The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1898-07-23
A CLOUD-BURST IN
BALTIMORE COUNTY
Immense Damage to Property,
Roads and Bridges.

On Tuesday afternoon a severe thunder
storm passed over "a portion of Baltimore
county. The following details are taken from
the Baltimore papers of Wednesday: T.
The valley of the Gunpowder was visited
by a food that caused great damage to rail
road property, mills, dwellings, growing
crops and public and private roads. The
storm broke with awful suddenness, and be-
fore the people had time to realize its extent
the rushing waters were invading their homes.
The first indications of the storm were appar-
parent about noon, when heavy bank of
clouds arose The clouds increased in dem
sity and blackness until it appeared as if
night was near at hand. 4 few occasional
flashes oflightning and distant rolls of thunder
were seen and heard as the clouds rapidly APP
Droacbed. These soon increased i'll frequency
and intensity, until the heavens were illumi
mated bv almost continuous flashes Of vivid
lightning, accompanied by deafening crashes
of thunder that frightened timid women and
children.
A few minutes after l o clock the storm
reached its height and the downfall OF water
had the appearance of cloudburst. Within
few seconds the water i'll the Gunpowder
began to rise rapidly, and before the people
invading their houses. The banks of the
stream were not high enough to hold the i'm
mense volume of water and it spread over
the adjoining fields, with almost irresistible
force, carrying fencing, outhouses, logs, lum-
Der and growing crops with 1t. 1t was eStl-
mated that the water rose foot and a half
higher than at the time of the Johnstown
flood, when the flood was greater than at any
other time in the knowledge of persons living
along the Gunpowder.
A landslide occurred on the Northern Cen
trail Railway A number of telegraph poles
were swept away. All trains going south had
to use the north-b bound track. The wheel
wright shop of John l.. Smith was blown
down. Six hogs in pen were carried away
by the wind. Two bridges near Miller's Mill
were swept away.
A large hay barrack on the estate of the
late John Glenn, near Gainesville, was struck
by lightning during the storm and was des-
troyed by fire. About 100 tons of hay had re-
Gently been placed in the building. The loss
is placed at 81, 100. The building was insured,
but the contents were not.
Great damage was cause at points along the
river between Whitehall and Warren, IN the
seventh, eighth and tenth districts. From
Whitehall to Phoenix, the tracks OF the
Northern Central Railway were submerged,
and in several places great quantities OF sand
and gravel were left on the tracks, while IN
other places the roadbed was so badly washed
that the utmost caution had to he exercised
in running trains At Monkton, Glencoe and
Sparks, the water stood three feet deep on
the railroad tracks. At Sparks the residence
of George Underwood, railroad agent, was
flooded, the water standing three feet on the
first floor. Several outbuildngs adjoining the
railroad station, and the station platform were
carried away, and Il great pile OF cross ties
deposited in front of the station. When the
waters began rising Mrs. Underwood started
to leave the house with her children. She
succeeded in getting away with one daughter.
Another daughter and a son were cut off by
the rapid rise of the water, and were com
| PEELED to remain in the house until the flood
subsidized. The Yorktown turnpike, about
half mile from Spark station, was badly
washed. In one place the bed of the pike
was torn up to depth of ten feet for a
distance of thirty feet. The dam at the -four
| mill of George X. Ensor on Piney Run, two
miles and half from Glencoe, was washed
away, and the mill was damaged.
The greatest damage was to the cotton mills
at Phoenix and ut Warren. AT the cotton
duck mills owned by the Mt. Vernon Com
pany at Phoenix the water reached depth OF
| four feet on the first floor where fifty looms
were being run. All of the looms were full,
and w. l.. Boyer, general manager, estimates
the damage to machinery and material at
at from $780, to $4,000.
At the Warren Cotton Duck Mills. owned
by Woodward, Baldwin & Co., the water
reached depth of over four feet and caused
perhaps as much or more damage than was
caused at the Phoenix mills. tits also report
ed that the mill dam at Warren was washed
away.
The river banks were badly washed on both
Sides At Glencoe the house Of Samuel Will
helm, railroad agent, was flooded and con-
siderable damage was done. Near Sparks
the coalhOuse and other outbuildings attached
to Union Chapel were washed away. Fear
was expressed for several bridges which span
the falls at Glencoe, Sparks and Phoenix.
The two frst-named are of iron and they with
stood the rush of water without damage. The
bridge at Phoenix is of wood and it was
slightly damaged by heavy logs and other
drift. 1t was after o clock before the water
had subsidized sufficient for persons who had
been driven out to return to their homes.
DAMAGE IN BALTIMORE CITY.
The storm caused a dangerous washout in
the street opposite PIG Pennsylvania avenue.
Other places were so rady washed ont as to
make travel for vehicles uncomfortable were
on North Avenue, near Slinglutf avenue; Ed
mondson avenue, just above the stone bridge;
Franklin road. above the tolgate, and the
Calverton road, along Gwynn's falls. A tele-
| phone wire on the Liberty road, at North
WalbrOok, was blown down.
A small shed was blown down at the foot of
South Clinton street. Canton. 1t fell on John
Yanaschetszki, 5l8 South MADEIRA street, and
broke his right leg. Yanaschetszki, is eight
years old.
The storm was also very heavy and des-
tructive in Hartford, Howard, Montgomery,
Prince Georges and Anne Arundle counties
on the Western Shore, and there was a fine
rain on the Eastern Shore.