The Iola register., 1882-10-06
FLOODS AT THE EAST.

FLOODS AT THE EAST.
Tho Heaviest Rain-Storn Known for Years
Great Damage to Property-Seve1al
Lives Lost.
PATERSON, N. J., September q
One Of the most extraordinary storms with
IN the recollection of the present generation
has prevailed in and about Paterson the past
two days, and to-day's storm was accompanied
by the loss of life. The rain fell heavily most
Of the day, the rain gauge showing total fall
of 4.97 inches for the fret twenty-four hours
up to nine q m. to-day, and two inches had
fallen during Friday. To-day the rain came
down with still greater force, and between
one and two p. m. the rain gauge showed fall
of 3.06 inches, making the total for the day
b.92 inches About three p. m. the rain slacken-
ed, but still came down steadily during the
eveAing. The total fall for the thirty-six hours
up to nine o'clock tonight was fifteen
inches. During last night the river rose
four and q half feet and the water began
pouring over the falls once more. All day to.
day the river rose steadily, and during the aft
ernoon the water got higher at the rate Of
eighteen inches per hour, so that tonight 1t
was higher than at any time since the memor-
able flood Of 1910, which was the highest on
record. The Oldham Brook, the principal
tributary Of the Passaic near Paterson, just
above the city, rose with great rapidity, and
about two p. m. burst through the mill-dam at
Oldham. The torrent thus suddenly released
rushed furiously down the stream, sweeping
all before it, including several bridges and
part Of the horse-railroad track. A brick and
stone arch bridge erected by the county at
cost of s., 900 ten years ago, and recently re-
paired at a cost of 5000 more, on Redwoods
- ia.
mined and washed away by the resistiess food.
DR.. Myers, the city physician, driving up to
the institution and to visit the smallpox pa
tients, got to the bridge as the flood was beat.
ing savagely against it. He urged his horse
over, and had barely reached the other side
when he heard behind him terrific roar, and
looking back saw the whole bridge tumbled
into the stream and carried down the channel.
A massive retaining wall of stone adjoining
the bridge to protect the alms-house property
from encroachInents by the stream also went
down with a rush, and in a twinkling the mad
torrent was eating its way into the sand-bank
on which the alms-house rests.
Martin Rossiter, gentleman aged about
seventy, lived in pleasant cottage along the
river bank, near the outlet of the Oldham
Brook, with his family, and had some fine
stock on his farm. About three o'clock he
tried to drive along the doad near the river,
when the flood came down with such q sud-
den rush that before he could get out of it's
way he was swept into the swift current of the
river, and, with horse and wagon, was whirled
down and out of sight before any one could
extend him a helping hand.
All the cellars along the river below the falls
were flooded, and several of the adjacent mills
had their lower floors filled with water, to the
great damage Of their machinery. The shops
of the great locomotive works had to shut
down on account of the great flood.
The flood dashed with such violence against
the Lincoln bridge, above the city, that it fin
ally gave way. and went down with mighty
crash. The bridge consisted of two iron spans,
very substantially built, one span about 14G
feet and the other about ninety feet, resting
on an island in the river. The bridge cost
about 600 in all. 1t was one of the best
bridges in the country, the masonry and super
structure being of the most substantial charac
ter. The Hohokus stream also felt the effects of
the great storm, and last night Zabriskie's Mill
at Hohokus, which was about to be converted
;nto rubber factory went down the stream,
involving loss of perhaps $1,000. The heavy
rains have inundated all the meadow section
of the city Of Hoboken. Houses are cut of
from che streets by sheets of water, and the
occupants are obliged to sail on RATS to get
from the sidewalks to their front doors. The
ravine road sewer VIII ch empties near the
meadows yielded to the increased pressure
and burst this morning. This burst let all the
water from Jersey City Heights out upon the
meadows and increased the discontinue OF
those residing there.
JERSEY CITY, September "a.
There has been immense damage in Hudson
County, N. j. Entire sections of Jersey City
and Hoboken are inundated. Cellars and base.
ments are flooded. The inhabitants are TAX
ing refuge on the upper floors. The Jersey
avenue wooden pavement was hurled into the
mouths of the sewers, completely choking
them. The waters, backing, swept into the
houses, destroying carpets, etc. Morris Canal
is overfiowed, and the tow-paths washed. A
section of one of the main sewers, twenty-eight
by six feet, was lifted bodily out of place, and
the rushing waters dashed into the air thirty
feet. Dwellers on the Meadows were res
cued by boats and RATS.
The new tunnel of the New York, Ontario &
Western Railroad was damaged between So
600 and 100000.
By the giving way Of bridge over Berry's
Creek a freight train was precipitated into
the stream. Edward Webber. the conductor,
was killed. George Currie, the engineer, and
Francis Burke, fireman. probably fatally in
jured.
PLAINFIELD, N. J., September "a
French's dam, the last dam but one remain |
ing in Green Brook, this city, gave way at ten |
o'clock last night. The flood then carried
away two frame buildings at Somerset street
A large hole was washed through French's
fourstory carriage factory. Fred Moore, a
boy, was lost of one bridge. In Bound Brook
the water rose suddenly, flowing ten feet deep
through the main street. lined on both sides
with stores. The water rose over the show
cases, and lasge amount of goods was ruined.
In the Ramsey Hotel the water is almost to the
top of the bar One family were rescued from
a house by boat. The Elm Park Hotel is sub |
merged almost to the roof.
The flood is the highest known in Bound
Brook. 1t was nearly three feet higher than
that of July, 1865 which was the greatest pre-
viously recorded. More loss will be suffered
by the Bound Brook people from flood than
by the fire which destroyed the greater part of
the town some months ago.
The damage caused by the heavy rains in |
other portions of New Jersey, in Connecticut |
North Carolina, ETC., Is very |
great, and the rainfall in many sections is |
Nearly eleven inches fell at
in seventy-two hours.