Catoctin clarion., 1889-06-06
THE GREAT FRESHET.

THE GREAT FIRES HET.
HUNTING CREEK BREAKS OVER ITS BANKS
OWENS CREEK BECoMEs A MAD RIVER.
The great warm rain laden current Of all
that moved upon us on Thursday last came
in contact with the cold wave that had been
moving cas-, and south during the early days
of the week, with the inevitable result o
phenomenal precipitation. After having
rained not heavily but constantly during
Thursday evening and night great fall oc'
CURED at about 10 O'Clock a. H., on Friday
Ram continued to fall without intcrmission
and during the early hours Of the evening
the stratum of warm moist air over the noun
tains was reached by the cold current, when
came the fall that turned our streams into
seething rivers. Not until about midnight
did the final clear of. shower come and We
were in it, have been in others and are
given somewhat TO the study of these Eatur'
al phenomena and there can be no doubt
about il, never in our experience had we seen
water fall in such astounding quantity. See
ing it, one could readily understand how the
mountain rain sheds furnished the torrents
that poured out of the gorges west of town
"The oldest inhabitant" has been questioned
but no such fool IS on record in his memory.
Hunting Greek passes along the southern
edge of this place, draining Harman's Gap,
Catoctin Mountain. Owens Creek emergcs
place; this stream drains the southern end
of Harbaughs Valley. Along the latter, for
four miles the w. NJ. r. r. runs. The won
dcrful rainfall of Friday raised both of these
streams to height heretofore unknown and
the W. NJ. r, r. has suffered from wash-outs
along several miles Of track and the large
iron trestle spanning the gorge at the en-
trance to the mountains has been seriously
damaged. Hundreds Of yards of track, bent
and twisted, spans gaping clasms or lies
many feet from the road bed under trees and
rocks weighing thousands of pounds. Be
sides the damage to the large bridge small,
cr one about one mile west was destroyed
and a third slightly damaged. The county
road at this point for several hundred yards
has entirely disappeared and Gap Siding used
to reach the Company's stone quarry, seri-
ously damaged. A wooden trestle just west
of the large bridge has had one section torn
out and two other piers washed out. For
about one thousand yards the track has been
thrown from the road bed and lies in the
streams, or along the santng sides of the
banks. From Shutdown west to Hagers own
the track IS all right, a train having passed
oyer it to that point on Saturday.
In our town at about 10 o'clock on Friday
night an alarm was given that some families
and large amount Of live stock was in dan.
ger, and wading IN the water in some places
waist deep, several families were carried
from their homes. A number of hogs were
carried from their pens and cows and horses
driven to higher points.
Hunting Creek had broken over its banks
Just above town and w. Main-st from John
Jones mill to J. f. Martins property be-
came rushing torrent, Back buildings
were swept away, gardens laid waste. The
water poured in at the windows at William
Litlie's residence and what were once thirty
ing orchards, handsome yards and mellow
gardens are now a succession Of gullies, stone
heaps and mud puddlcs. The portion of
Main street east of this point lies on higher
ground and the stream did no further dam
age until 1t reached Mr.. W. l.. Shatier's prop
crty on the Frederick and mmitsburg turn
pike. His fine lot is dcnuded of soil, his
garden ruined and his cellar nearly filled
with mud and sand.
Water Street, extended. suffered consider
able damage, the rear of the lots and gardens
having been torn and covered with rocks
The course of the stream is now the new
channel west of town and the water is run
ming down the road past Jones mill and be-
low that point is running through the back
yards and under stables and other outbuild.
ings. The chief sufferers are John Jones,
Cornelius Dubel, james Mackley, w. H. II.
Mackley, William Ldic, William Damuth,
Edward Martin, w. L. ShatFer, Benedict
Knott, Webb Ungcr, Mrs. Wircman, Charles
Evjnr