushed ten feet high down the
track. The grade being quite steep at
this point new impetus was given the
water, and in its course it lifted the
rails and ties bodily from road bed and
turned them topsy turyeJ for more
than a mile it rushed headlong. At
last lust before reaching the steae arch
bridge at Curtis pond it bored hole
down into the road bed and made a
gap about 80 feet long and 40 or so
feet deep. The water then found its
way into Curtic pond.
| RICHMOND, Va, April a.-Fhaxton
T. Robinson and Jesse Mitchell, young
men highly CONTESTED in Campbell