South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1877-11-30

oSeruo"inS It's banks. Ihe river broke
over the railroad tracks just below Da-
vis's boom. short distance above tho
town. aud sweeping down the track,
swept through tho railroad shops in
Piedmont, thence pursuing = course
down to the crossing below the shops.
breaking. over towards the mill and
down TO the Sims House.
The low parts OF the. town were two
feet under water. about the city Hall.
The water nearly touched the bed Of
the railroad bridge, many persons had
to be taken out OF their houses. and nu
merous ont houses were swept away.
as well as hogs, cows. &c. Al The Old
Hampshire Dump Mrs. Bridget Hy-
anes was drowned about q. m. while
in Tho act of being rescued by her son
John. She was an invalid. and sixty
five years Of age. and widow. Her
son narrowly escaped with his life.
At this city the water began to rise.
before day.break & by 10 o'clock Willis
creek threatened To leave its banks,
rising up above the walls on the left
bank above the Baltimore street bridge,
and causing families residing on the
west side Of Mechanic st. to move out.
But it was not until about 10 a. m.
that the real food began to come, at
which time the creek had ceased to rise.
The bulk Of water now began to come
down the river from the mountains.
snd in the space Of one hour it backed
up the creek mud caused il to overflow
into Mechanic street. and the people on
the street to remove their Effects
From this time on until about 1850 p.
IN. the water rose steadily. backing far.
Their and farther into the streets, until
some ofthe,n were impossible except
by means Of vehicles. From 80 until
5 80 the water stood at about one height.
At the latter hour. however, it began TO
recede and continued to do so until at
about 10 clock it had left the streets
entirely, and many of the buildings
which had been, partly submerged by it,
much to the relief Of their owners.
On the Virginia side the water above
and below the dam met at the depres-
sion back OF Capt. Pcrry's house. and
the bottom land on each side of Knobley
mountain was completely submerged.
Mr.. Ridgely's ice.house and several
dwellings above the blue bridge were
surrounded by from four. to eight feet
Of water, and all Of the dwellings, and
buildings in the vicinity Of the Messrs.
Blochers' brick-ya below the dam
were more or less submerged. A frame
honse belonging to Dir. VIM. Morrisey
was moved off'its foundation, and a
slaughter house belonging to Mr.. Chas.
Howell was carried distance OF hun.
dred yards.
During the day great quantities OF
in shock. husked and not husked, and
various artiGlBs hpsted doWn the creek
and river.
On the streets along the river not
less than hundred houses were flooded
and the occupants driven to upper
floors or compelled to leave their hous.
eS.
Over two hundred families in the city
were compelled TO leave the lower fpor
OF their houses.
Many cellars. and stores were filed
with water.
The loss by the food in this city is
not great. as most people living in those
parts visited by the water kept their
valuables out Of the cellar. The heavi.
est loser in this vicinity, is Mr.. Henry
Weber, market gardener and florist,
whose place. which is situated about a
half mile above the City was completely
submerged,
No casualties occurred here.
Oakland was pretty we'll covered
with water. The Valley Taggart river
at Grafton is running very high, as is al.
so the Yough at Oakland.
2:30 p. m-The wires are now work
ing through West from Piedmont,
and no further interruption of travel
from Cumberland west is anticipated.
We neglected to state that u number Of
fences have been washed away.
Buffalo creek at Warrington, W. Va,
and the Cheat river, near 10 wlsburg
wero never known TO be higher than
they are now. The Ohio river yester-
day was very low; and at 10 =. IN. had
not received an influx OF any .consid
cradle volume OF water.
8 80 p. IN, on board No. 8 train
three miles east of Keyser-Another
signal to stop; the trouble ascertained
to he culvert in the Oil. washed out at
this point. Now backing back to Keyser
TO wait orders.
The body OF Mrs. IIvanes was reco-
vered one mile east Of Piedmont. at 10
a m. The West bound trains lave pass
ed the wash three miles east OF Keyser,
at 8 p. m. Second start from Keyser at
9:35 p. m. Then raining very hard.
At nile water station south track is
washed out.