Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1894-09-28
nrsrRuorrvE FLOODS.


subscriber atlAlonzoville sends us dis
t-es.ing account of the destruction caused
by the unprecedented food that visited
that section on the head waters Of Pugh's
Run last week. The ram came down in
torrents for several hours aud soon every
stream and hollow we're booming with the
yellow tide, until it burst oyer the banks
AID ran riot in all directions. Down the
mountain from Sbaver's Gap on the Van
Buren, Furnace road it came in torrents
tearing out the road and making 1t COM
pletelY impossible for vehicles Of any
kind.
At Mr.. Isaac Swartz'S, at the foot of the
mountain, it swept fences along Its course
and covered his spring under such a mass
of derbis that 1t Is impossible to tell that
a fine spring was ever there. His large
hog pen. about 16xl2 feet, containing
a lot of hogs, was swept into the road,
while the water swirled around his large
store. From here to Hampson Gochen-
ours it badly injured the road. Here an
other stream coming in from the Kern's
Springs section Joined the other adding
an immense volume to the already over
flowing torrent. Along this last named
stream the damage was very egnat. The
road leading along it from H. Gochen-
ours to Calvin Wisman's IS entirely de-
strOSej, the creek taking its place at
many points, and at others there are
banks of stones that the water washed
up, As there are four streams running
through Mr.. Wisman's place he IS one of
the greatest sufferers. Much of his fenc-
ing was carried away along with eight
flood gates not vestige of which could
be found for miles below, even the stout
posts being torn out and swept away.
About forty pannels of paleing fence
wSht with the rest. In many places the
creeks were drifted shut, turning the
waters over his land, tearing out great
bitches IN places, pillng up stones at
others, and washing off the plowed
ground down to the hard pan beneath.
Messrs. Samuel Beydler and P. w. Swartz,
along the same streams, were also severe
lS damaged, much of their corn and a
large amount of their fencing having
been swept away.
From H. Gochenour's. the confluence of
the two streams, the work of destruction
was complete. The high foot bridge and
a wagon bridge were carried off, while
along the meadows, from hill to hill the
fences were swept away, At Henry
Gochenour's tannery the bark stacks were
drlfted full of logs, rails and trash of oil
kinds, while the water covered his tar
yard to a considerable depth doirG
great damage. From here it swept over
Samuel Gochenour's large meadows,
carrying away fencing and floating a
stack of bay from one end to the other
1t also damaged Frank Coffelt, by over
flowing his meadows and carrying off his
fences. Just below this point it ran into
the windows of Mr.. Pelton's house, COM
polling them to wade out through the
darkness carrying sick woman
with them. 1t also carried off his heg
pen with the hogs in 1t they being found
the next day in a field some distance
away. The creek at this point whore the
road formerly crossed, is now impossible,
having been torn out to a great depth.
A stable, which stood near the creek at
this point, was moved from its foundation
while the fencing, trees, &C., were strung
with corn, pumpkins and other material
SWEPT from above.
Below here the garden in front OF Mr..
Philip Shoots blacksmith shop as swept
bare, and a spring wagon, and four
horse wagon which stood in front of the
shop were carried down against the
bridge on the Woodstock and Van Buren,
read and broken to pieces and part of
them lost. The bridge was also damaged
so badly as to make it impossible. The
damage to the Alouzovllle section is far
greater than ever before, the loss running
way up into the hundreds of dollars.
Meyer within the recollection of the old
est person Of our section have these
streams ever been so high, certainly not
for a century," ASUBsCRIBER.