Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1891-08-29
UNPRECEDENTED.
ClOudburst in the Mountains
Near Sand Lake, N. Y.
Damage Estimated at Between 1885,
600 and $250,000.
Hotel Guests Driven Into the
Upper Stories
BY THE SUDDEN RISING OF GLASS
HOUSE LAKE.


Swept Away by the ResistIess Force o
the DeIuse-Several Narrow Escapes o
Families RepOrted--A Number of Horses
DrOwned-Three Fatalities Reported
Railroad Tracks Badly Washed in Many
Places.
TROY, N. Y, Aug. 29.--There was 6
cloudburst in the mountains near Sand
Lake about 2 o'clock Thursday after
noon, and the damage resulting was the
heaviest that has ever visited this
vicinity from such cause. The heavy
rainfall of the past few days had swollen
the mountain streams that enter into
Glasshouse lake into torrents. The lake
rose rapidly, $but no fears were enter
tanned until the cloudburst occurred.
Then the heavens seemed to open up,
and the rain came down in sheets OF
water. Nothing like it had ever been
experienced, and for several hours the
storm did not abate a particle but
seemed rather to increase.
Hotel Guests Driven Up Stairs.
Glasshouse lake rose with startling
| Iapidity, and soon the inhabitants be-
gan to feel uneasy. In a little while
the water commenced to creep up to-
wards the GlasshOuse hotel, which was
filed with guests. CONSERVATION seized
| them all, and it was feared that the
hotel would be pulled from its founda-
ton. 1t was not long before the first
story had to be abandoned, and all the
inmates congregated on the upper floors,
where, from the windows and doors, the
alarming rise of water was watched
with fear and trembling The water
soon flooded the first floor and reached
as high as the top of the barn.
An effort was made to reach the sta
BILE, where several horses and other
stock were confined, but the water was
too deep and too swift The whinny-
ing of the four horses were heard
through the storms noise. The barn
was soon lifted from its foundation and
carried away. All of the horses perished
in the flood and their bodies were car
ried down the stream.
On went the flood toward Sliters
corners about three-fourths of mile
away, sweeping before it bridges and
buildings and carrying terror to the
hearts of the farmers, who felt that
their labor of the year would be swept
away. The house of Ezra Knowlson
was nearly carried away. The water
filled the cellar and first floor.
Mr.. Knowlson's house was afterwards
completely submerged and the family
had narrow escape from being
drowned. They left just before the
fury of the flood advanced upon them
and escaped to higher ground. Mr..
Knowlson's house is situated on the
ep 1o1 la 10
depth of three feet in his barn.
The blacksmith shop of Lewis Adams
suffered similarly and several horses
were drowned.
At Liters Corners all the bridges were
washed away as though they had been
made of straw. When the food reached
the general store of John Huntley, stu
ated across the street from Grapes
hotel, the entire building was lifted
from its foundation and swept with the
stream. Everything in the store was
flooded, and the big wooden structure
toppled over on its side and floated away,
distributing its contents along the path
of the flood. A barn in the rear of
Huntly's store was inundated and two
horses were drowned.
The water rushed on towards Averill
park and passed out over the flats be-
tween the Baptist and Presbyterian
churches and extended over the prolific
crops nearly mile wide.
Water poured through the Beverwick
hosiery mill, owned by A. b. Knowlson.
The goods were completely ruined.
A Dam Gave Way.
The volume of water that was released
by the breaking of the dam was of NAM
;o1
ton in its path. Everything went be-
fore 1t, and the country for miles around
was flooded.
The water was too rapid for the cir
cuitous current of the Wynantsklll and
instead of following in the bed it spread
over the surrounding farm lands. The
Wynantshill creek, which forms from
Glasshouse lake, runs along the Wy
nantsllill road from Abba as far as the
village of Wynantsllill, at distance of
about geo yards. and is ordinarily about
twenty feet wide and from n foot to
three feet deep. This little stream had
swollen to gigantic proportions, rising
over its banks and flooding the fields
along its course for quarter Of mile
on each side, forming one unbroken
sheet of water, milo long and half
mile wide, covering crops and flooding
orchards, barnyards and cellars
AT the village of Wynantskill great
excitement prevailed. and the residents
had ali collected Mt the bridge watching
the mad torrent, as it rose so rapidly
that the rise was discernable with the
eve An actual measurement showed
the rise to be about three inches in ten
minutes, and about $3.50 the water had
reached the level of the road and soon
was pouring down the street foot
deep.
Strope's roadhouse and the house on
the south side of the street were flooded,
and barn back of the blacksmith shop
was partially demolished.
No Fatalities Reported.
Whether anyone has been drowned
by the deluge cannot be determined,
although several are missing. That a
flood of such seriousness as this could
occur and no lives be lost, seems almost
impossible. 1t is expected that when
communication is restored there will be
reports of missing people. The dam
age is estimated at from S125,OO0 to
$3.50, 600. The cutting away of the
mountain forests is largely responsible
for this and similar floods.
A telephone dispatch from the county
house at $50 n. m. Friday, said the
creek was rising and part of Smart's
4