The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-10-01
DESTRUCTIVE HURRICANE.
4 Tropical Storm Sweeps Inward From
the Ocean.
SThUsTON SWEPT BY 4 FLOOD.
b., Water and Elsewhere by Wind-Tho
Storm Cycionic in >outhside Virginia
and Accompanied by Phenomena.

OF the tropical hurricane which came tea,
ng and ripping an inland course frol
Florida Tuesday night, the pretty moo
tain city OF staunton was suffering
rayages OF a food. which was terri
and destructive. The Sfaunton News ~
yesterday says:
Staunton was visited between tae hours
Of 10 aud Y o'clock last night by the most
disastrous donnpour. food and destruction
TO life and property that has ever occurred J
in IT'S history. Fine pressed brick, stone
trimmed buildings went down with 4
crash, other fine brick and stone struc-
lures were badly damaged, horses were
drowned. and some lives are reported
lost. while others are reported missing
The flood came Unexpectedly, when the
rain was coming down in deluge, the
electric lights were out and all was
shrouded in n blackness- as dirk as Egypt
Not until daylight Will the full extent "
the damage be known.
HOW THE FLOOD CAME.
Lewis creek comes down FROM the park
parallel With Churchville avenue, on the
northern suburbs OF the city, until about
tue middle Of the city Is reached, when
it aogs down through A large arcAed sew
or under Central avenue southward nearly
10 Main street, where IL defects slightly
TO the right. and. stil pursuing its under
ground course, tuin5 20 the eastward again
after lt crosses johnson street. parallel
with Main.
quite . crowd Wlth lanterns collected
on the corner OF Main street aud Central
avenue watching tue TERRIBLE rush "
the water down Central avenue and
across Main street. Presently there vas
u terrible rumble beneath tne very feet
of the crowd. coming, as IL ne4e from
tne very bowels OF tie ear-h. Not sure
where there the sewer passed under. there
was au instant scattering Of the crowd,
and in a rev inmates there Was a dun
but heavy thud that denoted the fan of
a heavy nuldlrs.
IL vas the handsome rel presscd-brickl
s,one-,rimmed building owned Dy S. n
Wilkes and known as the Wilkes bu.lditg
situated on west sile cf the eAteslon of
Central aycme south OF Main stroet.
c.0t testise was left az the csnle of
IT,. Brick. stone tlmb-rs. contents w-ie-
swept away as clean as + the foundation
sight had been swept with a broom, and
in lis ceatre was only o raging torrent
Cf angry water flowing through deep
| channel Occupants OF the upper story
were gotten out ln the nick OF time ana
escaped.
FAIR GROUND LAKE BURSTS.
Northwest of Sraunf0u ard adjoining
II Is the Fair Ground lake. which includes
nearly tie entire space inside OF the half
mile race track. and ifs natural drainageI
s. into Lewis creek. What caused the food
SO far as can be learned at this tint
wae Che bursting Of this lake and The cm'(
tying ~ IT'S waters into The already
swollen Lewis creek-an0iher J0hnstown
food on smaller scale
The News in four columns graphically
describes the scene and the results. from
which the following is taken:
on Johnson street. which IS commonly
known as Irish alley the scene Il in-
dcscrihahle Hugh masses of lumber AMI
other debris block this alley-way. render-
ing passenger travel exceedingly dimci%.
while horse and wagon traffic IS abso->
lutoiy impossible. Captain Thornburg win
be q havy loser. az all the foundation or
his building was demolished. lie had three
horses drowned and one badly injured.
lie also suffered severely In other ways.
SAVED FORII-TWO PEOPLE.
on Pump street the water rose wiu\
am3zlng rapid.ty. and a number OF M
gr1es would have been drowned had
not been for the efforts Of Denia1H
Bagby ard II. p. Middle Kauf. who -
cued foriy-two persons from their yarioub
houses along the creek.
The scene az tho first arch bridge or
the MidilebroOk road. completely beygars
description. The wrockage and drift-wood
is piled 10 height OF az least twenty
fect
SEVERAL NEGROES DROWNED.
r. is nearly certain that the bodies OF
negro persons are buried therein. J'he
bodies of tho drowned persons are James
Smith. better known as Horse Radish
Jim.' his wife. granddaughter. and srfni-
chli.
Az this part OF the devastation IL
scene aDne4rcd unusually weird. a. n
moon shown trigbtly. Illuminating th
wrckage, and giving II a gbost-lke ap
pearlpco The negroes who are supposed
% be drowned lived in Wcst-End. and
their rouse was swept away ~ ths small
trarch that flows along ,..at SECTION south
or me Chesapeake and Ohio tracks.
From the corner Of South New street
anl Grecviile avenue. east towards tho
Valley depot an unparalleled scene 4
e atruction Is presented.
From the Virginia Hotel one hsftre !
yards east of GreenyiIle aycule Che col
ble-ftones have disappeared IRONS hA
m the street. their places being taken
deep pools Of water AZ tie bend Ia
street "a rock dam three or four feet hi
has been formed, and on this are pll.
fences wagons roofs and debris Of egsf
description.
THE GAS-WORKS GONE.
Tie ga5-wOTks arc practically go
In tho midst % the Hood. working
water up 10 their waists Slperintenl
W0odsOn and his assistants endeavQ r.
10 draw the fires and Jet the gas esc vpoy
from the tanks An explosion follow IA.
SIR WoOdson and a helper were sig tiy
burned and ore tank was desirO, 3D. 7
Water covered tho whole yard. and vi eeiY
barrows. shoyeis. coal. coke, and a.
are one indlstinguisbabie macs. ~
OF tar. barrels of whisky aud ey
stray barrel % Rock Candy Dip
the yard.
Tho bridge over Lewis creek .
Valley depot f. gone. So IS the 81
part o., the street.
Perhaps the worst sight OF all Is aroupa
fhe Valley depot Approach 10 Il Is only
by the high embankment OF the 9. * O.
or by Coalter street.
portion Of the tracks between the