Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1888-09-19
The Murkrille Gmqniter.
YORKVILLE, s. C.. !:
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1888.
THE FLOODS OF LAST WEEK.

WV
States of North and South Carolina and
Georgia, than aver before known from the
effects of one season of rain, while in some
localities streams and water courses reach
ed a higher mark than ever before record
ed. There wasalso much rain in Virginia,
but the damage in that State was not SO
great. The greatest complaint comes from
the injury to wheat in stacks, which is
sprouting and much damaged.
In North Carolina much damage was
done to crops by the overflow of streams
in the eastern and northeastern parts OF
the State. At - o'clock on last Thursday,
the Roanoke river had risen 81 feet ovel
low water mark, flooding Northampton
and Halifax counties and doing immense
damage. The entire corr and cotton crops
in the low-lands in the vicinity OF the
river are destroyed.
In some of the corn fields the water was
eighteen feet deep, fifteen feet above the
top of corn. The country was flooded q
distance of three miles from the river, and
in many places the tree-tops alone gave
evidence of the existence of land. Ihe
damage to crops is estimated at from four
to five hundred thousand dollars. Reports
of like disaster come from other sections Of
the State. From data received up to Sat
urday last, the commissioner of agrlcul'
ture of that State estimates the damage to
the cotton crop by rains and floods since
September 1st, to be at least 10 per cent
In some sections it is put at Is per cent.
In Georgia the greatest damage sustained
was on the Savannah river, which was
higher than at any date since the memora
BILE flood of 1910. Augusta suffered severe
ly, a portion of the city having been over.
flowed, and for several hours the streets Of
the business part of the city were seething
streams of sufficient depth to float any
boat that navigates the Savannah. While
the damage to property was great, estl'
mated by Mayor May at n million dol
lars, including loss of bridges, damage to
public property, besides the injury to stores
and residences, there were also twelve
lives lost. Although the Chronicle was
printed regularly, no copies reached this
place until Friday afternoon, owing to the
impossibility of trains running out from
Augusta. The columns of the paper are
filled with graphic accounts of the deluge,
which show that the city has nobly with
stood one of the most trying ordeals to
which it has ever been subjected.
The Chronicles continued narrative, in
Guiding Sunday, Monday and Tuesday,
shows that they were eventful days in
that city. Boating parties were made and
younger citizens appeared down town IN
bathing suits. There was much suffering
for food, however, as the bakers were all
drowned out and many families went
without anything to eat for forty-eight
hours. People were camped on roofs in
all directions, and horses in the piazzas OF
handsome residences were common sights.
Many narrow escapes of life are recorded.
At the corner of Telfair and Centre streets
there is an ugly hole in the side walk, and
the residence of Mrs. Bignon was the
turning point of a mad current. Mrs.
Bignon saved the lives of five persons by
tying sheets together and pulling the un-
%fortunates through the window of her res
idence. Mr.. Boatwright and Mr.. Charles
Goodrich were each saved in this way, and
a young gentleman of the Southern ex
press company, who was overcome by the
current, was pulled into the residence just
in time to save his life. Some OF those
rescued had to be resuscitated after they
were gotten into the house.
There we're fears of another rise in the
river on Sunday last, and a warning Of
danger was sent from the signal office at
Washington but while it gained a height
of II feet at Augusta, no damage was
done.
The flood did not reach Savannah until
last Sunday. A dispatch of Sunday night
from that city, says:
"The rice plantations above the city on
both sides of the river are under water
Merchants are hauling goods from the
wharves along the river front, and this
afternoon on the bay was like a week day
Fears are entertained of the Charleston
and Savannah railway bridge above the
city being carried away, and tonight II
was loaded with cars and rails. Work on
plantations was suspended this afternoon
owing to the coming of the flood and the
softness of the ground. Tonight the in.
dications are that with high tide Hutchin'
sons island will be flooded. Reports from
the Ogeechee river say that the river is
rising rapidly, and there is little prospecll
for saving any of the rice crop. The Hood
is something unheard of, and the planters
do not know what to do"
In South Carolina the damage was more
widespread than in either of the States
extending from the mountains to the
coast.
The Greenville News says: 'The effect
of the long rain or the crops is very varl'
ously reported from the country, the farm
ers from the different sections giving eX'
actly opposite reports. The general opln'
ion of those best posted, however, is tina
the fodder crop has been damaged at least
one-half and that the corn crop, especially
bottom corn, has been seriously injured
Cotton has rotted considerably and sheo
some. but it is believed that the loss thus
incurred will be of small disadvantage tt
the plant, as much of it was too heavily
fruited. With the present warm anc
bright weather, cotton is expected to oper
rapidly, and the rest of the fodder croE
will be saved"
From Anderson, Oconee, Abbeville
S%partanburg, and, indeed, all the upper
counties, come the same sad reports of con
tinuous rains, freshets and injury to the
crops.
The Congaree rivera Columbia reached
its highest point since the great ireshet o.
1886. It reached 33 feet 8 inches, being :
feet 9 inches higher than in the freshet o.
| 1886. The State farms and every river
plantation below the city were overlooked