The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1879-04-26

A correspondent Of the Ellicott City Times,
at Lisbon, under date of April Is, 1879,
writes AN event yet green in the memories
Of the citizens Of Maryland, Is an exiraordi.
nary flood which occurred in the valley of
the Patapsco river, o tributary of the Chesa.
peake Bay, on July 24th, 1868, being caused
by terrible thunder storm along the courses
Of PARIS Falls and Gillis's Falls, which by
their confluence at Woodbine Station, b. 4
o. X. r., form the Patapsco River. The
storm was local and Of only few hours du.
ration, but was Of terrible violence. A Gin.
merriam darkness prevailed which rendered
artificial light necessary though the time was
about 8 clock, A. M.
Eye witnesses claim that the rain descend.
ed as If poured from buckets and one gentle
man AYERS that the water was continuously
foot IN depth on the highest hills, not being
able to run off as fast as 1t fell. The river
rose eight or ten feet within several minutes
and rushing furiously down its narrow chan
mel, swept every movable thing before il and
left desoation in the rear Much valuable
property was destroyed and "a lives were lost
at ELECTS Mills alone. A correspondent
Of one of the Cincinnati journals CHANGED to
be passing on train while the storm was
playing its freaks along PARIS Falls, andpub.
lished vivid description Of all that trans.
pired in that region.
But possibly the most remarkable event Of
the flood was a violent water spout, whose
track is yet conspicuously marked along the
northern shore Of Gillis's Falls, about one
mile northwest of Woodbine, in Carroll
county. To my best knowledge description
Of this remarkable aqueous excavation has
never appeared in print and this article is re-.
specially submitted for what it may be
worth. A few days since as your correspon
dent was riding with a medical companion,
who was on visit to the sick and wounded,
we happened to be passing over a very rough
piece of bottom road which had evidently
been deprived Of the amount Of work necessa.
ry to render il passable, and was disposed
TO i'll humor on account of the unpleasant
travelling, when my companion informed me
that we would soon arrive ct point where q
water spout had concentrated in all its vehe'
mence during the flood of '6e. Being desir-
Gus Of subject to analyze | revived my
broken spirits and Immediately proceeded "a
quiz my companion regarding this wonderful
event. Upon making sudden turn in the
road the track Of the water spout was disclos
ed to view. As far as the eye could discern
n vacant, barren and desolate object was i'm
printed upon the sight. expressed aston
ishment at the strange sight, and alightinl
from the buggy proceeded to scale the almos
perpendicular hill side. Two heart shaped
spaces, northerly exposed, and within 20 fee
OF each other, are situated about 30 feet W
from the base Of the hill. These are the me
mentoes Of the storm. They are entirely des
titute of trees and vegetation ahd have beer
since the occurrence. Each are about 20 squar,
yards in oil. The earth is followed out tC
the depth Of several feet, the torrents of wate
striking SO violently as to dissolve the earth
loosen the rocks, and tear the trees from
their Businesses. Considerable quantities o
earth, rocks aud general debris is also precip
itated against some distractions at the base
OF these spaces which further augments th,
romance Of the situation. This incident ere
ated much excitement, and four weeks ate
the storm had subsidized numbers of peopl
from far and near came to see the path Of th
deluge. The general appearance Of the coun
try is hilly, rugged as well as secluded which
has tended to obscure this spot from the gaz
of scrutinizing people.