The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1894-05-25

The SToRM.-The storm of last Saturday
disastrous as the great flood of 1889, though
fortunately attended by little or no loss of life.
At Williamsport, Pa, the Susquehanna
river was six feet higher than at the time Of
the Johnstown catastrophe and swept away a
million dollars worth of property. The
whole town was four feet under water and the
foundations of many buildings were undermin-
ed thus causing additional damage. Trains of
the Pennsylvania railroad from Philadelphia to
Pittsburg have been compelled to run over
the Baltimore and Ohio tracks by way of Bal
timore and Washington to Connellsville on
account of damage to the tracks between
Johnstown and Altoona.
The damage in this county has been com
paratively slight. Many corn and tomato fields
were injured and some dangerous gullies were
washed in the roads but nothing more severe
has been reported. The Susquehanna was not
as high at Conowingo bridge by two feet as it
was in the flood of 1889.
The trestlework which was built at the
Cecil end of the bridge to repair the damage
caused by that flood was washed away and the
river ragged in a furious torrent all over the
level between the bridge and the Columbia
and Port Deposit railroad tracks, knocking
down all the telegraph poles and upsetting
the boiler in Mr.. J. Fred. Crews canning
house. At the paper mill the lower story
was flooded and stop lock which had been
placed in the canal at the draw bridge caused
the current to sweep around and had nearly
undermined the old flint mill when the stop lock
fortunately gave way. Pete Parker's house,
about quarter of a mile below the paper
mills, was submerged to the upper story. The
water in most places washed clear over the tow
path and it is thought by many that the canal
will be damaged beyond hope of rebuilding.
In the upper part of the river the current
was too swift to think of catching logs, but
at Havre de Grace many boatmen did very
profitable days work on Tuesday. Many
logs were also caught at Lapidum, but the
men there appeared to confine most of their
efforts to squared timber, probably regarding
that as most valuable.
Owing to the quarter from which the wind
blew during the three days storm the logs
were carried down the west side Of the river,
giving the people on the Hartford side all the
opportunity to make salvage. Ordinarily
when there is a rush of logs the wind is from
the northwest and the logs are swept along
the east shore Then the people of Port
Deposit and Perryville reap the benefit.
Very little damage was done at Havre de
Grace as all property exposed to the flood had
been removed to places of safety. In Port
Deposit some of the fishermen were caught
mapping and lost about $500 in nets, floats and
lighthouses, the heaviest losers being John
Jennings, John Mitchell and Jacob Todd.
The rapid current carried debris of almost
every description down into the bay-drown-
ed sheep, hogs etc. Early Tuesday morning
fox was seen taking voyage down the river
on log, but he appeared to derive little salts
faction from his trip. The logs passed down
in an apparently endless procession and a
few houses went down in small sections.
Large crowds were gathered at every available
point on the river watching the spectacle,
which was truly one of impressive grandeur.