The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1888-09-20
FURY OF THE FLOODS.
AUGUSTA SUBMERGED BY THE RAG
ING SAVANNAH.
Stores and Cellars Inudated and all Lower
Floors Full of Water-Hamburea Total
Wreck-Men Cattle and Horses Swal-
1owec. Up by the Flood-Crops
Ruined and RAILROADS Dis

September 1.-THE Savannah River at
Augusta rose steadily until o'clock this
morning, rising to a height of So feet
II inches, and started to fall about
o'clock this morning, standing for only
one hour before starting to fall. It reg
istered at o'clock this evening S6
feet 6 inches and falling very slowly.
It did untold damage to the crops
through upper Carolina and Georgia,
and considerable damage to the city o.
Augusta.
The city was flooded from O'Clock
yesterday evening. Broad street, the
highest point in the city: was under 3
feet of water, and, therefore, all cellars
and first floors of dwellings and busi-
ness houses We're flooded, doing con-
siderable damage to such Of the stock
and household goods as could not be
moved to the upper stories. The city
bridge has been completely wrecked,
going in sections at different periods.
Hamburg is almost completely de-
stroyed, many houses being carried
away from the foundations to dis
tance of from 50 to 100 yards.
There remains standing only the
brick buildings and four orfve wooden
buildings. Several families remained
in their homes until driven therefrom
by hunger.
1t is reported that several colored
men were drowned while attempting
to escape from the flood. 1t is also re-
ported that several were drowned in
Augusta, among them one policeman.
There are various reports as to the num-
Der of the drowned-varying from five
to fifty.
No trains are running into Augusta
from any point as all the railroads
have been washed up. The South
Carolina Railway sustained more dam
age than the other roads, its tracks be-
ing completely covered with water for
three hundred yards beyond the three
mile post. In some places the track
was carried for one hundred yards be-
low the roadbed, the food washing
away the trestles upon which cars were
placed to keep them from floating.
Many of these cars were washed from
the trestle or knocked off by heavy
drift. Some Of these drifts were
freighted with different domestic ami
mails, porkers predominating.
The Port Royal and Augusta Rail
road bridge was completely wrecked.
It is supposed it would have escaped
had not the wreckage ofthe city bridge
struck it.
The Georgia Railroad sustained con-
siderable damage to its track and work
shops, and is not able to run any
trains to or from Augusta.
The Augusta and Knoxville received
severe damages to its track also the
Augusta, Gibson and Sandersviile Rail-
road. They are washed out very near
to Sandersville and it will be many
days before it will be in operation.
Have not received any information
from the Central Road, but an ordi-
nary freshet will detain their trains.
The Charlotte, Columbia and Augusta
had their entire trestling in Hamburg,
about 1900 feet, entirely destroyed.
This was caused by houses and heavy
drifts lodging against it, and with it
went the entire telegraph lines running
north. It will be about two days be-
fore anything can be done to rebuild it
on account of the water, and it will
take about two days more to re-estab-
lish communication by wire with Au-
gusta. Through travel by rail will be-
resumed about Friday the 14th.
This has been the highest freshet
that has visited Augusta since 1910.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
AUGUSTA, September 1.-THE worst
food known in the history of Augusta
is subsiding tonight. The river be-
gan rising, and at II o'clock Saturday
reached 2S feet, 5 inches. At this point
it began falling, and it went down to
q feet Saturday at noon. This filled
the people with a sense Of security. All
idea ofa flood was generally abandoned,
and citizens retired on Sunday night
not generally apprised of the fact that
at o'clock on Sunday afternoon a
second rise had set in.
This was the most rapid rise ever
known of in the history of the river.
The guage at the bridge showed rise
between P. NJ, and l 4. NJ. Sunday
night of ) feet inch, or over IS inches
an hour. From to inches is con-
sidered Il rapid rise. After O'Clock it
continued at the rate of 10 inches an
hour, and by daylight had flooded the
lower portions of the city, and people
were awakened by the water running
in on them. This occurred in many
instances before daylight and the un-
expected rise, combined with dark
ness, caused the great fear among those
awakened from sleep to find water in
their houses. Until daylight came with
the assurance Of rescue the panic was
complete. This, however, was confined
TO limited area. the upper eastern
portion of the city on the river, the
most serious point being a square of g
mile, all the operatives houses are in
this particularly low section. All the
inmates were rescued without injury
and taken, to points Of safety.
The river rose rapidly al; Gay Monday
and Monday night, reaching the maxi.
mum CT so feet inch at l O'Clock this