The evening world., 1889-07-31
TERROR IN ELIZABETH.
Dams Swept Down and Streets Flooded
Reservoir Gates Thrown Open.
ESPECIAL TO THE EVENING WORLD

ELIZABETH, N. H., July 81. Ill ID L ming
hard here this morning and the peopl are
very much alarmed. They fear anothe in
undntion similar TO that of Sept. 20, Is Q,
when the Elizabeth River overlooked IS
banks and the freshet carried death and de-
struction in its path. \
So far this time no lives have been lost. but
last night was one of terror which the people
living on the line of the 1ver will not soon
forget.
1t was raining at daylight yesterday morn
ing and continued of and on until about 3
O'Clock in the afternoon, when it came down
in torrents.
The river rose rapidly, and as darkness fell
overlooked the banks.
The water found ITS way into the cellars of
the houses ON Harrison, Price and Mulberry
streets. It rose gradually. and the occupants
of the houses were forced into the upper
stories.
A RUSHING ToRRENT.
Between 0 and 10 p. NJ. Il report like a peal
of thunder was heard. and a few minutes
later a torrent of water came rushing down
through the river bed, carrying everything
before il.
Tie cause Of this sudden cutburst was not
learned unit this morning, when 1t was found
'hut iublpl y Il oDh holn, pun tlnhkphhohe
of wool. about three miles from Elizabeth, IN
Union Township. had burst about o. 80 p. NJ.
last night and went rushing down the valley,
meeting tho SaIem dam of stone and mortar
on ITS way.
ANOTHER DAM GOES.
II carried il along with it. and the accumu-
lation of water bore down in q mighty stream
on the reservoir in the outskirts of the city.
RESERVOIR GATES THROWN OPEN.
The reservoir WINS already filed to the top.
Fearing for Its safety Superintendent Will
Jams ordered the big gates thrown open,
which was done only in the nick Of time.
The volume of water. mas er of the sltua-
ton. tore along at its own sweet will. There
were MANY hairbreadth escapes from death
and much valuable property was destroyed.
WATER UP TO THE SECOND STORIES.
Following the incoming of the great volume
of water the houses on the line rapidly filed
AS high rs the second stories.
The greatest terror ensued in Price street,
the negro quarter.
The superstitious colored people thought
the delugo had surely come again, and they
prepared for death.
PREPARED FOR DEATH.
Gathering on the house-tops. they sang
camp-meetlng hymns, e1horted and swung
the American flag. A few bottles Of whiskey
were introduced some wav and diverted their
thoughts from death, and then the spectacle
became one Wild Orgie.
From religious hymns they turnedto plan
tation songs and bauios. and while the rain
poured. the thunder rolled and the lightning
flashed, the negroes defed death and had a
jolly good time.
They were sober and sorry this morning.
trying to rescue their effects. which were
swimming around i'll the cellars of their
houses.
HELPING THOSE IN PERIL.
Police Sergt. Hess and a newspaper CORE
spondent named Michael Cannon were out
nearly ali night rendering what aid they
could to those most in peril.
SerEt. Hess rescued the children Of q col
ored family named Williams, who live in an
isolated dwelling that the food nearly de-
stroyed.
ABOUT THE BRIDGES
The bridges at West Grand. Crane. Morris
avenue aud West Jersey streets are so low
that II ~wagnn-load o hny could not get under
them even at low tide. They ought to be
condemned.
The people are much Incensed and say they
will tear them down if the proper authorities
do not remove them and replace them with
suitable ones after this.
A STOUT LApY's PERIL.
A stout lady. weight 305 pounds, lived in a
house on Mulberry street, which was in i'm
mediate danger Of being swept away. Her
friends tried to get her to leave. She
wouldn't. Every one else deserted the
house. She remained.
A posse OF citizens rushed in to drag her
ont. She wedged herself in u garnet window
and they couldn't bulge her.
Mrs. Burns. that is the lady's name. proud
and triumphant. was still Ill the house when
All EVENING WORLD reporter called there this
morning.
John Norris. an eNpressman, nearly lost
his life trying to save his horse. He rescued
the animal and fortunately escaped with his
life.
RAINING HARD THIS MORNING.
II has been raining hard here ever since
daylight this morning, and the river, which
had subsidized somewhat. is rising again and
1t is feared that all danger is not yet over.
If the water should rise and carry the lum-
Der in Mulford's wards away and jam it
against the Grand street bridge, as 1t did in
1882, an overflow more terrible even than the
one of that year will ensue.
REMOVING MULFoED's LUMBER.
Men are now engaged in removing the
lumber.
It is said here that great damage has been
occasioDed in halfway, n. j.
DEVASTATION ALONG THE NEW JERSEY CENTRAL
RAILROAD.
Along the line OF the Jersey Central Rail
road. over VIII oh an EVENING WORLD reporter
travelled this morning, are many signs of the
dcstructiyeness of the flood. Banks have
been washed down on the tracks aud water
submerged both land and tracks in many
DlaCeR.