Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-06-02
PETERSBURG DELUGED.
The Greatest Flood I'm It's History
Great Damage 30 Property.
rsnAcInl tnknrrarn 20 tho nianah,hl

| PETERSBURG, Va, juno l.-Heretofore the APP |
! pomsttox river has been thoughtful enough to
advise US In advance OF all depredations upon
property which Il Intended 10 commit This !
morning IL departed from It's usual plan and
stole in upon us I'm the "smell hours with |
never a sign OF warning, bringing destruction IN
its wake and encrcaching IS II never did before
upon the city limits. The result Is the greatest
| freshet In tho history OF Petersburg.
| Last night the rain fell Ia torrents and con- |
| tinuOusly for several hours The wind blew In |
| great gusts and the streets were quickly filled |
! with water. Bus OFT and anon Is had been rain- |
ing for the past few days, and the river did nos
! appear TO DO unusually swollen. When It's vol |
! umes were precipitated upon US, however, they !
came with rush, and after daybreRk 1t wss evil |
! dent tbnt should the hppomattox continue % |
rise IL would exceed ~ bounds and destroy |
vast amount OF valuable property.
OVER ITS LIMITS.
About o'clock II began 10 run over re &C. !
customed limits, and three hours aflor thet time
| there appeared 10 be no doubt that fearful |
| catastrophe was impending. mo Water came |
| rushing down In immense volumes OF
| bright red color bearing angrily against the |
shores and overlapping them, spreading IN tre- |
mendous sheets on tho land on either sidc. Inc
velocity greater Than had ever been observed !
here refore, and such was i's strength that II |
seemed TO be irresistible. All possible prepara-
lions wers made in the short time that was left TO
| resist the mighty forces OF the torrent. but as |
| will b. seen 6fterwsrd nothing was Of avail TO |
| prevent The destruction
TIE DANGEROUS POINT.
| The Appomattox river approaches the city !
from the west. Its most dangerous point on this |
| boundary is near Campbells bridge which |
unites the city with the little village OF Etrick. la
! Chesterfield county. Fifty yards from the place |
| at which the bridge spans the river the stream |
| e0nverEes and, narrowing, passes for short |
space in a channel, the shores OF which are de- |
clivtous, being Of rock mainly on the southern |
| side. As tho Immense sheet or water poured |
| through these narrow confines the velocity and |
| power Of ;he water percepubly Increased aud
before Il passed out into broader channel the
| river was literally churnod into foam, the waves
| leaning high into the air and dashing with In
creasi1g force against every obstacle in their
! way. Right at this point are several Of the most
nOurishing Industries In the city, the buildings
for which we're constructed as near tho river as
| possible IN ordor that the wa empower might be
| utilized 10 the best advantage.
THE sIIK-MILLS.
The sk-mills operated by John " Stcarns &
Co. are situated on both tho northern and south
| ern sides Of the i1Ter, aod recently have been
| connected by q massive new iron bridge which
was about twenty feet 70 tho east OF Campbells
! bridge. The building on the northern SIDE had
been fitted out with tho most improved machine
~ and gave emplOyment 70 humper OF ue-
| serving white people. The motive FOver was
steam, and nne electric plant was also oWned
and conducted by the proprietors. This building
| was IN part submerged by tho water, and the
| bridge which connected IL With the factory cn
the south was torn down after outstanding the
! torrent for more than three hours. Many cells on
| rope we're used In fastening the bridge 70 secure
| points on tho shore, but the Gsbr's which had
| accumulated and been blocked against Is vas OF
such great weight that the supports OF tho bridge
| wero impotent to prevent the disaster The ropes
snapped with noise like pistosnots, and the
| whole structure was wasned away and was soon
| lost 70 sight
FELL WITH A CRASH.
just before the iron bridge went down the
Northwestern corner Of THO ola Merchants cot
| top-fnill which Il on the south side OF Camp
| hollis bridge fell with crash into tho seething
| watorS the river having been beating against II
| with a force that was Increased by lts DrOml-
! hence and the reduced proportions OF tho chan
| moi. About nifty yards northwest Of the bridge
| the frame building operated az r planning mil
by g. b. Esnos ani in which large quanuty OF
| lumber was stored Was invaded by the wafer
| aal tho lumber swept away. foOle's gram
| mills were also submerged. and tho building was
seen 10 settle foot or more. Its position 10 worry
exposed. and should the water continue TO rise
| II will probably DO destroyed.
THE TORRENTS SWEEP.
Leaving Csnpbelrs bridge which was closely
| guarded by police Officers and two Chesterfield
! county constabies, the river spread rapidly on
| 81 her aide. Oyerrunnng its shores and suit
| merging houses within its reach Willlamss
! mills wore inundated aud considerably dam
| aged This building is on the southern side OF
tho river Gathering force IS 1t went, the tor
| rsnt swept away the railroad bridge owned "
| sne Norfolk and Western Railroad Company and
| connecting their shifting yard with the shops on
Inc Chesterfield side. aud the Debris moving
rapidly along was. 10 spite Of frequent oosiruo-
| tOns, nually borne down the stream out OF sight.
The next act Of destruction wrought by the tor
rent was the total demolition Of tns bridge
| owned by tho Petersburg and Richmond Kali
road Company. This pat an end at once 70 all
| movements OF trains North or South. IL was
about o'clock whom the bridge gave way. and
there vera fully dozen mon Oh II at tho time,
several OF whom Narrowly escaped win tneI.
lives. although they had been HarAed against
yenturing upon IT,
THR POcAHoNTAs BRIDGE.
The next polut a. which danger was expected
| WAS the PocahOntas bridge, which connects tho
| city with a crowded negro settlement on the
! Chesterfield side. This Is comparatively ne"
| structure IL has brsyely wtthstOOd all assaults
up 70 this time. and unass tho river continues to
rise IL will bold OFT Before IL reached Pocahor-
| tas bridge however. and about az yards 10 the
| west OF il the water, overlooking the banks. mad
| wrought great havoc, especially on thu southern
side, which for this distance at east IS used by
| the Norfolk and Western railroad AS its freight
| and shHting-yacd. Tho water covered thlsspace
20 the deptn OF nearly four te0t, and encroqched
so dangerously upon she big freight building
| that orders were issusi this afternoon by the
| authorities for the removal Of al freight stored
| therein. Early this morning in addition ihe
| railroad companies all refused TO receive
| freight, their yards being submerged and their
| stOrehouses in great peril Tho Union passen-
| ger depot, which ~ about forty yards southeast
| OF POcahOnJSs bridge. stands IN three feet OF
water, aud will DO greatly damaged. IL has
| been abandoned. River street for several hun
dred Yards is submerged % the depth Of several
feet as IS also Rock street.
DESERTED.
On the corner OF River and Second streets are
! the depot and stables OF the street railway.
| THIS was deserted before noon, the water cover
ing the building at every point aud destroying
| great deal OF property. Here the Overlooking
| stream reached It's greatest depth, which was
| nearly Eve fest, and extended half way up 10
| tho BolliDgorook Hotel.
FERRIAGE.
In tho way OF impromptu methods Of trlvel-
| ling Petersburg has never seen such system
OF ferriagO ~ Is operated In its streets to-day.
A point on Second street, about nfty yards north
! Of Bollingbrook street. is the place Of embarka
| ton Hers are to DO had full scene OF
row-bOsts managed by negroes, who 80 as near
the scene of danger a. is safe In the railroad
yards arc TO DO seen both freight and psssen-
! esr-cars 81 andoned and submerged up to their
! doors In the big stream Of water which flows
placidly by them. There wero fifty or more Of
! these cars In sight when the Dispatch reporter
rowed over the inundated territory this after
noon, beholding a picture OF devastation the
| ike OF which has never before been seen in this
| city. Several locomotives were also visible, the
water having nearly risen 70 the top OF their
| driving wheels. IL was scene In which tho
| idea CT destruction most predominant and
yet there was a great deal Of the picturesque in
| the queer sights which met tue eye at every
| turn.
DAMS BROKEN.
Between III and IL O'Clock last night the dams
10 the two large ponds which feed the reservoirs
OF the city water-works gave away under tho
| heavy pressure against taem and turned loose
a vast body of wster, which rushed with great
roar down the valley OF Lieutenant Run 10 the
| river II swept away the bridges At the wafer
| works. ut Wythe and Lombard streets. and mum
dated the whole valley. The deoris Of the
bridges was swept across Boilingbrook street.
! but struck with tho force OF the nOod against q
! culfsrt on the Norfolk and Western railroad,
carrying IL away. and with II loug stretch OF the
railroad track 10 the sudden rush Of this tor
| rent % water, houses IN the valley wero sub
| merged. and he occupants were rudely awaken
| oil from their slumben and Jumped from
| their beds 10 step into water nearly up % their
! waists. aud 20 ma the lighter ARTICLES OF furni-
! ture floating around abolt Them. IL - estimated
| that the cO-t 10 tho city OF Petersburg by tho
! breaking OF these dams will be fully $4,000. BY
this serious breakBge only two or three days
supply OF water - left 10 the city Ia the upper
| reservoirs There 10 six feet Of wster IN the
ongino-room OF the water-worke. A large force
| has been put 10 work 10 repair damages aud 10
prevent II possible, anything Ike water
/ famine.
| BAFPLEs DESCRIPTION.
| Tho scene below Pocahoatas bridge Is one that
banics description. outside OF tho river banks