The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-08-28
BIG BRIDGES ARE GONE RAILROADS ARE PARALYzED
 AND MANY LIVES LOST
Damage To Corn and Cotton Crops Is Very Severe, Business Is Suspended In Several Towns and Cities
 and Mills Are
 Closed.

Columbia, s. C., August H.-The rivers throughout South Carolina continued to rise today as result of Wednesdays rains in the Piedmont section of the state, and the added loss in property will run into the millions. The estimated loss in the neighborhood of Columbia is placed at $9OO,OO The railroads are almost con- pletely tied tip, only one line remaining open, that of the Southern to Charlotte.
 Notice has been served by practically every road in the state that pershable freight will not be accepted for shipment to points north of Columbia.
 Three additional lives were lost today, two negroes being drowned at Saluda and one negro drowned~at Laurens.
 A conservative estimate of the damage wrought by the floods in the loss of pub lie bridges throughout the state is $1,000,- O0O In some counties not one bridge of any importance remains in it's place. In Columbia today thousands of people lined the banks of the Congaree river watch ing, with more or less apprehension, the attacks of the waters upon the Gervais street bridge This bridge was burned by General Sherman in 1865 and rebuilt in 1872 It is 1900 feet in length. At midnight it was still intact with the river 36 feet above normal.
 Damage to Crops.
 The corn crops along the waterways are total loss in practically every section of the state, and thousands of dollars worth of cattle have been drowned. The loss to the cotton crop is the most severe in years, and thousands of acres will be abandoned. Even the upland crops were badly damaged by the excessive and long continued rains.
 The basement of the power plant of the Columbia mills, Columbia, was flooded with water this afternoon by the back water from the Congaree river, and the mil was forced to close down at noon. Ihe power plant of the Columbia Mills company is under 20 feet of water, and the mill will be closed for several days.
 At o'clock this afternoon the Saluda river was reported four feet higher than during the flood of 1868. The long bridge at Chappelle and the steel bridge at Hlg- gins ferry, between Saluda and New berry counties, were swept away during the morning. Just before the latter bridge was washed away three negroes. who had gone out in a boat to inspect the bridge, were carried down by the raging waters. Two of the party-Dock Abney and Sam Holland-were drowned, the third member of the party, Wallace Sheppard, being rescued an hour later from the top of large tree, where he had taken refuge.
 Situation Improved.
 The situation at Camden was consider ably improved today by fall of Is inches in the Wateree, but at 6 o'clock this aft ernoon this river was reported rising again. Business has been practically suspended in Camden and for three days no trains have been operated into or out of Camden ,over the Seaboard Air Line, Atlantic Coast Nine or Southern railways.
 The damage to private property in Laurens county is estimated at $S00000. and the county supervisor of that county says that $10O.00O will not rebuild the public bridges which have been swept away. Crops and county roads have been greatly damaged, and saw mills and gin neries along the streams have been washed away. John Davis (colored) was drowned last night at Laurens, while working on the Columbia, Newberry and Laurens railroad trestle, his body being recovered today Earl Elledge, who was on his way to Laurens, with election re- turns is stranded at Boyd's mill, and will have to remain there all night, fears be- ing entertained for his life. At o'clock this afternoon water was reported up to the second story of the Enoree cotton mill.