The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1877-10-13

HEAVY FREsHET-LOss OF LIFE AND DEsrRUc
TIoN OF PRoPERTY.-The heaviest rain and vino
storm which we have experienced since 1868, Wis
tied Baltimore county on Thursday of last week
and caused great destruction of property besides
in one case loss of life. Bridges were swept away
fences were demolished and crops were badly dam.
| aged. Thus far we have been able to collect the
| following facts:
Amelia McHenly, aged about 10 years, living
! with her father on the Windsor Mill road, while
returning from school, was blown from a bridge
which crosses Dead run, and drowned The child
was missed in the evening when search was insti-
tuted and not until the following morning was her
body found upon the banks of the stream a con-
siderable distance from the bridge. Her clothing
was badly torn and her body was very much
bruised.
Mr.. George Barclay, of Baltimore, in company
with two friends, made a narrow escape while re-
turning from the Necks. They were driving a
pair of horses to a wagon and on reaching the
bridge which spans Stemmer's run at Rossville,
they found that the stream was so much swollen
that IN order to get over they would be Oblig-
ed to drive through strong current. They at
tempted to cross, however, and when about half
way over the horses and wagon were carried down
the turbulent torrent considerable distance One
of the horses was drowned and had it not been for
the timely assistance of Albert Hicks, agent at
Stemmer's run station, and Stephen Haut, sec
ton boss on the railroad, all three as well as
the other horse would certainly have lost their
lives and the wagon been wrecked. These heroic
men waded out into the food, which was neck
deep, made rope fast to the wagon and then
landed the occupants safely on dry land.
Mrs. Wm Jones, of Baltimore, made a narrow
escape while crossing Moore's run, 18th district.
She was in a carriage with her family and in at
tempting to cross the run the carriage and horses
were carried down stream. The driver, with great
presence of mind, jumped out and taking the
horses by the head swan back to shore and guided
them safely out
The blacksmith shop of John A. Holt, on the
Washington road, 18th district, was carried away
and Mr.. Holt, who was in the shop when the food
came, made narrow escape with his life.
Early in the afternoon the water in Lake Roland
commenced rising and continued until 8 o'clock
when it was flowing over the dam "a inches deep.
This sudden rise of the water caused great alarm
at Mt. Washington and many of the female oper-
atives in the factory had to be removed to places
of safety on the backs of men through % feet of
water. 1t was fortunate that the water in the
Lake was very low, otherwise the destruction of
property must have been very great. Much de-
bris washed into the Lake from the numerous
streams which serve as its feeders.
Considerable damage was done along Jones'
Falls in Green Spring Valley by the overlooking
of wheat fields, &c. In some instances wheat
fields were entirely destroyed, entang heavy loss
on the farmers.
In Druid Hill Park the fish ponds, roads, &C.,
were damaged to the extent of probably $40 900. |
Large trees were broken off by the wind or torn
up by the roots and hurled about as though they |
were straws.
1t is said the Gunpowder river was as high as
it was in 1868 when so much damage resulted. |
The works of the permanent water supply suffered |
considerably by the destruction of temporary |
buildings, bridges, &c. the washing out of railroad
tracks, etc. The damage there will probably ag-
gregate $1,000.
The county bridge, known as CrOmwelps bridge,
which spans the Gunpowder short distance below
the dam of the permanent water supply, dam
aged to the extent of $500. This bridge although
almost new, was some time ago examined and
found to be in an unsafe condition. The County
Commissioners thereupon directed Mr.. S. f. But
Ter to rebuild it and the work was approaching
completion when the food came and carried away
about the half of it, besides slightly damaging
the centre pier.
The bridge at KrOh's paper mill, on the Gun
powder, 9TH district was swept away, and other
bridges and property along the stream were dam
lged
Reckords mill, on the Little Gunpowder, suf-
ered considerably. Grain and lumber was car
lied away from the mill and fencing demol-
shed. A six-horse team was swept from hepike
near this mill and carried down stream into
meadow where the horses were saved.
On Herring run the flood did much damage
The dam at the Ivy mill, above Halls Springs,
vas carried away and bridge badly shattered.
At Lees mill, near the Ivy, rocks weighing several
Ons were moved by the torrent
The damage on Stony run, east of Charles st.,
lear the city, was very great. Ice ponds were
Washed away, fields flooded, &c.
The abutment on the Patapsco side of the new
,ile bridge over Back river, 18th district, was
washed out and the bridge has since been impas-
able. No other portion of the structure was dam
lged.
In addition to what is recorded above much de-
truction of property followed the sudden rising
# the streams in almost every section of the
ounty. The rain came in such torrents that
treams overfowed their banks in few minutes
md gave people time to prepare. In many
Instances wheat fields have been entirely destroy
ID and will require re-seeding.