Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-03-16
THE FLOOD OF 1889.


amos Os brlnton Recalls the Most Dastruc-
tive Freshet Known on TIN. Brandywinc.
1t may we'll be deemed fortunate that
the ice in tho Brandywine has thus far
done no damage, for there wero times
when apprehension Of u serious freshot
was felt 1t was with the possibility
OF high water in mind that Amos j.
l5rinton, usher at the Court House, and
librarian ut the Law Library, recalled
the flood OF january. 1899. On or
about November 18th, 1888, snow began
to fall, continuing from Friday evening
until Sunday morning and leaving more
than q inches on level. The snow
did not drift and Vthc roads were
opened, weeks Of fine sleighing follow
ing. More snow fell and much was
still GU the ground In the latter part
OF january when warm rain set in,
melting the snow rapidly. The main
streams were filed and the leo was
started from the dams along the
Brandywine.
On the night of Jnnhary 26th, nearly
all the bridges in New Castle county
We're carried away by tho most de.
structive flood ever known ON the
Brandywine. Tho bridge at tho foot
of King street, Young's bridge at Rock
land and Smiths bridge were carried
away.
The flood extended to some of the
powder mills, damaged some of the
wooden and cotton mills above Rising
Sun bridge, and tho Breck and Dixon
mills. The Joseph Bancroft cotton mill
at Rockford, which was then of small
dimensions, was flooded. The Gilpin
paper mill. just below, was completely
wrecked The old Jones snuff and flour
mill on the opposite side of the stream
was flooded and had its race filed up
so that it was no longer operated as u
flour mill; it PASSED into the hands of
Augustus Jessup a Co. about 1916.
Tho Brandywine -four mills lost
heavily, the race wall being broken
and flour and corn meal being tloated
from the mills. A week afterwards
hogsheads of eornmeul and barrels Of
-four were found along the shore.
/ Mr.. Brinton relates that tho millions
of tons Of leo and water with logs and
fences, some furniture and sections of
mills had SO completely secured the
rocks and banks that it was tolerably
good walking along the north side Of
the stream up to Rockland, whereas it
had previously been somewhat rugged.
The food had done much damage
also in Chester county,. At Twaddells
mills above Smith IS bridge, corn crib,
corn wagons, wagon house, farming
utensils and old mills wero carried
away. An incident Of tho flood was
the rescue of Mrs. Cloud and three
children from their home, tenant
house, near Twaddell's dam. Mr..
Cloud was away at the time. David
Martin, brother of Sheriff James
Martin, lived about d half mile away.
and his house was out OF the way Of
the freshet. The water, which carried
much debris, continued to rise near
the Cloud house, and Mr.. Martin de-
termined to rescue the inmates. He
and number of others on horseback
rode through the waters OF the meadow
to the Cloud house. There the mother
and children were carefully wrapped in
bedclothing and thence were carried
on horseback to the Martin home. The
rising water took house and furniture
away with it. Mr.. Brinton saw a
bureau from the house in u woods
below Rockland. SS
He also saw, in woods above Rock
land, a pot log from the Twaddell
powder mills. a pot log consists of
two logs about 16 feet long and about
one by two, feet bolted together. Holes
about IL inches in diameter. were
bored, half on each log, and were used
as mortars for crushing the charcoal,
saltpetre and sulphur. Tho stampers
were operated by means Of revolving
shaft which lifted the stampers and
they then fell by their own weight.
Mr.. Brinton thinks that trouble may
result from floods in the future by the
narrowing Of the water way from the
p, w. d B. railroad bridge to Van,
deyer's Island, at the old lower dam
aud at the Brandywine granite quar-
ries.