Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1906-08-16
GREATEST RAIN ON RECORD.
Shepherdstown and Vicinity Flooded Con-
siderable Damage by T0rrential Storm.

oldest lnhabltant delugeu OnePneIus-
town and vicinity last Friday night.
About o'clock in the evening. dark
and lowering cloud arose in the west i,
and from it famed broad sheets of
lightning and the heavy rumbling OF
thunder. As the storm drew nearer
it grew more angry, and most persons
hurried to their homes. A few pre-
liminary d,ls of rain came down
with a gentle murmur, and presently
the Aoodgates of the heavens were
opened. The rain fell in torrents for
nearly half hour. Then there was
cessation for few moments-a
breathing spell, as it were-when the
deluge began again. In the mean
time, the lightning flashed almost in
cessantly, lighting up the heavens with
great sheets of binding electricity,
and peal after peal Of thunder Joined
in terrific chorus. Fortunately no
damage was done by the lightning,
though number Of trees in the vicin.
ity were struck and shattered. For
about two hours the downpour con-
tinued, sometime Stacking for a few
moments and then coming down again
with renewed energy. 1t was appa-
rent that tremendous rain was fall.
ing, bur few persons at the time real
lied how great it was, because Of the
darkness. But as the wind drove the
rain into every Granny and sought the
weak places in the roofs, as the gut
tiers began to overflow and the water
filled the streets and found its way
into the cellars, it became evident
that a flood was impending. There
was trouble with the electric light
plant wires, and Superintendent John
Crowl wisely turned off the lights.
This made the town very dalk, but it
probably saved trouble in other di.
rections. AS the roar of the gather
ing waters grew louder, lanterns were
hunted up and soon the lights were
fitting along the streets toward the
flooded districts.
Princess street and Mill street usu.
ally carry off the waters that descend
upon the town from the south, and
when the town run is filled up these
streets are overlooked, sometimes from
curb to curb. The water was never
so high as it was Friday night. Prin-
cess street was swift-howing river,
the rushing water reaching from house
to house and filling almost every cell
lar along the street. Some of these
houses were flooded on the first floor.
Crowds gathered at the corners to
watch the fierce food and to speculate
upon the damage. A number Of per.
sons were caught on the wrong side
of the water and were unable to reach
their homes until daylight next morn.
ing. The roar of the waters could be
heard for several squares, and as big
stones were carried along they added
to the general confusion. All Of
Frog Island" was inundated as never
before. That section of the town was
completely under water. Hartzells
gardens were overlooked and the
water was several feet deep about the
railroad station. The water that
comes from away up the country fol.
lowed the railroad trach completely
submerged the roadbed in places, and
passenger train No. IA came in at a
snail's pace. When it reached the
station here it could get no further, as
the water was tearing down the track
and it could not be ascertained wheth.
er the line was safe or not. AS
matter of fact, the roadbed was eaten
away to the edge of the ties in several
places. The passengers who came In
on the train had an unpleasant expert
ence. The women were carried from
the cars to the station platform, but
the men had to wade for it. The
telegraph operator was down town
and could not reach the station for
the water, and the train dispatcher of
the Norfolk & Western got wild about
the whereabouts of the train. 1t was
held up here for several hours, and
was heard from it after it left
Shenandoah Junction. Finally Ben
jamin Hartzell, who was agent here
for many years, happened to stop at
the station, having been wading
around that vicinity looking after his
property. He heard the frantic calls
of the dispatcher and soon relieved
his anxiety by telling him of the
trouble here.
Mill street caught the worst of the
flood. The water rushed down it
with tremendous velocity, sweeping
everything before it. Heavy stones
were carried along as though they
were pebbles and the roar of the tor
rent was appalling. Mrs. Margaret
Ailler's house was entirely surround
ed, and about II o'clock she abandon.
ed her home and took refuge with her
son, Robert G. Miller. The water
simply cleaned out this street between
Main and High streets, and hun
dred feet or 30 north Of High it made
a channel for itself to the ravine lead.
ing to the river.
By daylight Saturday morning the
waters had receded, and by noon the
streets were exposed entirely to view.
And such streets as they were Mill
street was utterly impossible. For
almost the entire length the earth and
broken stone were swept clean down
to bed rock. The jagged lodges of
rock presented peculiar sight where
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