Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1876-06-23

BRIDGES SWEPT AWAY-THE DAMAGE
IN THE CoUNTRY-A SAW MILL SWEPT
OFF,
SC, &C., sc.
A very heavy and unusually destructive
rain fell in Staunton and its vicinity
through Saturday, commencing about day.
light and keeping it up with heavy spurts
at intervals of two or three hours. In the
afternoon it rained furiously, the result
being that before dark the streets in the
lower part OF the city were flooded. On
New Court House Street the water was
several inches deep flooding the lower floor
of the Virginia Hotel. On Main street
between Market and New streets the wa
ter was several inches deep and the pave
ments were alive with boys and men with
brooms in hand trying to sweep it back
from the stores along the pavement
ALONG LEWIS CREEK
the people began hauling their goods out
of danger, the stream rising so'rapidly, and
so much debris coming down on it, that a
great flood was expected. At Stuart's
warehouses occupied by large mercantile
firms the activity was great A quantity
of unslaked lime in the lower floor OF a.
W, McClure's warehouse was touched by
the rising water and gave signs Of combus-
ton. A number of laborers was put to
work removing 1t, which was done, but not
before some hay and salt that stood near
it was slightly damaged. About 10000
laths belonging to Baker Bros. in a yard
on the edge of the creek were swept off and
might be found for miles down along it's
shores. Irish Alley was partially submerg-
ed and the wagon yard of Mr.. Henry
Wehn was under water. About dark the
POND AT THE FAIR GROUNDS BURST.
About seventy feet of it's bank gave way
and body Of several thousand gallons Of
water started for Lewis creek, a half
mile distant. The wave formed by it was
from two to four feet high and did a great
deal of damage. 1t struck the water works
grounds first, tearing them up some. and
next swept off the old bridge below there.
On the side of the water course it was fol-
| lowing next to Lewis street it struck the
and tearing up his garden: Then it took
the low grounds destroying the garden of
Wayt Il Bro, the garden and fences IF
Capt. Roderick Stubs, portion of John
| B. Evans garden and Robert STATIONS
| garden and fencing. John Fallon's splen-
did market garden was badly damaged and
| thefence washed off. Going still further ON
that side the garden lot of VIM. Summer
son was swept over, that of Henry Summer
son swept over and ten or fifteen feet of the
| brick basement wall of his house washed
down. The lots ofs Thomas Campbell,
Mrs. and Mrs. Mays were submerged
and the fencing torn away.
On reaching Lewis creek the sudden re
ception Of this additional body Of water
carried that stream to its highest point and
in few minutes the bridge crossing to the
rear of O'Toole's stable was swept off car
rying with it the bridge at New street a
| few yards below. The immense body of
water swept on and striking the Y at tie
Valley R. R. depot grounds was turned
into the splendid garden Of the Deaf. Dumb
Il Blind Institution and in a short time
made complete wreck of it, carrying off
the soil and leaving in it's place piles of
rock and sand. Fortunately the session of
the Institution ended in three days and the
scholars were sent home, so the loss will
| not cause so much inconvenience as it 9TH
erwise would.
The pond at the fair ground had been
used for fish breeding, and one result of
| the breaking of the dam was that the
| greater portion of the fish escaped, a large
| number being found scattered in the gar
dens along the route, and to the distance of
| two miles off. In the Institution garden
bass were found twelve inches long There
are enough left in the pond to continue the
breeding from.
SCENES IN THE CITY.
Many residences, especially in the North
ern part of the town, along the water
course followed by the fair pond water,
had two or three feet of water in the lower
stories, and so suddenly that the occupants
fled to the upper story and offered some
very sincere prayers both to Heaven and
their nearer neighbors for aid. Some of
the ladies had to be borne out in the arms
of gentlemen. A good deal of furniture
was ruined floating about, and parlor car
pets were we'll thickened with mud. In
the lower part of the town, in a stone
house near the Institution garden, a num-
Der CT colored people filed the air with
prayers for aid until they were rescued.
THE STORM IN THE COUNTY.
Above Staunton there were generous
and needed rains, but nc serious damage
done. At Fishersville, where there had
been no rain for nearly five weeks, there
was heavy fall, but no flood, nor was
there any flood in the Thinking Spring
neighborhood. Along Long Glade, in
many places, the flood was worse than that
of 1870. Dry River, Naked Creek and
Cooks Creek were all higher than at that
time, and Mr.. Bethuel Herring, an old
citizen, says that in a half century he has
not seen such flood. Mr. Samuel Sim.
mons, living in what is known as the Slate
Hill country, had his clubhouse filled with
flour, &c., and load of corn just ready to
be shipped to Staunton swept off, and a
blacksmith shop of Mr.. Ander was lifted
and turned completely around. Mr.. Sim
mons loss is $500.
The losses were severe along the whole
line OF Naked Creek. at Burktown, on
the macadamized road. the people had to
be removed from their houses on horse
back.
The storm came from the south. and
took northwest course from Staunton.
taking two Oh three miles on either side of
the Mt. Scion road. Parnassus and Churco-.
vile did not experience it's effects. A.
Spring Hill the heaviest of the water fell
about SHUTDOWN, and at Major Marshall