Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1892-04-07
RAGING WATERS
The Valley Submerged. Fences
Washed Away. and Farms
Devastated
Cattle Drowned and Crops
Injured.


Sunday night, broke the railroad in a
washed bridges away, and cut us off
from communication with the outside
world. All day Sunday rain fell at in
tervals, but not in such quantities as to
perceptibly raise the streams, or to
give token of the flood at hand. But
about five o'clock in the afternoon the
rain began to fall heavily, and from
that until nine it came in tOrrents-the
fioodgates of heaven were opened wide,
and the storm became one vast water
spout. Thunder and lightning added
their terrOrs to the scene, and all ma
ture was convulsed with the contend
ing elements. When the lightning
flashed and lighted up the scene, the
earth seemed one vast sheet of rushing
water. At ten o'clock the station agent
here was summoned from his house to
the depot, and the information given
that the railroad bed had been washed
away between IrOntOn and Arcadia,
and the bridge across Knob Creek be-
tween here and Pilot Knob destroyed.
While a message was being transmitted
ltOIn ESdDuId W Dt soOUO IcldI1Nc W Illc
wreck near the former place, the tele-
graph poles this side of Arcadia went
Town, and further communication was
cut off.
The waters rose so very rapidly after
nine o'clock that when the congrega-
ton at the Presbyterian church was
dismissed Rev. Roberts, who lives in
the John Newman house, opposite
Judge Emerson's residence, found it
impossible to get home afoot. That
which had been a safe highway at sew
en- o'clock, was now covered with three
or four feet of water, rushing in furious
currents down the Valley-carrying
fences, trees, barrels, and debris Of
every description on its turbulent
bosom. He finally reached his house
by going through the water on horse
back, and even in that way his progress
was perilous. John Newman's market
gardens were completely overlooked
and utterly demolished. The fences
in great part were washed out and car
ried away, the soil taken from the sur
face of the ground, and the growing
vegetables of course completely de-
stroyed His loss is over five hundred
dollars.
Up in the north end of town matters
were equally bad. The houses Oh the
level were surrounded by the water,
which covered the fields east of the
station house, coming up to the steps
of that building. August Rieke was
awakened about ten o'clock, and when
he looked out of the window, behold
his residence was completely surround
ed, He hastily donned his clothes,
and, answering the calls of the alarmed
cattle in his stables, found them stand
ing knee-deep in water. He could do
little to relieve them, but he mounted a
horse and rode forth to see what could
be done. He found that it was impOs-
sib.e to communicate with his neigh
bors, who could render no assistance
in response to his repeated calls for
help. Fortunately, the rain abated in
in its volume, and the waters soon be-
gan to fall. The next morning dis
closed that his grounds were badly
washed, his fences injured, and his
pretty garden almost ruined.
1t viii probably require an expendi-
ture of two hundred dollars to rebuild
the culverts and bridges destroyed and
injured within the city limits.
Lack of space compels us to cut
short our account of the great disaster,
but below we give memoranda of the
damage done, so far as we have been
able to learn particulars:
Dr. II. NJ. Jones, east of the railroad,
lost IS panels of fence and suffered
considerably from wash of land,
w. A. Fletcher, whose farm lies on
Stout's Creek, lost 100 panels Of fence.
Much damage from wash of land. PO-
tato patch and garden just planted all
washed away.
John Newman's fine garden almost
ruined. New rock levee built at con-
cost last fall, and wire fence
next to the creek. washed away, and,
all broken and twisted, lies piled up
against the railroad bridge, making a
wreck fearful to look upon.
The little colony of blacks situated
below the railroad on the creek, was
only saved from utter destruction by
the railroad embankment, and. as it
was, had some very narrow escapes,
the water being up in the houses, and
all fencing washed off.
Mr.. Edgar's fine bottom field is badly
washed. and fence washed away.
Mr.. Elgan, farther up the creek, had
just plOwed up and planted in corn a
nice field in the creek bottom-a por-
ton Of the old Greason farm-which is
completely washed away. Fencing all
gone, and damage great.
Judge Russell's and Mrs. Pilley's
farms seriously damaged in same man
ner Two hundred yards Of fencing
gone.
Mr.. A. Begley's nice little farm is an
entire wreck. Was all plowed up ready
for planting; all the land washed away
as deep as plowed, and the fencing all
washed off. Water from two to four
feet deep all over the farm, and young
Depew, who lives on the place, had
great difficulty in saving his horses in
the barn.
Mr.. Mulligan, and the county farm
adjoining, are heavy losers. Hundreds
of panels of fence and all the land fresh
ly plowed. amounting to thirty or forty
acres, completely ruined, and where
nice, rich bottom soil was, is now a
bed of gravel and sandbars.
L l.