Year: 1869

Works the curious sight OF gas-lamp burning in
soon reached it, however and at present there is
neither light nor lamp-post to tell where the beacon
stood.


Looking over the river opposite the paper mill of
Mr.. Harding, are the factory OF John Campbell Co
and numerous dwellings, These houses, with one
exception, were situated on the high bluff and on
the south side OF the river road, and until about
eight O'Clock this morning were believed to be out OF
danger. About that hour the water had swept up
the banks, and was in danger OF carrying Off the
gasometer OF Campbell Il Co., and workmen set
dation and moored to the dye house. which stl lays
in comparative safety. The water has reached the
foundations of the factory, however, and it may be
that, ere this reaches the eyes OF our readers the
whole concern will be swept away.


Just above this factory is frame tenant-house with
the water rushing through 1t as though It were
sieve The people were taken out Of the house at
an early hour this morning Most OF the furniture
was also secured on the other side of the road the
lower stories Of all the dwellings, are also filled with
water, and the people are moving about in boats At
the end Of the bridge, the paper-m of Mr.. Rudolph
washed away. Fences are nowhere to be found.


Flat Rock.


The Flat Rock dam is swollen beyond all prece-
dent, and the water is finding its way along the road
on the south bank. The new city water-works
engine building is in great danger the water having
commenced TO mine away the foundation.


Spring Mill.


The fats in this vicinity are completely submerged,
as also is the Norristown Railroad track and the
movable materials on the coal wharf OF Mr.. uitner
have been swept away.


COnshohocl<en.


There is great damage being done on both sides OF
the river at this point. The water is up over the
canal banks, and the foundry OF John Wood Bro,
and the factory of George Bullock, as well as all the
others, flooded and in great danger. The damage


The water has reached the depot Of the railroad
getting this far down are halted, and without any
pros ,ect OF getting through to-day.


NOrristOwn.


<From Conshohocken on up, the houses on the
river banks are filled with water, and in one or two
COmDletelV inundated. factories
fOundres are all more or less in dangerous condi-
ton Messrs. Hoover ~ Shall are on hand with their
workmen to prevent whatever damage they can.
Heebner's flour mill is filled with water almost to the
second floor, and CONSERVATION pervades all circles.
Stony creek at the upper end OF the town, has run
wild, and the lumber yard OF Mr. Bentz has suffered
considerably.


The whole valley of the Schuylkill has no doubt
suffered to considerable extent but at this writing
it is impossible to give anything like fair estimate


The whole bosom of the river is filed with floating
debris of different kinds, but so far as is KNOWN no
lives have been lost.


The Wissahiclon.


The Wssahickon, as well as the other streams
about the city. have all overlOwed their banks. The
damage along the WissahckOn, on which are erected
numerous mills and private residences promises to be
disastrous in the extreme. Wissahickon Hall and
the Old Log Cabin both had the water in their lower
stories


The provision recently made in Of freshets at
the outlet Of Gresham creek fortunately saved con-
siderable money for those who have mills along its
line. Carr's mill was the only one which has been
reported as having sustained any damage, ana
that was of trining nature.


COhoclxsfnlx Creek.


The flood was great on this stream that the cul-
vert which is in the course of construction was
blocked up, and the surrounding country between
Ninth and Broad streets was completely inundated.
The dwellings in tn immediate vicinity sufferd con-
silerably.


The swollen waters OF the Schuykill now cover
the boundaries of the Park The carriage drive that
connected Fairmount Park proper with the old
Lemon Hill section is completely submerged with
water some feet in depth. 1t was impossible FOR
horses to breast the fierce current and any passage
along the river bank is impossible for either pedes
trans or carriages.


one of our Correspondents learned this by grim
experience this morning, arriving at the river front
Of Green street only to a raging current rushing
in front of the old Park HOTEL now used as head
quarters for the park engineers BY long detour
Girard Avenue Bridge was reached and here scene
was presented that is almost indescribable. Words
cannot give vivid conception Of the impressive
Girard Avenue Front.
AS far as the eye could reach, up and down the
stream and from shore to shore, rushed rapid tor
rent OF water at speed OF not less IMAM eight miles
per hour. The bare rocks that few days since We're
to be seen scattered through the stream We're now
submerged many feet. The waters were covered
with floating beams and planks
Spring Garden Water Works.
The sight OF the great flood sweeping away in its
resisess to the dam, ,awakens serious apprehen-
sions for the efficiency OF the water works lying
below. A little run from the carriage path brings
pumps. No work is going on, and the men are hud-
| died together. Jutting out upon the edge OF the
flooded tract OF ground lie the furnaces Into them
is pouring stream of water apparently several feet
in depth. In the outer the fires out, while
in those furthest from the river the fires smou-
| dering and nearly quenched


Scarcity of Water Again.
On inquiry, we learn that the water commenced to
| flow in about 81 O'Clock this morning. and 1t soon
| became impossible to sustain the fires. The new
Cornish engine, No. B, was run about three hours,
but before 10 O'Clock every pump had to be stopped
OF all the water works in the city limits the only
| now in operation is the Belawere Works upon the
| Schuylklll which supply Kensington in part. All
| along the Schuykill have been flooded out and
when they will be able to resume operations cannot
be SAID. great freshet is as bad as long drought,
far the supplying OF water by the city works is
! concerned. The same necessity that existed to be
sparing in the use OF water exists in fully as
| great degree Let every citizen comprehend that
| not an engine or pump is at work or can work to
| supply water TO the basins until the immense
freshet subsides then he will understand how there
| may be, with


| "Water water everywhere
| And not drop 10 drink"
Standing on the east end OF the bridge and looking
| soutnward towards the dam, an old habitue would
| be startled at the immense volume to which the
placid Schuykill was swollen On the east bank the
| angry waters were only bound by the nrm granite
| rocks that have stood immOvabe for many ages and
| viii outlast our strongest structures Not trace
| OF the drive by the river bank is now left The
tumultuouS current has swept over it, and the water
line is left on the rocks sway above head and hands
as the boys would term it,. What Will remain of its
| gravel bed at the subsding, is a too intricate pro-
| blem for present solution.


| TO the north lies broad belt of water, spreading
| hundreds OF feet into the mainland Close by the


foot OF Girard avenue bridge lies the Spring Garden
Water Works, full four hundred feet Oack from the
ordinary channel. This space of ground is now a
water lake. with the tops Of its boundary fences yet
showing above the water. To the north, a short
space lies the fine bridge OF the junction Railroad.
Above and between these two bridges the river is a
seehing, roaring food, full Of fragments. Against
the piers stray tlmbers have been cast up and
these impediments the water foams and punges in


Even were the falls steamboats, able to breast the
force OF the mighty torrent, It would be impossible