Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1884-08-02

| hCCh AuchubN oLtSi hN'oiA
and night in a heavy, continuous fall
of about eight hours duration. In
this immediate vicinity the fall was
much greater west and south of town
than here. The stream passing Mid
lothian was very high at Borden Shaft,
where it empties into Georges Greek,
a half hour before the latter began to
rise. This appears to have been the
case all along the mountain range
southwark until the edge of the storm
was reached in West Virginia. The
tributaries of Georges Greek rose rapid
ly, pouring volumes of water into the
ordinarily sluggish stream until it be-
came Il rushing, destructive torrent,
lasting all night and far into Tuesday.
At Borden Shaft several gardens
We're destroyed, fences washed off and
a few houses slightly flooded.
AT Ocean and Midland similar dam
ages are reported.
The trestling of the Georges Creek
and Cumberland railroad spanning
the creek aud Cumberland and Penn
vania railroad at Knapp's meadow
was injured to some extent.
At Homecoming the sudden conjunc-
ton OF three angry torrents excited
great alarm, and thousands Of people
turned out. The darkness OF night
added terror to the scene and hundreds
of anxious faces watched every turn
OF the flood. An important portion of
the town lies along and below the level
of the railway track; the flood after
several hours passed over the track
and reached an altitude even with the
railroad station platform. The build
ings near the bed of the stream were
IN great part submerged and the foun
dations imperiled by the wash of the
reslstiess current. Near midnight the
workshop addition to August Eick-
horns furniture establishment. con-
tanning valuable implements, was
swept away and demolished. Follow
ing this was William Atkinson's build
ing, the lower story occupied as q sa-
loon by j. Coburn. the upper by the
Homecoming cornet band. The meat
shop and residence of H. C. Williams,
with all that it contained, was carried
away, as also William Ferrens' house.
The double block occupied by Messrs.
McAlpine and Boyd, near the water
station, was washed away. Joseph
Myers lost stable. A number of
bridges, including the county bridge,
opposite the waterstation, succumbed
to the food. The iron bridge in town
was slightly damaged. w. E. Hart
mans shoe store, for several hours in
imminent peril, held to its moorings;
the stock was badly damaged. Hane-
kamp's island was evacuated by the
thirty families that reside thereon.
The buildings remain but the gardens
were destroyed. The heavy stone wall
enclosing a portion of Hon. John S.
Combs property was destroyed. A por-
ton of the Koontz dump trestliDg was
lost, and great damage sustained by the
G. & p. railroad bed and tracks and the
county roads. The rescue of women and
children from threatened houses was
attended with much peril and brought
out several notable instances of heroic
conduct, among them our friends.
Schaidt & Maxwell, Of the Homecoming
Rerie,c, and w. II. Henshaw. The
Reoieao Office was still islanded Tuesday.
The scene since is one of devastation
and ruin to that portion of the town
lying along the creek.
The saddest story, however, is to
be told of Barton. The ravages of
the flood, SO far as railroad, county
roads and bridges We're destroyed, is
much the same as that already related.
With wider valley than at Lonacon-
ing the waters inflicted less damage to
town property. Two buildings were
carried off, occupied respectively by
Richard Moody and Mrs Mccormick
Two children of the former, u boy of
years and a girl of II years; Mrs.
Mccormick, a widow lady of 40 years,
and her daughter, Mary, aged % years,
were carried Off in the food and
drowned. Mr.. Moody's children were
lost in an effort to escape. Mrs. Nc
| Cormlck and daughter met their fate
clinging to the floating house. Peter
Mccormick narrowly escaped death in
an effort to save his mother and sister.
AT Westernport house belonging
to Patrick White, stable to Joshua
Right, and barber shop, were carried
off. In addition Mr.. White lost 81 700
in bonds and $3.50 gold. The residence
of B. f. Wall sustained considerable
injury. AS at Lonac, ming and Barton
many residents were forced to vacate
their dwellings. About 700 feet of the
c. & P. railroad bed was washer. out ;
the county bridge over Georges Creek
taken away. The same fate befell the
trestlings of Franklin and Phoenix
mines.