The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1908-07-15
TERRIFYING RAIN STORM.
Tremendous Damage Suffered Through
out This Section of Forest County
by TOrrential Rain.


simply appalling, many stretches of one
to three miles in length being practically
obliterated and are left in an irreparable
condition. The cloudburst, for it can
hardly be called less, covered a radius Of
10 to Is miles, extending in a circular
shape from Tionests borough west
through portion of Harmony township
almost to Fsgundus, around the head
waters of Stewart and Dawson runs, and
West Hickory creek; thence across the
river above TruDkeyville and through
Hickory township, taking in the streams
of Hickory, Otter, Beaver and Little
Hickory creeks; thence oyer the ridge in
Kingsley township, embracing the water
shed on the west side of Tionesta creek
and on down to Nebraska in Green town
ship where the fury of the storm seems
to have abated to some extent. Within
this scope the damage to private and pub
lie property is almost inestimable, but
will reach close to the slO0, 900 mark.
The storm set in shortly afler seven
o'clock Friday evening but did not reach
its height until about nine o'clock. From
then until after midnight the down-pour
was almost incessant here. At Hickory
il poured or came down in sheets for six
hours without moments let-up, and
gauges showed that fully II inches of
water fell in that time. Every stream
and gully became raging torrent which
swept everything before it. Strong
bridge structures with massive stone
abutments we're carried away as though
they had been mere egg shells. Public
roads along the several streams were
wiped out of existence and many of them
now resemble the bed OF the streams that
once coursed by their sides. Railroads
along Hickory and Beaver creeks and
Ross run are torn, twisted, carried of
their beds and covered with all sorts of
debris, and in many places for miles the
roadbeds are mass of rocks and deep
gullies.
Beginning in this borough the arched
culvert at Tubbs run, built of solid mas
onry several years ago at cost of 81, 100,
was swept away completely, some of the
huge boulders being carried into the
river eight rods below. A private lum-
ber road on this stream is totally ruined.
The home of Martin Salsgiyer, located a
short distance up the run was in the
track of the torrent. The inmates were
cut off from escape and had to spend the
night in this perilous predicament, not
knowing what minute the house would
be swept to destruction, the floors in the
meantime being covered with water to
the depth ofnearly two feet A flourish
ing garden was converted into mass of
rocks, every particle of soil being washed
away. Collins, Darrah Il Co. of Nebraska a
had three bsrges and two flat boats tied
up at the mouth of Tionesta Creek, which
went adrift in the night. The bsrges
landed on the head of Haslet Island and
were later taken off without much dam
age. The boats were caught and tied up
a short distance below Franklin.
On up the river at Little Hickory creek
the hovoc is astonishing. Not sign of a
bridge is left and nearly three miles OF
road is oblitersted. Just above the
mouth of this stream for a distance ol
three-quarters of a mile, is the road
known as "the narrows." This road is
almost continuous mass of slides, some
of which extend to the very top of the
hill about 400 feet above the road bed
Three thousand dollars will scarcely pu
this road in good condition for trave
again.
By far the greatest loss to public anC
private property was suffered by tn,
citizens of Hickory township. Almos
every road in the township was damaged
more or less, some of them irrepsrsbly
The road up Beaver Valley for nearl,
four miles is scarcely discernible so fear
fully is it washed out. The Hickor!
Valley railroad, owned by Wheeler 4
Dusenbury, and their logging road run
ming up Otter creek are both almost
total loss for several miles, the rails onl,
being about all that are worth saying
Much the same condition prevails oye
on Ross run along which the II. V. roa
runs for several miles.
The firm of Wheeler e. Dusenbury a
Endeavor loses by this flood to the OK
tent of nearly if not quite $4,000. Up
ward of 1000 900 feet of their logs wer
carried away, fully one-half of whic
went into the river and are almost tots
loss. Damages to the two mill dams ar
heavy, as is also the loss in PARTIAL
wrecking the new gang mill. The prett.
little town of Endeavor was badly tor
up in many places. Geo. w. Warden
residence property was terribly cut u
by the torrent which came down a ravin
at the rear of his house. Great rocks an
boulders we're rolled into his garde
which now has the appearance of grave
bar in the river. Similar conditions pre-
vail at w. II. Stiles, and other propert
in that vicinity.
Down at East Hickory the grist mi
pond of T. J. Bowman was swept ou
clean, and the undermining of the GENE
terry next to the creek will necessitat
much riprapping or the removal of
number of graves Which are in danger {
csving in. Three large fields planted {
corn, potatoes and other cerials belongin
to j. S. Henderson, Judson Clark and I
J. Bowman are washed down to th
gravel, and nearly every garden in tn