Evening star., 1896-10-01
FLOOD AT STAUNT0N
Pent-Up Waters of the Lake Turned
Loose.
THE CITIZENS SUDDENLY ENGULFED
Loss of Life and Property Yet
Unknown.
A G r E A T G A L A NJ 7 Y

RICHMOND. Va, September so delayed
by storm)-The city of Staunton. in the
Shenandoah valley. was visited by ter
rihle flood today. Many lives were lost and
great damage done to property.
The great storm yesterday caused the
lake to rise and flood the city. All the
water courses in the valley became raging
torrents and swept over their banks, car
ryEg destruction IN their paths
The water invaded the lower portion of
the city, rising so rapidly that many were
unable to escape in time and were en-
gulfed. Others barely escaped with their
lives, leaving their property to the mercy
of the water.
Houses were swept from their founda-
lions. In several cases persons were with
difficulty rescued from the roofs.
1t is impossible at this hour to ascertain
the extent of the loss of life or the extent
of property damage. The latter will ex-
ceed half a million dollars. Heroic at
tempts are being made to rescue those in
Ganger.
Families Homeless.
The flood came SO suddenly and unexpect-
edly that all was confusion for some time
before the extent of the calamity was
realized. Telegraph poles are down and
Scores OF families are homeless and many
are anxiously seeking to ascertain the
Whereabouts and safety of friends, or are
making fearful search for the bodies of
those who they know have perished.
1t is the worst catastrophe which Staun-
ton has ever experienced in times CT peace
and the dawn of tomorrow is dreaded be-
cause of the extent of the disaster which
Its light will unfold.
The search for victims and the work of
saving what property is not hopelessly
ruined, is being prosecuted best it can
IL the dark. bat little can be done until
tomorrow.
The bodies of the drowned persons are
James Smith, better known as Horse Rad
Ism Jim,' his wife, granddaughter and
grandchild.
One man saen to be swept from his
feet at the Virginia Hotel corner and then
seen 10 more. Another went down in a
livery stable trying to get his horse out,
and he has not since been seen.
Perhaps the worst sight of all is around
the Valley depot Approach TO it is only
by the high embankment of the c. and O.,
or by Coalter street
portion of the tracks between the
freight depot and the bridges of the C. and
part of 1t in several places there is a mass
of wreckage piled to the height of fully
fifteen feet.
The rsils are bent and distorted as if
they were mere suppliant willow wands.
The gas works are practically gone. In
the midst of the flood, working in water up
to their waists, Superintendent WSodson
and his assistants endeavored to draw the
fires and let the gas escape from the tanks.
An explosion followed. Mr.. Woodson and
helper were slightly burned and. one tank
was destroyed
On Pump street the water rose with
amazing rapidity, and number of negroes
would have been drowned had 1t not been
for the efforts of Benjamin Bagby and H.
B. Middlekauf, who rescued forty-two per-
sons from their various houses along the
creek
Further Details.
The Starnton News of yesterday has the
following details:
"Staunton was visited between the hours
Of 10 and II o'clock last night by the most
disastrous downpour, flood and destruction
to life and property shat has ever occurred
in Its eventful history. Fine pressed brick,
stone-trimmed buildings went down with a
crash. other fine brick and stone structures
We're badly damaged. horses were drowned
and some lives were lost, while other Ter
sons are reported missing.
Lewis creek comes down from the park
parallel with Churchville avenue on The
northern suburbs Of the city, flowing east
ward until about the middle of the city Is
reached. when 1t flows down through
a large arched sewer under Central ave-
nue. southwark nearly to Main street.
where 1t defects slightly to the right and,
still pursuing its underground course, turns
to the eastward again after Ii crosses john
son street, parallel with Main. Between
the hours named this creek became a rag
ing torrent, and the water soon began its
work of destruction. The water being in
too great volume to pass in the tunnel,
backed and quickly swamped the neign-
borhocd, including many large gardens
"A handsome brick, stone-trimmed build
ing owned by s. NJ. Wilkes, and located en-
Central avenue south Of Main street was
totally wrecked, the occupants barely es-
Gaping Along the line of the creek in the
southern part of the city the water rose
several feet in few seconds
CLuse of 1t.
Northwest of Staunton and adjoining it
is the fair ground lake, which includes
nearly the entire space inside of the half
mile race track, and Its natural drainage
is into Lewis creek. What caused the flood
was the bursting of this lake and the
emptying of its waters into the already
swollen Lewis creek. 1t was another
Johnstown flood on a smaller scale