Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1896-10-01


nine clock Tuesday night, after slight
lull, the storm broke with renewed en-
ergy, and for three or four hours
fearful gale ragged and torrents of rain
fell. The wind has seldom been fercer
than it was that night, and there was
much alarm among our people, many
persons remaining up most OF the night.
Fortunately there was no serious dam
age. Some chimneys were demolished
and fences blown down, while many
trees were uprooted and had large
branches broken off.
The Norfolk & Western Railroad
was worse damaged than it has ever
been in its history. The rain was much
heavier further down the valley than
it was here. The Shenandoah river,
along which the railroad runs, rose
with the greatest rapidity from the
immense torrents Of water poured into
from the runs and mountain streams,
and soon got over the railroad tracks.
Between Riverton and Buena Vista,
distance of ia miles, the roadbed was
ruined. Trickling streams from be-
tween the hills became raging torrents,
sweeping everything before them. Not
less than forty bridges and trestles
were carried away between the points
named, while in some places the track
was under FIVE feet Of water. Beyond
Shenandoah, it is said, the rOadbed
was entirely swept away in some
places.
The damage to the N. & w. was so
extensive that its own repair force,
although largely supplemented by ad-
ditional hands, was unable to cope
with the difficulty, so the carpenter
force and repair men of the Cumber-
land Valley Railroad were engaged.
They got as far as Riverton Wednes-
day afternoon, where the submerged
tracks kept them until this morning.
The Shenandoah river is said to
have been higher than at any time
since the great food Of 1889. The
bridge of the Chesapeake g. Western
Railroad near Elkton was carried
away and yesterday evening the bridge
of the Southern Railway at Riverton
was swept from its piers by the food.
The last passenger train to pass
here was the accommodation train
from Hagerstown Tuesday afternoon.
1t got caught down the road the
same evening where it is still stuck
at this writing. This morning train
was run from Hagsrstown to River
ton, to return this evening. 1t car
ried passengers, express matter and
newspapers. The latter were eagerly
welcomed, for there had been no
news from the outside world for two
DAYS. 1t will be several days until
the trains from the south get through.
The Potomac river rose with re-
markable rapidity. 1t had been very
low, but yesterday at about 9 o'clock
it began to come up, and this morn
ing at 8 o'clock was at its highest,
running bank full. 1t got over the
banks of the canal, pouring into the
waterway at some places to run out
over the towpath further down.
That the canal is damaged seems
probable, but at this writing it cam
not be told how much. 1t is report
ed that several canal boats sunk in
the river at Georgetown.
The storm, which originated in the
West Indies, did great damage in va
rious parts Of the country. 1t struck
the Southern States first, and with
gradually diminishing fury swept
northward. In Savannah, Ga, eleven
persons were killed by falling walls
and flying debris, while the loss to
property in the city and county is es-
timated at 100000. At Bruins
wick, Ga, four persons were killed
and besides other damage twelve yes
sells were sunk in the harbor. Great
damage is reported from most of the
southern coast States
The storm was very violent in Bal
timore and Washington. In Balti-
more and vicinity many houses were
unroofed and property damaged.
Washington suffered severely. The
damage to property there is estimated
at S25O,OO0. The White House was
slightly injured and twenty-five of the
beautiful trees in the grounds were
destroyed, while fully fifty more suf-
fered the loss of their tops and princi-
pal branches. The building occupied
by the War, State and Navy Depart
ments lost part of its roof. The big
shiphouse at the maynard was par
tally unroofed. The tower Of the
New York Avenue Presbyterian
Church came down with a crash, and
st. Aloysius' Church and Metropoli-
tan Methodist Episcopal Church were
also injured by the gale, while many
other buildings were injured and par
italy demolished.
In Alexandria, Va, the loss to prop
} erty is placed at $4,000 and four per-
J sons were killed by falling walls Al
Columbia, Pa, the big covered bridge
of the Pennsylvania Railroad, a mile
and quarter long, was lifted from the
piers and thrown into the river mas;
, of wreckage.
At Roanoke, Va, there was tre-
mendous rainfall, and large part o.
the city was submerged.
The telegraph wires are down II
every direction, and there Is much
damage that is not vet reported IN de.