The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-09-02
Great Flood Over .
Three States.

Bennettsville has been almost isolated from the rest
Of the world for the past three days. Little mail having
been received there and trains being tied up.
Throughout the State transportation lines and mall
service are badly crippled. Many ofhe towns being abb
solutely without news.
Kingsville is now in a terrible condition and the wa
ter is expected to rise still higher. The prediction being
that the crest of the flood would reach there about three
o'clock this morning.
So far the flood has spared the lives of the people.
Four deaths having been reported.
But when the great mass of water leaves the river
beds in the Pee Dee section and spreads out in the swamps
hundreds of negroes will be in danger.
Yesterday brought some improvement of the railroad
lines into Spartanburg. The Southern is maintainlng1
schedules on the main line between Charlotte and Atlanta
and on the AsheviIle and Spartanburg division.
The Southern line between here and Columbia, how
ever, is blocked, the trouble. being south OF Carlisle"
Trains were operated today between Carlisle and Spar
tanburg.
South Cardinals Great Flood seems to have moved
into the low country, the CI6st VI 'hs "'tAo" ~"
having now passed Columbia
At this time it is reported that high watet has been
reported between Columbia and Kingville.
Further news from the Piedmont section is cheering,
the mills having on the whole escaped serious injury and
there having been little loss of life.
The farmers however, have. suffered terribly, cotton
. -..I 49, ,,&t1o bo,;po parched lin |
in the raging waters. With n~ightfall came news from
Peedee county. All reports telling Of unprecedented high
water and great damage on the ~lowlying plantations.
The Charleston and Western Carolina today oper-
ated a train from Spartanburg to Laurens and return, the
first over that line since Monday.
DESTROYED bridges are still being reported at the
ing 40.
Damage to corn and cotton. has not been estimated.
Many farmers reporting bottom lands swept clean and in
many instances covered with sand.
The Cape Fear River at F ayetvfle, NC, hasreached
a height of 70 feet, breaking all records OF former floods
The river valleys on the east side are covered tor
miles with a rising torrent of muddy water. Houses and
bridges are swept away for miles around and the estimated
damage to the cotton and corn crop will go beyond IS per
cent.
The greater portion of Fayetvlle is covered with wa
ter backed up to the city from the river, which is a mile
and a half distant.
Three thousand people are homeless and a proclama-
ton was granted by the Mayor at noon today. The city
is in total darkness tonight. The power plant being sub
merged. In the County there are thousands of people
homeless, and an appeal was issued today for relief by the
Chairman of the County Commissioners.
When the State went to press yesterday morning the
flood was just reaching its crest, the Congaree bridge had
been abandoned after heroic work to save it from the on
rush of debris from above.
The clinlactic catastrophe was reported at I a. m,
when the intake pipes of the waterworks system were
plunged into the depths of the canal. At daylight it was
observed that the river was falling and it has been re-
ceding steadily low since that hour, but it may be a week
before the river returns to its bed. The Congaree bridge
did not 90, its timbers shivered a thousand times from
:u.... .f b.,,r, +;mhers coming down the river, but