Huntsville gazette., 1886-04-03
THE RAGING WATERS
TRACKS WASHED OUT BRIDGES
DESTROYED, AND TOWNS
FLOODED.
The Biggest Freshet In Years.

ATLANTA, GA, March 3O.-On Friday
night drizzling rain began to fall
throughout Georgia, on Monday morn
Ing assuming the character of a water.
spout For twenty-four hours the rain
continued without intermission, register
ing eight inches, while for the twenty
tour hours now ending the fall will be
quite as heavy. The sewers in the city
were all burst, people in the valleys
flooded and forced to move, and desola-
ton generally resulted among the poor
Last night the trains on eight Of the nine
roads centering at Atlanta were side
tracked.
Huge washes are reported in the Ala
bama Western. The East Tennessee
and the Western and Atlantic were
blockaded by landslides, and devastation
amounting to hundred Of thousands Of
dollars occurred. In West Point the
Chattahoochie rose during the night un
til the town was flooded. One hundred
thousand dollars worth Of property was
carried away, The railway bridge, a
huge structure, was destroyed and one
white man and two negroes were drown
ed while battling with the waters.
Rome is submerged under six feet Of
water, and people are seeking the hill
tops.
Columbus, which is on the Chatta-
hoochie, is also in great danger the wa
ters OF the river having risen twenty
feet.
Tonight not train is moving out of
Atlanta and no mail has been received.
Many of the Telegraph wires are cut, and
wild rumors are afoat as to disasters in
inaccessible districts. 1t is the greatest
freshet Of the generation.
THE wASHOUTS IN ALABAMA.
birmingham, March 3O.-Rain has
fallen here almost constantly for forty
eight hours. Since 10 o'clock last night
there has literally not been a minute
when 1t was not raining. Railroad traf.
tic and all other business is pretty well
drowned out.
The Louisville & Nashville midnight
passenger train going north arrived here
at g o'clock this morning, and the south
bound Queen & Crescent train, due at
O'Clock last night, came in at 5 o'clock
this afternoon. Except these and a few
ore and rock trains nothing ran in or out
OF here last night and to-day. Railroad
managers say even if no more rain falls
it will not be advisable to run trains to-
morrow. The Louisville & Nashville
road is pretty near washed out near Ban
gor, above here and near Strasburg and
Clanton below.
The Tennessee River Still Rising
and Terrible Results are
Anticipated.
DECATUR, ALA, March 31.-The Ten.
nessee is on huge boom. At daylight
this morning its waters overleaped the
eastern bank and have during the day
spread themselves over the low land as
far out as Swan Lake. 1t is rising rapid
ly, and has gone up Is inches since 8
O'Clock this morning. The biggest flood
for many years is confidently expected.
The upriver water has not reached here
and the highest point to which the river
will 60 without additional rain will not
be reached until Thursday night. Yes
terday and to-day owners of stock have
been engaged in bringing cattle, horses
and hogs to the west bank but many
will necessarily be left and lost. Nearly
if not all of the tillable bottom land has
been plowed, and much OF it planted, SO
that much delay and damage will accrue
to farmers. All day it has been raining,
sleeting and showing alternately.
The breaks on the South & North road
have not yet been repaired, and no
through train or mail from the south
has been received since Monday night.
Trains from the north stop here and
IuiH oaCh. Ii ls supposed, however,
chat the roads will be in condition for
trains to pass over by morning Travel
has been much interferred with, but the
Louisville & Nashville road has done all
that was possible to facilitate and accom-
modate the public.
Washes on the Louisville and Nash
vile.
BIRMINGHAM, March 31.--To-day's de-
velopments on railroads were rather
comforting than otherwise. The worst
damage to this division of the Louisville
& Nashville road is on the Alabama riy.
er, in sight OF Montgomery, and it is