Evening journal., 1901-03-12
BIGGEST FLOOD
In MANY YEARS
Brandywine WaSRaging and
Destructive Torrent
PROPERTY and LIVES IN PERIL
Southeast Wilmington Was Completely
Submerged by the Rushing
Yellow Flood

Old residents in this city say that II
has been seventeen years since there
was a freshet along the Brandywne
Ioreek that equalled the destructive
Swelling OF that stream yesterday
/ Property and lives were endangered by
the freshet yesterday. People were
driven from their homes and the
lstream was transformed into a raging
and roaring river, carrying out build
ings. logs, trees and lumber along with
Il I'm its mad rush to the Delaware
river.
The biggest logs were tossed about
by the raging yellow waters like so
many corks, and many persons cap
ltured Tots OF fine timber and boards.
i Not since the breaking OF Coates
lville dam. in 1884 has there been such
a widespread devastation by the waters
lof the Brandywine
There is a large and newly-painted
farm wagon lodged between two trees
on the south bank OF the Brandywine
at the foot OF Van Buren street The
wagon Is thought to have belonged to
Edgar Rice, of Laurel. Pa, who drove
Into the river and barely escaped with
his life. His two horses were drown
led. Mr. Rice. not knowing that the
bridge at Holtons was washed away,
drove overheard. He managed 10
grasp a tree and saved himself. The
wagon is badly smashed
The Brandywine and the race were
= one big stream. Walks were covered
and many of the small footbridgcs over
the race In Brandywine Park were car
! ried away
n Mills along the stream were damaged
and some OF them had to cease until
a the water subsidized. The breaking OF
n the banks of Lea's race, near Washing
) ton street bridge, caused the stopping
, OF Lea's snour mill. and some depart
d ,ments Of the Bancroft Company's plant
q lwere flooded by the freshet
# RESIDENTS PANIC IC-sTRICKEN.
= In the southeastern section OF the
= city. over Eleventh street bridge, the
\ flood created great excitement, and
people as well as fowls had to be res
D. cued In boats,
l. Boatmen about the bridge suffered
a by the food Boats and cabins We're
d torn from their moOrlngs and carried
- down the stream. Andrew Fulmele
p IAN old sailor. who keeps boats 70 hire
e below KirkwCOd Park. saw many
years service on a United States reve-
s nue. cutter, but viii remember his ex-
e perience of yesterday as one of the
IS most exciting times in his long aud
IS eventful life. He was quietly smoking
In his cabin on the creek when sud-
denly the torrent swept upon The frail
place OF habitation and tore 1t from its
mocrings. 10 was borne down the tur-
e bulent stream ON the crest Of the food.
:. A crowd of excited people on the bridge
s shouted TO the old seaman as the cabin
approached: What can we do for
you2" AS the boathouse swept under
the bridge, barely escaping being dash
ed to pieces by contact with the struc-
ture, the aged tar shouted back: Let
FER go" CO0ily he steered his strange
l craft 10 the bank near the Terra Gotta
Works.
Thatcher street was completely sub
merged, and the women and children
I lin that locality we're panic-stricken
! and thought they would be drowned.
The morning session at the Garfield
school was just about over when the
water began to pour over Thatcher
street. The children managed to get
home all right, but the teachers had to
call cabs in order to get to their
- lhomes. The school cellar and cellars
. of dwelling houses are filled with
Z water.
= The lower floors of the Augustine
\ Paper Mills were flooded, and the en-
: lDloyes in some departments had to
stop work on account Of the in-rushing
L water.
n Although the water in the Chris
. tiana river was high, the freshet was
d not as noticeable as 1t was IN the
K Brandywine.
n RED CLAY AND WHITE CLAY
OVERFLOW
: Both eRd and White Clay creeks
= lOvernowed their banks and caused a
delay in road and railroad travel.
White Clay creek cut of all commu-
nication between the p, w. & B. rail-
! road station and Stanton proper. II
y was not until late in the evening that
teams we're able to get across the
break. Mail could not be delivered un-
. I'll about o'clock last evening.
d DAMAGE IN MARYLAND.
. Elkton. Nd. March 12.-Early yes.
terday morning one Of the heaviest
: : rain and wind storms that has occurred
i for years prevailed in this section, re-
y sulting in the destruction OF bridges.
/, the breaking of a number of mill dams
/. and the washing of the county roads TO
such an extent that scme travel is OBJ
/ structed. The Elk river overfowed its
y banks, and all the lowlands are sub
: merged. The water was several feet
deep in Elkton and tho residents were
b alarmed. The wild rush Of the wator
z carried away fencing, logs. trees and
ether debris.