Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1901-05-31
GREATEST FLOOD SINCE 1889.
Great Loss From High Water
on the Rappahannock.

(Frederieks6tfrg Free Lance.)
The rains in the early part of this
week were comparatively light, and
while there were reports from other
sections of the heavy fall of water,
little apprehension of a flood on the
Rappahannock was felt until Thurs.
day morning when kilograms stated
that on the upper Rapidan and Rap
pahannock there had been cloud
burst, and these rivers were higher
than for fifty years. About @ o'clock
the river commenced to rise a. Fred
ericksburg with startling rapidity.
The water rose at the rate of two
feet an hour and after that time
dntil 4 p. m., one foot an hour. The
river was filled with a mass of debris
from the upper country. About IL
O'Clock the bodies of two horses were
seen floating past.
The bridge was filled with citizens,
many with anxious faces. Some
losers themselves and others who
had friends with thousands of dollars
worth of property in danger of being
swept away. At an early hour the
handsome pleasure boats Of the
Eckenrode family were swept from
their moorings near the bridge, and
then Limerick's big sail boat was
carried off. All along the river front
there was a scene of great activity.
A large force of hands were at work
on the huge piles of ties owned by
Messrs. W. s. Embrey and j. w.
Masters. At IL o'clock a rick of
500 ties, belonging to j. w. Masters,
floated from the upper wharf and
striking two ricks of Embrey's at
the lower wharf, containing $4,000
ties, swept them in the current. Mr..
Masters had 10000 ties near the old
Phillips store, which, after hard
work, were saved, and the 500 was
all that he lost. The water continued
to rise and attention was then directed
to the huge ricks of ties of Mr..
Embrey, near the Gas-house. In
the meantime the lower floors of the
Gas-house were covered with water
and the supply of gas was cut of.
About 2 o'clock 10000 more ties
were SWEET off. The water-wheels
of the electric plant were submerged
at 10 o'clock, and the river rose
above the level of the raceway later.
Mr.. William +. Ficklin had beauti-
full field of grass, fifteen acres, op-
posite the dam, which was entirely
destroyed.
The water reached above the stone
piers of Falmouth bridge. three feet
on the brick stills, which support the
bridge. Grave apprehension was
felt as it was said two feet more rise
would have carried away the bridge.
At the highest stage of the water
only the top of the warehouse at the
steamboat wharf could be seen. The
doors had been thrown open early in
the day, and after the water had
risen to the second-story floor, flour,
hay, and other goods Hoated out
down the river.
The meadows around Knox's old
mill and in front of Myer & Brulle's
Touring mill were a sea of water and
level with the raceway. At Falmouth
the water filed the streets. In the
lower part of this city number of
persons had to move from their homes.
At p. M. the rise was within five
feet of the great flood of 1889, and
one foot higher than that of 1857.
The city was in total darkness Thurs
day night. No gas or electric light
Candles and kerosene lamps were in
great demand. The waters began to
recede about p. m.
OTHER DAMAGE.
The rain torrents which fell in
Virginia, North Carolina and Ten.
nessee and idgreat damage on Tues.
day, continued in enormous quanti.
ties all over Virginia, and many
streams were reported higher than
ever before. The Methodist church
at Bassetts, Henry county, was swep,
away with other buildings, and people
on elevated positions hundred yards
from the stream were driven from
their homes. Henry Music, a farmer
of Washington county, was drowned
while crossing small tributary OF
Beaver Greek. Milton Boyd, 1C
years old, was drowned in the flood
near Wallace. Many trestles on the
Danville and Western and Norfolk