Evening journal., 1901-08-19
FURIOUS STORM CAUSES GREAT
DAMAGE THROUGHOUT COUNTY
Live Stock Drowned, Bridges Carried Away, Crops Un
der Water and Brandywine Springs Wreck
Worst Deluge for Years

New Castle county yesterday was
swept by the most disastrous storm
that has visited the section for years.
All of the day was dull and threaten
ing. and about 43O o'clock a heavy
downpour set in, accompanied by thun-
der and lightning. Until after 8 o'clock
the rain descended in torrents.
To-day stories of devastation are
coming in from every quarter. Live
stock has been drowned; crops are un-
der water, and in many districts corn
is ruined; bridges have been swept
away; lightning set fire to houses-in
short, the storm was the worst which
has visited this vicinity for years:
Popular PARK Almost Wrecked
Brandywine Springs Park looks as
though a Texas cyclone had struck it..
Great limbs from the trees have been
twisted off, frail buildings turned awry
water, which rushing from the hillside
and in the valley which yesterday pre-
sented every appearance of well-kept
and supposed well protected resort.
The greatest damage is due to the
water, which, falling from the hillside
in volumes to the lake below, caused it
to burst its banks and flood the grove,
in some places to a depth of ten feet
On its wild rush Through the park
the ballast of the railway line was
washed away and the track to-day is as
a suspended steel railway. Board
walks and tables used in the grove by
picknicers, and benches were tossed
about by the water and served to in
crease the roar and tested the strength
OF the bridges to their utmost capacity.
Fortunately the latter are intact to-
day. The miniature railway is a
wreck and the race track which yester-
day was the scene of much pleasure, is
to-day a pond.
The lake is empty and the pleasure
craft which have been dotting it, now
are nose downward in the mud.
The dtorm began al O'Clock and
continued until Q, during which time
there was great CONSERVATION among
the people who found it impossible to
get away from the park before the
storm burst When those who were in
attendance upon the walking match,
started TO leave the pavilion they
found that it was surrounded by two
feet of water and an improvised
bridge of chairs and benches was con-
structed, and by means of it people
reached points of safety. Half an hour
later the water had reached a heights
of FIVE feet in the pavilion and rushed
through the structure with con-
siderable force. Queen Marie,
the gypsy fortune teller, had
a narrow escape. That portion of the
park was inundated to the depth oi
several feet, and one of the park guards
went to her rescue and brought her tC
dry land in a boat. That part OF the
park is washed out completely. Path
ways in the grove show the effect o
the storms fury. Every building ex
cept the band shell and the restaurant
show some damage.
1t is estimated that the loss viii
amount to $4,000
II will be at least one week before
the damage throughout the park gen
orally can be repaired.
One hundred workmen of the Peo
pies Railway Company are hurryiynl
the work as rapidly as possible. Car
of the line cannot proceed farthe
than the railroad station at present.
Lightning Fired n House
At O'Clock yesterday afternoon
lightning bolt struck a large tree il
front of the farmhouse of Owen Nc
Gargle. at Greenbank and, glancin
OFF, set fire to the house, damagin
it, to the extent Of several hundre
dollars.
Mr.. and Mrs .McGargle are an age
wrr,U,,,,, ON GO ..c,, mo ,,ro,,,u