Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-08-25
AN AWFUL STORM.

The oldest inhabitant never witnessed such
storm in this vicinity as that of last Thursday
afternoon At 2 o'clock p NJ. the river was
nearly dry, and at o'clock RATS began to break
loose from their moorings and quite number
went adrift. The damaged farms Is very great,
whole fields Of corn were nearly ruined, the stocks
being prostratcd by tho storm and many washed
out by the roots Many small bridges in this
section, between Clearaold and the Moshannon
creeks were washed away, as well as much harm
done to fields by washing gulchos through them.
Anderson, Montgomery and Moose creeks, on the
north and west side Of the river were the only
streams that were flooded.
The Osccela RcreiHe dciailos the damages in
the Moshannon valley at that place and loutz.
dale, as follows:
"onco scourged by lre, our town has now gone
through baptism Of water. Thursday evening,
the Moshannon rose 80 rapidly. that in a short
time, the houses on tho lower part Of Curtin
street were surrounded by deep rapid currents,
and between ten and eleven o'olock, the dam Of
the Moshannon Land and Lumber Company's
mip, broke ia two places, causing gaps from
forty 10 dhy feet in vidth and an increase Of
eight to ton feet IN the rise Of water below the
dam.
At least 1900 saw logs went over the dam
tearing away tho company's blacksmith shop,
damaging the brick walls Of the boiler houfo, and
crushing down the ierilc work of eight lines Of
tramway. Jamming against the double railroad
bridge, tho whole structure was swept down the
current like piece Of cork. This opened the
channel and the logs formed another jam against
tho Moshannon bridge on Curtin street but that
old structure resisted the pressure, and the logs
went booming on tho flood, over Curtin street
and against the houses, which had all been va
Gated and finally passages were forced between
the houses, and the "dhve" went through on the
current, about as the great log drives 80 over
Queens run dam above Lock Haven
On the far side, tho immense jam reached be.
yond Pies foundry, tearing up two hundred or
perhaps three hundred yards Of sidewalk on that
side Of the Moshannon. Tho street was hlled
with logs picse,s and drift distance Of more
than nine hundred feet. Que house was showed
INh hH luuhhhtluhg Ahu huAVV VI HNNhAhka
were filed with mud and sand. The log jam
above was held BY the tailroad trcstle across the
dam otherwise, the mill, lumber yard and all
tho houses in the lower end Of town, would have
been swept down the stream. Tho township road
and bridges above town were totally destroyed,
and at lIouiadale the railroad and bridges shared
the same fato. The loss here may be estimated
roughly as follows;
Moshannon Land and Lumber Campany, 5000
logs--ooE! Of returning them, 81 900 match.
wood aud pckcts, $1,000 to repair mill. dam,
81 900 ifamroAds, railroad track and bridge
$500 other losses not included In above, $500
total, $500.
Other lossos-Pcnnsylyania Railroad Company
$4,000 ]. X. White, $500 J. ). Pie. 5000
damage 10 sidewalk, $500 township bridges
$500 total in all, 1890.
Next morning, when the water had subsiied, q
large mw-log was found with one end through
The door Of Heaketh's Cabinet shop.
From two hundred to three bundled people, 10.
cluding those driven out by the water, were on
the streets all night, watching the aood. An III,
cellars 10 town we're filled with water, and from
an elyallon Of two hundred feet, the water poured
down the streets like madly rushing rlvOrs.
We have merely space TO ada, that thlsis The
! gfeatut food We havehadhere for twenty years!