The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1877-12-06
THE FLOOD.
FURTHER PARTICULARS OF THE DEsTRUC-
TION-0vER HALF A MILLION SWEPT

TIoN-OvER HALF A MILLION SWEPT
AWAY.
Since our last issue we have been enabled
to collect many interesting particulars of the
great flood which swept over this section
week before last. In many respects it was
unprecedented, and all the more disastrous
from the suddenness OF its rise. Persons
who went to bed late at night, little dream
ing of danger, were awakened by the roar
ing as if of cataract, and the pelting of huge
stones against the sides OF the house.
From numerous correspondents, whose
communications we should like to publish
in full did space permit and whom we thank
most heartily for their kindness, we gather
the following:
In the western part of the county
LITTLE CALF PASTURE RIVER
was two feet lower than in 20, whilst Big
Calf Pasture was from two to four feet
higher. From J. o. Ramsey's 10 Deerfeld
the road has been entirely demolished and
fencing swept away. From Ramsey's to the
county line the road is barely passable, and
from there to Goshen, at places where it ran
near the water, it has disappeared. Mr..
Ramsey estimates his loss at $500, besides
the damage to his mill, which is consider
able. Every one on the river lost hay, corn,
&c. Messrs. B. O. Ferguson and &. S.
Craig lost 1000 railroad ties.
The water was within five inches OF the
railroad bridge over
MILL CREEK,
which empties into the Big Calf at that
point, was four or five feet higher than
ever known Many houses at Goshen
were flooded, the water reaching even the
hotel kitchen J. C. Bell had to take his
horses into the house, and was forced to
move his family to the second story. He lost
eight large hogs, the water having washed
them under his house. On Sunday morning
he took up several planks from the floor in
order to remove the dead hogs, when one of
them was discovered to be alive, and when
he attempted to pull it out it bit him. In
some unaccountable manner it had lived
fou, feet uEder the water and buried in
the sand from Friday until. Sunday evening.
Mr.. Bells loss is heavy and will reach $500
or 5000.
John W. Adams lost $500 in corn, hay,
&c.
The road through Goshen is impossible
except for pedestrians, and it is thought that
it will take at least six months to build a
new road. Panther's Gap is also impassa-
BILE EXCEPT for foot. The loss from Goshen
to and beyond the Baths is immense and
comprehends everything in the low lanGs
along the river.
AT BUFFALO GAP
the damage to the Iron and Steele Compa-
ny will reach $500, whilst to repair, or
rather to rebuild the road will cost several
thousand dollars.
WARM SPRINGS ROAD.
Our correspondent at Stribbling Springs
writes
'sIhe Harrisonburg and Warm Springs
Turnpike Company has sustained the
heaviest loss. A great damage has been
done to the road, fences, &C., in the neigh
bo.hood of Deerfield, to the amount of sew
eral thousand dollars, and OIL the Great Calf
Pasture river, above Deerlield, to Lebanon
Springs, the road has been in many places
much damaged, and at one point washed
away. The bridge at this place over Moi
fett's branch has been washed away with
great damage to fences and. the turnpike
some corn and fodder on this place and Mrs.
Craig's just below was carried off. Messrs.
j. A. and Fielding Whitmore have sustained
the greatest loss, by the branch running
down the road, and then through their flat
lands lin wheat) and making new channel.
The fencing along the creek was washed off
on all points near the stream. Just below
Parnas>us, Mr.. Karicofe and Brother, on
the farE belonging to Mr.. Randolph of Mid
debrook, lost near 100 shocks of corn.
The Turnpike Company's loss on the road
won't be less than some IS to $4,000. The
bridge at Bridgwater was burned by order
of Gen. Jackson during the war. The COM
pany in 81 or 3 rebuilt it at a cost of near
s., 600 and had paid some $4,000 of the debt
on it when the fresllet of 20 carried away
one half Of it. 1t cost the company some
So, 900 to rebuild it, and last year they had
just gotten through paying for the last
bridge, and paid something on the debt Of
the former bridge, when this loss took place.
1t renders the existence OF the company for
the future very doubtful, unless it can Dor
rowAnoney to rebuild it, which the interest
of the lower end of the road strongly de-
mands.
The damage 10 the Road Company,
farms, &C., along the road must DE $4,000
or $1,000 North and northwest of us, on
the upper part OF North river, the height of
water was greater than eve. known. |
suppose the grading OF the Marrow Gauge
Railroad must be nearly washed off,
A correspondent writing from
JENNINGS GAP
says Saturday morning the farmers living
along the l'ie of this branch, looked upon
perfect wreck. Corn and other crops swept
away, fencing all gone, and, worst of all,
their lands terribly washed and disfigured.
To give the aggregate loss of our people
living along this stream from this point to
its mouth ii distance of six miles, with any,
thin. like accuracy would be difficult to do,
but to assist in your laudable efforts to make
up a record of this destructive flood, III
mention the prominent sufferers, and esti-
mate their losses as nearly as possible. In
Jennings Gap, the fencing swept away,
gardens and lots damaged, say $500; S.
Brown Allen, with one mile OF botto m land
exposed to the branch. fencing swept away,
land badly damaged and crops lost, say
1000; Thomas Sanderson and Miss Rachel
Armstrong, fencing lost and land damaged,
$500; Thomas A. English, fencing lost and
land damaged, 5000; Thos. NJ. Huff, fenc-
ing lost and land damaged, $500; Silas
Huff, fencing, corn and fodder lost and
land damaged, $500; Gideon and Thomas
Smith, fencing lost and land damages, $500 !;
In Churchvile, damages to lots, gardens,
buildings and fencing lost, $500; Thomas
B. Evans and Christian Bear, in fencing
lost and land washed, $500; Fl. B. Seig,
crops and fencing lost and land damages,
81 700 David Seig, fencing lost and land
waShed S050. Thomas Rondahush fancino