Evening journal., 1889-09-18
DAMAGED BY THE STORM.
PARTICULARS OF THE CLOUD
BURST YESTERDAY.

washed Away, and Three Others Dam
aged-Three Dams Burst and Cause
the Disaster.
The heavy storm on Monday night and
yesterday caused great damage in this
vicinity The Brandywine creek which
flows through thenorthern portion Of the
city, was swollen so that IL overhowed
the djaceut territory. The raging stream
augmented by bursting dams washed
away one bridge and badly damaged three
others on the Wilmington and Northern
railroad near Coatesville. Highway
bridges were also washed away.
w. & N. Railroad.
Trains on the Wilmington & Northern
Railroad have been unable to go through
to Reading since Monday afternoon. The
trains yesterday morning went as far as
Coatesville. but washouts and damaged
bridges between Coatesville and Spring
field, nineteen miles out stopped them
from going further Trains from Read
ing found their progress checked at
Springfield, twenty two miles out There
we're four washouts, all within a few
miles from Coatesville, thirty three
miles from Wilmington The
Mexico bridge lost pier,
but IL has since been repaired At
Fontaine, forty six miles from Whining
ton, the culvert was washed out dis
tance Of forty feet. AS the above infor
nation was being received a telegram
announcing that the culvert has been re-
paired by trestles, was received.
The worst damage on the Wilmington
and Northern railroad is at Hibernia,
where three dams broke and carried away
the railroad bridge The dams
were known as the Upper and Lower
Hibernia dams owned by the Kennebec
Ice and Coal Company Of this city, and
the Wagontown dam. They burst at
| 9 o'clock Yesterday morning and caused
other damage further down the creek.
! The span Of the bridge, 100 feet long,
was carried away and broken up Three
bridges this side of Hbernia received
damages, but not extensive ones They
are all in order for travel.
The entire force of the Wilmington &
Northern Railroad has been at work all
night and day, under the direction Of
Chief Engineer f. J., Hills and he ex
poets 90 have the road open for travel to-
night In many places the track was
badly washed and had to be trestled A
popularity of the storm is that all dam
age was done in that space nineteen miles
\ wide from Coatesville TO Springfield. The
s'orm Continued all last night and
made the progress Of the work slow, but
| the men kept at it faithfully and there
will be little more delay The heavy rain
| last night did not cause any further
damage TO the railroad Kurtz g. Com
pany's Valley Iron Works lost its trestle
bridge and Wilbinson's siding was
washed The Hibernia bridge is being
replaced by trestle
The storm is the worst that ever
visited that section Of the country The
Valley Iron Works bridge was the
strongest on the stream and its loss indi-
Gates the severity of the storm. The
water at Coatesg vile was two feet higher
than ever before. Honeybrook. on the
w h N. railroad, was flooded and lumber
was iloated off. In Honeybrook township
eleven bridges are gone and the public
roads are ruined.
The Bursted Dams.
The Upper and Lower Hibernia dams
we're built and owned by the Kennebec
Ice and Coal Company Of this city. A
representative Of the company started
for the scene Of loss yesterday, but the
washouts on the railroad checked his
progress and he returned The dams are
comparatively new, having been built,
stoutly, a year ago. The headgates with a
portion of the dam proper were washed
away early in the morning, 1t is supposed
by floating timber The breaks will be
repaired Immediately.
The dam at Wagontown will be re-
paired Downington, Pa. Is in a state
Of alarm, as there is danger OF a break
in the Springtown dam eight miles
north of the city. II is one of the larg-
est dams onI the Brandy wine and its
breaking means terrible damage.
At Coatesville the families living on
the lowlands have removed to higher
ground, The dams between Wilmington
and Coatesville are strong and no appre-
hension is felt for them.
Notes of the storm.
During the past week SOS inches of
rain fell at Kennett Square.
Jason Davis of Christians hundred,
reports that crops, particularly corn, are
damaged He says that farmers have
never known such succession OF dam
ages to crops, rs the rains this year have
brought.
In Brandywine hundred the continued
rains knocked down corn but did not
create much damage.
The delay Of traffic on the w. & N
railroad has already caused loss TO ship
pers. who are unable to get their produce
to market. Dealers in this city are in
want OF butter aud eggs, which they
usually receive by rail.
the Brandywine creek was higher in
this vicinity than it has been before this
year The water WAS at its highest at
Q 30 this morning, when it was even with
the floor Of Price & Philips flour
mills It was about six inches
from the floor OF the City Mills. They
had TO stop because Of the muddy water.
A number OF heavy trees besides dressed
timber came down the stream last even
ing and to-day tree is lodged at the
first dam The food entered Brandy
wine Park, and washed away part OF
the race bank, but caused no serious
damage There WIS no trouble at any OF
the mills further up the stream. The
water has now fallen and the freshet i:
about over.
The break in the track on the B. & o
railroad at BrRndywine Springs has beer
trestled aud trains are running. There
was slight damage to the buildings il
the grove
i The storm was very heavy down th'
/ state and al Lewes, but there was NJ
further loss Of property.
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
A Gutter Needed.
Editor Of EVENING JOURNAL.
The Street and Sewer Department.