The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1882-01-19
NASHVILLE UNDER WATER.
Great Loss to Property and Much
Suffering.
THE PEOPLE LEAVING THEIR HOMES.
The Water Almost as High as in l847, and
Stu Rising.
THE WORST VET TO COME.

NASHVILLE. Jan. 18th.
The Fite arrived from the upper
Cumberland at six o'clock this even
ing and reports q rise Of two feet
at West point, one hundred and SIX
ty miles above this city, Friday
night. SO far but little lumber has
floated away from the Nashville
mills. 1t is feared that the great
est damage will be done to timber
interests and fences on the fall Of
the river. About three hundred
families so far have been forced to
abandon their homes in the lower
portion of Nashville. The race
course is completely submerged.
The main topic discussed Friday
was the floods. Crowds of people
wendell their way to the river point
and stood for hours viewing the wa
terry waste to be seen on every hand
Hundreds gathered on the suspen-
sion bridge, while less number
found it convenient to look upon
the raging river from the upper and
lower wharves and along North
Front street. An assemblage of
citizens COLLECTED in the vacant lot
just north of the railroad bridge and
watched with deep interest the at
tempt to remove driCtwood which
had lodged against the pier which
stands in the current of the river.
A large amount of drift was dis
lodged during the morning. 1t,
however, again accumulated so fast
that the railroad officials took ac-
tive steps to move it and were at
work at it during the afternoon and
night.
When it was discovered that all
the mills on the Edgefeld side had
been surrounded by water their OPP
erations ceased. All the employees
about two hundred, were put to
work securing lumber, carrying it
to higher ground, and doing every
thing necessary to its protection.
At noon slight current was pass
ing through the Shelby bottom, with
the prospect of its being greatly in
creased in volume this morning.
With the heavy rise reported at
Point Burnside, it is probable that
the river will reachDthe height at
tanned in 1S47, which was 54.67
feet. The water is now within 7.42
of that point, which is said to have
been notched down by the river
men in those ancient days of keel
boat and steamboat navigation.
Over two hundred families living
in the Lick branch depression have
had to abandon their homes. Much
distress prevailed among many of
them in consequence of their ina
bilitv to procure either houses or
rooms elsewhere. A large number
remained in their houses until the
water ran in on their floors, when,
by means of either express or boats,
they made a hasty exit with all
their household effects. Some, how
ever, were even then 10th to leave
Their homes, hoping that the river
would rise no higher. Capt Yater
rode around the backwaters and of:
fcrred assistance to those who were
in need of it. In one instance he
entered Il house occupied by some
women. The water was then within
two inches of the floor, He urged
them to leave at once, when the
oldest remarked, GLOW can we?
We have no place to go, and must
remain" which they did. He after
wards sent officers to look after
them, and they reluctantly depart
ed while the water was fast filling
up the room.
At the Lick Branch bridge, on
Line street, the water was four feet
in depth. The street cars on the
Line street and Watkins Park rail
road were therefore prevented from
running.
The water is in almost all the
houses on Crawford from High
street to the trestle, on Line from
McLemore to point beyond the
Northwestern trestle along Broad
street, over Belleville street and
Cumberland, and extending as far
as Clay street, in the Thirteenth
district.
Many people were compelled to
leave their homes last night.
At midnight the water had run
upon the floor of the brick house at
the Sulphur Springs. At the rise
of 1S47 the high water mark was at
the window-sill of this house.
= JANUARY 16.-At 9 p. m. the river
is rising at the rate of one inch per
hour; now fifty feet one inch on the
gauge. Steady rain prevails. Near
ly six hundred families are driven
from their homes. About one thous-
and houses are in the back waters.