The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1916-07-19
STREAMS HIGH IN PIEDMONT.
HIGH WATER THREATENS POW.
ER PLANT AND STRIKES TER.
ROR TO RESIDENTS.
railroad Service Seriously Crippled by
WasilOuts and Damage to Bridges
Trains Held at Spartanburg-Rain-
fall Still Continues.

raging with floods tonight, follow
ing the heavy rainfall Of the last AZ
hours, which however is continuing
although not in such tor
rents, the highest waters are flowing
down the Broad and Catawba rivers
from the watershed Of western North
Carolina. Unless there is greater rain
fall on the tributaries of the Pacolet
and Tiger, these rivers will not in
fict great damage along their banks.
The Broad and the Catawba are
playing havoc. Broad river is sweep
ing out the dam at CASTOR Shoals.
the power plant six miles north of
Gaffney, from whence Spartanburg
and Gaffney derive their power and
light, has. put the Southern railways
line to Columbia out of commission
by infiicting dangerous kink in the
great bridge over the river at Shelton
and causing washouts at Blairs and
other points, while the Catawba has
swept out three strands of the bridge
near Belmont, N. c.
While the line from Spartanburg to
Columbia was not closed until this
afternoon, the last train to arrive be-
ing No. 8 leaving Columbia this morn
ing at o'clock, the Spartanburg
Asheville line has been closed since
yesterday, with three trains caught on
the mountain between Tryon and sa-
luda, N. C. This road follows the
Pacolet valley. There the railroad is
not only badly damaged but the auto
mobile road is entirely missing in
many places. Every bridge across the
stream is said to have been carried
away. The underpass three miles
south Of Saluda is washed away.
Spartanburg yards are tonight fill
ed with trains. five of them having
been held here since yesterday. 1t is
said it will be Wednesday if the most
favorable weather conditions prevail
before trains are operated to Ashe-
vile, and no promises are being made
for the line to Columbia, because the
ficod is expected to do it's worst in
that region tonight or tomorrow
morning. The situation there depends
upon the fate of the dam at CASTOR
Shoals. If this dam goes out and the
water rushes down in a body there is
no telling what may happen. Local
officers of the company this afternoon
informed all interests along the river
OF the report received concerning the
breaking of the dam. Tonight the
developments are unknown.
The greatest uneasiness is express
ed here tonight for Lockhart mill,
where the water was reported higher
than ever known and with the
threatening flood that might come
from the breaking of the CASTOR
Shoals dam, the situation was the
most serious heard from. Officials of
the company said tonight that every
man, woman and child in the village
had volunteered to work on the con-
struction of Golfer dams to strengthen
the local situation with the hope of
resisting greater pressure. They be-
gan work Immediately upon receiving
word that the dam above was giving
away
The plants endangered on Broad
river tonight are the Henrietta, Cliff
side and Caroline mills, the Lily Man
ufacturing company. CASTOR Shoals
power station, Southern railway
bridge near Blacksburg, Cherokee
Falls mill, Ninety-Nine island, plant
Of the Southern Power company,
Lockhart mills, Meals Shoals power
plant of the Buffalo plant at Union
and Parr Shoals furnishing power for
Columbia. Apparently the mills at
Glendale, Clifton and Pacolet on
Pacolet river, where the great de-
struction was wrought in 1903, are
going to escape serious loss. There
the water is high but not menacing
property greatly at the present stage.
AS to the operation of trains to-
night officials of the Southern had
nothing definite to announce. Nos.
3S and 80 may be detoured by Green
vile, Newberry and by way Of the c.,
y. q l.. to Columbia.
There have been no trains over the
c., {. o. railroad for two days.
Wires are down on this line and no
information is to be had here Bad
washouts are said to have occurred
between Alta Pass and Spruce Pine,
\. Z. One great item Of damage in
this county Is going to be the destruc-
ton of highway bridges. Two bridges
are down between this city and Glenn
fro,