The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1884-07-05
The Recent Storm in York and
Adams Counties, Pa.

and sudden and great rise in all the streams
resulted. By daylight they tore along and
over their banks like mad, causing destruction
on every side. Fences were carried off by
miles and wheat, grass and corn fields were
submerged and badly washed. -, = 5-
The turnpike bridge across Big Marshereek
at Lottville, was injured, part of one arch
going down into the water.
The new township bridge at Snyder's mill,
on Little Marsh creek, was swept away, and
all the foot logs on both streams are gone.
The dam at Landers' mill, in Liberty town.
n ship, was broken. ,FTfY
Five county bridges have been swept away
or ruined, viz: At Lilly's mill, at GIFTS mill
near New Oxford, over Swift Run, the Har
risburg road bridge at East Berlin, and the
Beaver creek bridge near the same place, the
latter built by Adams and York counties. To
repair losses of bridges and damages an ex.
penditure of six or seven thousand dollars
will be required.
YORK COUNTY.
The Hanover Herald of Saturday last gives
the following:
Both dams at the reservoir of the Hanover
Water Company, in the Pigeon Hills, were
washed away, causing loss of 81, 600.
On the railroad to Gettysburg, the little
bridge over Slagle's Creek, known as Hoke' s.
was badly damaged and the track washed out
for about fifty feet. The iron bridge over the
Conowago, above New. Oxford, had all the
iron pillars in the trusses broken, rendering
it impossible. A force of workmen, headed
by Supt. Scott, saved this bridge from being
washed away by making guard of railroad
iron and stones at one abutment which was
being torn down by the raging current.
The II. j., H. 4 G. r. r. track between
here and Hanover Junction is in terrible con-
dition. The bridges are gone, and there
are many washouts, in some places high en-
bankments being torn away. The chief injury
is along by Valley junction.
The Bachman Valley Railroad did not suf-
fer so much, the freight train being reported
at Lineboro' at II A. NJ, and by evening at
Snyder's switch, few miles below Valley
Junction.
The Frederick Division, p R. r., suffered
more severely. From Taneytown down there
was no damage, but little this side of fancy
town there is 20 feet washout Is feet deep.
From that point TO Hanover, the road is in
bad condition; most of the culverts washed
away and all the bridges gone or damaged.
The Conawago bridge is still up, but unsafe,
while the Plum creek bridge is entirely gone.
/ Keller's bridge has lost its abutments and
there are 1850 feet ofthe embankment washed
away. Between Hanover and Martins Sta
ton, the road is almost destroyed. There are
washouts from fifty feet to hundreds of feet in
length; the culverts and bridges are gone.
At Jacobs Mill, the bridge and abutments
are gone and ! 800 feet of track washed away
Some of it is standing in the fields and other
parts turned upside down. There are three
ugly washouts between GIFTS Run and Han
over. At Menges's the bridge abutments
have disappeared and nearly 800 feet oftrack
are washed out. Along by Spring Grove a
similar state of affairs exists below the track
! is in better order, and from Martins to York
is in passable condition. The loss of the
bridge at York will cause delay in the re-
| pairs, although workmen are busy at work al
ready.
The tragic feature of the story of the flood
was the drowning of Miss Maggie Straley at
JACOBS Mills. Miss Straley, aged about 81,
was employed as a domestic in the family of
Mr.. George Jacobs, proprietor of the mill
that bears his name, near Jacobs Station, on
the Ii. Y. X. R., four miles from town.
Fearing that the hogs would drown in their
pen, Mr.. Jacobs and the girl ventured out to
rescue them about clock, a. M, and both
were swept away by the rushing waters. Mr..
Jacobs was carried several hundred yards and
caught at willow tree, in whose branches he
was compelled to remain until daylight, when
his cries for help were heard About 8
o'clock he was rescued by his brother-in-law,
Mr.. Joseph Rohrbaugh, who rode in the
stream on horseback to get him out. Mr..
Jacobs is an excellent swimmer, to which fact
he doubtless owes his life. He succeeded in
keeping above water so well that he did not
lose the straw hat from his head Although
only across the stream from his home, Mr..
Jacobs was compelled to travel eight miles in
buggy around by New Baltimore and this
/ place to reach his home, where he arrived
about noon.
! The body of Miss Straey was found, when
the waters subsidized, at nearly a. M, in the
road opposite the barn, having caught at part
of fence post yet standing. The chestnut
post had split and against the split half stand
ing the body of the poor girl lodged, having
been carried but short distance from the
hog pen.
AT Spring Grove, the paper mill dam was
badly injured, but did not burst. Had this
immense body of water been sent down the
stream the destruction below would have been
vastly increased Nine live horses were seen
going down the stream and one was seen to
drown going over the dam. Hundreds of cords
of wood were swept away from the paper mill
and much damage was done to and about the
mills. Alwine 4 Dolls brickyard was much
damaged and their horses and carts carried
away. Myers mill dam, near Spring Grove,
was hChh """J5 WIN IL Jam anu
out kitchen.
At Menges' mill formerly Boyer's), Mr.
Amos Sterner, the miller, loses about $3.50 on
chop and feed. At the dwelling at the mill a
woman was rescued from the second story of
the house. A barn with two horses passed
here in the flood. One horse lies dead a
short distance below. Six young cattle, be-
longing to Mr.. Waltersdorff, persisted in the
field.
The stone bridges on the pike at Abbotts
town, and the one at Noers mill, were carried
away, and reports from below say that all the
bridges on the pike to York are gone The
county bridges at Jacob mill and at Menges'
Station are both swept away.
Mr.. Joseph Wolf, of Abbottstown, is a
heavy loser, his tannery being greatly dam
aged.
At the mill of j. Chunk, run by Henry
Klinedinst, great damage was also done. The
race bridge was swept away and the mill in
undated, destroying large quantities of flour,
grain, chop, &c. The large new covered
bridge was surrounded by water and was con-
siderably damaged. Five sheep and u young
heifer, belonging to Mr.. Klinedinst, were
carried away. Three of the sheep were swept
to the bank alive, the rest carried down and
drowned. Mr.. Klinedinst's dwelling was
flooded to the secoud story and the loss to
him is great. Mr.. Peter Miller residence,
about one mile from New Oxford, was mum
dated and lot of chickens and turkeys car
ried away, and the entire Surroundings Gov
cred with one vast sheet Of water.
At Mr.. Joseph r. Diehl's MILL on the Get
tysburg pike, about one mile from New Ok
ford, the damage was very heavy. Themill was
flooded, the bottom floor torn up and barrels |
of -four, chop, feed, &C., destroyed. The
dwelling house stood in the midst of the great
sheet Of water, which passed through the
doors and windows. Two wagons, two cows
and calf were carried off by the raging |
waters. The COWS, however, managed to
make their way to the shore after being swept
down the stream several hundred yards, and |
the calf was found nearly three miles from
home sticking in the mud but was still alive. |
Mr.. Diehl's loss will amount to over 81, 900.