The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1916-07-21
Falling Waters in Piedmont Reveal Death
and Property Damage -Seaboard Trestle
Crossing Wateree at Camden Goes.
Atlantic Coast Line Structure
at Rimini in Jeopardy.

With falling water in the Piedmont
revealing tremendous damage to
property and possibly greatly in
creased loss of life, warnings are be-
ing issued to the people of lower South
Carolina where the rivers, swollen by
the rush of water from upstate, will
probably approach the record for
floods. The Piedmont section fears no
more damage and is now engaged in
establishing it's losses and planning
to repair the damage wrought.
The Santee river at Rimini is rising
rapidly and the Atlantic Coast Line
railway trestle at that place is in
grave danger. The Wateree river at
Camden is receding after sweeping
away a section of the steel trestle of
the Seaboard Air Line railway.
Village May Be Lost.
The worst is feared for the village
of Chimney Rock, N. c., near the
famous rock of that name in Ruther-
ford county. Reports reaching Spar
tanburg are that the town has been
destroyed by the high water and many
if not all of the $50 inhabitants of
the village are Believed TO have Been
lost. The hotel and several dwellings
of the town are said to have been
swept Ia miles below on Broad river
near the Cox plantation. The build
ings can not be reached, but with the
exception of dog on the roof of a
house no sign of life has been OBJ
served The Chimney Rock highway
has been destroyed.
After destroying a section of steel
work on the Seaboard trestle at Cam
den at midday the Wateree began to
fall late yesterday afternoon. The
county bridge, short distance south
of the Railway trestle, is not consid-
cred in danger. Houses and stores
south and east of Camden, on creeks,
have been almost completely sub
merged by the backing water. Every
automobile road except the one lead
ing to Kershaw is under water and
passage is cut off.
The rising waters of the Santee riv-
er at Rimini endangered the trestle
of the Atlantic Coast Line railway and
many cars are in waiting at nearby
stations to be placed on the trestle.
1t is estimated that 400 will be need
ed to add sufficient weight to secure
the structure. Advices from Pine
wood are that all mail and traffic
will be cut off from the south excapt
ty way of Sumter Railway officials
hope the heavily loaded cars will AVE
the trestle and if their hopes are justi.
fled traffic will be resumed within the
next few days. If the trestle fails
Ieveral weeks will be needed to restore
it.
Santee Mounts High.
At 10 o'clock last night the Santee
was rising seven inches an hour at
Rimini and was within three feet of
the record. Officials expect water to
go five feet over the top of the rails
and Roadmaster White is working
with day and night crews in an effort
to save the trestle. At Kingville last
night water was reported in the rail-
way station.
Today the swollen stream moves on
to the sea, and by tonight the crest
should reach the Atlantic Coast Line
trestle near Eastover where already
water is touching the rails.
Communication with Camden yes
terday was bad, especially after the
damage to the Seaboard Air Lines
trestle, but it was record breaking
flood, estimated at 45.5 feet. This
stage of the Wateree with the Con-
garee will make 33 feet, it is esti-
mated, at Rimini on the Santee, on
July 22, rising probably within a foot
of the 1908 record reading, 1877 feet
Ferguson, on the Santee, will likely
have % feet, which is near the flood
figure of 1908 when 23.7 was the high
mark.
The crest of the Congaree has prac-
tically days start on the Wateree
crest. A good deal Of this water will
run into the Santee, passing Rimini
before the Camden crest gets into the
Santee, but the Congaree flow will not
be of sufficient strength, it is thought,
to crest at Rimini before the general
flow, consequently the water will