The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-11-26
STORM AND FLOOD.
Extraordinary Rise Of the James
River at Richmond.
THE LOWER TOWN SUBMERGED.
Several Costly Bridges Broken
and Carried Away.
ROW BOATS BUSY IN The STREETS
Immense Losses Sustained by the
Flood Throughout the State.
THE POTOMAC STILL RISING.
An Increase Of Nearly Thirty Feet at the
Harper's Ferry Gorge.
RAILROAD TRAVEL INTERRUPTED.
Farming Property and the
Telegraph Destroyed.
Immense Losses Sustained by the
Flood Throughout the State.
THE POTOMAC STILL RISING.
An Increase Of Nearly Thirty Feet at the
Harpefs Ferry Gorge.
RAILROAD TRAVEL INTERRUPTED.
Farming Property and the
Telegraph Destroyed.

Telegraph Destroyed.
(BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD
RICHMOND, va, Nov. 25, 1877.
AZ was predicted In the HERALD this morning, tho
damage done by the ireshet has exceeded anything
known here. Notwithstanding all precautions taken
last night the desrructveness OF the great rush Of
water on Richmond has exceeded anything ever
known in Virginia About twelve O'Clock last night
The water gradually The streets Of the lower
part OF the city At two O'Clock A. n. It was up to
The second stories Of many houses and was pouring
into Main street, the principal thoroughfa.e Of Rich
mond Even with every vehicle that could be engaged
ana an immense force oil hands goods could not be
moved fast enough, and tho midnight workers found
themselves surrounded by the surging and billowy
mass or water ana thcy last forced to leave
The endangered property In order to themselves
suBxEKGED HOUSES AND FRIGHTENED PEOPLE
In Rockets, which Is nearer to the river than any
sher portion of tho city. of streets, thckly
built were surrounded. and many OF the houses
,essy buried beneath the water No warning
souid have prepared the Inhabitants tor .
lood 30 terrible in its effects and SO swift in
e dssolation Alter tho midnight hour the city
gasworks were submerged and the city thrown
INTO darkness Steadily, s.oashy, swiftly the ssssh-
ug tide rushed through tho city into the darkened
sousss, giving NO warning when 1t crashed in
s,ndows, and thon by It's increasing volume broke
iown the nimsy barriers OF doors like reed stems in
he path OF a cyclone. Like snomes and dark water
wirits struggling men and shrieking women were
sen moving on housetops, while the steady fall OF
ne oars from the succoring boats fell upon the mid.
RowBoArs FLYING s1REErs
Boats enough could not bs gotten together 70 do
shat was necessary. sturdy fathers could DO seen
moving cautiously through the water bearing their
atIe ones ON their shoulders; people crawied to
their third nocrs and they saw the water climbing
spward called out for boats takc them on Horses
md wagons, which hrst in demand, were
set aside for skiGs and baracs
The NOON APPEARx
After one O'Clock the moon rose. lite light, feeble
enough IL was came provideniialiy. The cries for
lamps and candies we're heard now. Boats ploughed
The streets weighted down with the workingman's
most precious cargo, his wife and little ones As
they we're safely landed at the loot Of tho hills the
cry OF mothers calling to their little ones 10 keep
together heard, and, casting ono lingering,
sad look the watery waves where oncs
wero happy homes, they moved on 70 give
standing ground other boatoads OF the homeless
The men proved faithful and worked with will.
Then the higher and higher aud tho roar
became like Niagara in It's Jury.
THE DEBRIS.
Great trunks OF trees, portions Of bridges and
masses Of timber swept down the stream and tore up
such shan,ies and buildings as stood in their path.
Nothing stayed the progress OF destructive Hood
A single timber fell from a bridge mile up the
stream. II gathered strength and fury as it wont
and tore up small clubhouse on the
river bank, and cIingng close this, gathered tim
beers as 1t moved, when the whole hurled
sgainst the roofs Of the houses 10 its track 1t went
down the stream, gathering strength and being
the swift current very animate engine Of terror
aud annihiiaton. As II torc down tho James River,
crushing everything before IT, this confused Of
tmbers looked In tho ghostly light OF the like
living moostcr, ninging hugo arms In fierce contor
tons where the river current not bro Ten. Such
was tho sight IN Rockets
Nsiprous APPROACH OF the FLOOD.
In the vicinity Of tho gas works, on Main street.
between Fifteenth and Seventeenth streets, tho up
pcarancc 81 the water was moro insldicus ana camo
In moro slowly Here there was no current and the
water backed into the city BY way OF shocker Creek.
At ton O'Clock tho doors the old market
md covered Main, Cary and Franklin streets Tor a
distance Of three squares
a roricK STATION CUT orr.
The headquarters Of tho chiei Police and the FRS,
police station house blocked up the water rising
rapidly until the FIRST story, so the police.
men had to climb from the second story windows into
he natboais IN the street
\ SUBMERGED CITY.
A npe OF f.rryboats was quickly established to cna-
bio communication between tho upper and lower Soc
Hons OF the city. The very centre OF tho business
portion Of lower Richmond Was under wator at ten
pollock. The business signs Of the wholesale and re-
"a, houses noatcd, ahd the only mode OF egrcss was
lrom second story windows while al hali-past two
o'clock to-day the New York steamboat sheds were
.pdor wa,er and Il was over tho caves. The second
loor Of the companys ONCE could only DO tecn, wnc
mo curren,sswcps through the building and the
once counters
a. ave O'Clock the New YORK steamer Isaac Boil, Of
-. .o,a oou,a,on line. which was anchored BY