Year: 1870

-. WASHINGTON, October ].


A most destructive flood is raging
throughout the whole upper valley OF
the Potomac. Half of the Chain
Bridge, five miles above Georgetown,
was carried off this morning and has
lodged against the centre of Long
Bridge, where it has helped to gather
and pile up an immense heap of drift.
and it seems almost certain that it will
result in pushing off considerable
portion of Long Bridge and the rail
road bridge just below it. 1t was feared
that the spans of the Chain Bridge,
which fioated down, would carry away
the Aqueduct bridge at Georgetown,
but at the time they passed the water
way was just sufficient to prevent dam
age. = 90


Tonight however the water at
Georgetown reaches to the base of the
arches and the wharves Nearly all
the business houses and yards are sub
merged. AS the flood reached tide
water at this place it was partially
thrown back, which caused a strong
current to set through the canal. The
consequence has been that over half Of
Washington between Pennsylvania
avenue and the canal and wide strip
along the Smithsonian grounds and
public greenhouses below is under
water There is no communication for
foot passengers between the portions Of
the city separated by the canal. At
some Of the bridges carriages cross, but
even that is not attempted at some OF
the crossings. At Tenth and Eleventh
streets the water reaches within a few
yards Of the South side Of Pennsylvania
avenue, and many Of the cellars on that
side are full. Boats and carts are very
busy removing the families and goods
from the submerged section, and the
work goes on brisky for fear that the
turning of the tide at midnight, it being
now on ebb will cause a great rise.
Persons just from the island report that
the current has broken over the cause
way of Long Bridge, and is rapidly
wearing it down No one is allowed to
90 upon any portion Of either the rail
road or wagon bridge, and it is now
feared that both will be seriously dam
aged Those last over from the Nir-
ginia side report that the western spans
are badly crushed, and in some places
entirely gone


A letter from Shepardstown says it is
thought by business men that the most
damage will be this side Of Harpers
Ferry, from the fact that the Shenan-
doah is greatly swollen by rains. At
Sandy Hook the water is five feet over
the ow-path. In Washington much
damage has been done along the river
front. Plank at most of the wharves
have been lifted


At one o'clock to-day the highest
water point was reached, when the
food began to subside. Long bridge
has been damaged About 500 feet of
the causeway has been swept away en-
tirely, and both spans nearest the south !
draw have been broken. Five or six
hundred feet of the Washington and
Alexandra railroad was destroyed and
large portion OF the trestle-work I'M
der the railroad bridge carried off. 1t
is estimated that damage to railroads |
connecting at Alexandria with other |
southern points will amount to several
hundred thousand dollars.


Accounts continue to be received Of
damage along the line of the canal and
rivers, and it is believed the damage in
the aggregate will reach several mil |
lions.


The storm, which set in again late |
in the afternoon, has been increasing in
violence throughout the evening. There
is little wind, but heavy fall Of rain.
ALEXANDRIA, October l.-Some wharfs |
are overhowed. The damage to the
Orange & Alexandria railroad amounts
to the washing away Of four bridges !
The bridges over the north and south !
forks of the Shenandoah were washed
away, and the rise Of that river was
more rapid than was ever known be-
fore. Mills and houses on its banks !
were washed away and many lives lost.
One family was at breakfast when the
house was swept away and all hut the
head of the family drowned There
have been no trains from Lynchburg
since Wednesday night. All trains run
regular to Front ROYAL and Gordons
vile.


RICHMOND, October The first wave
from the Lynchburg freshet struck here
at five this morning, and the river COM
menced rising with much greater rapid
ity than before, when it was only swol
len slightly In three hours the lower
end of the city, known as the Rockets,
was under water, and the scene there
beggars description. Two or three
small stores were swept off with all
their contents. Two thousand families
in that portion of the city are houseless
tonight, camping on the neighboring
hills. At this time the whole of Mayo
passenger bridge, built by the United
States military authorities after the
evacuation, was swept off. The bridge
was a quarter of mile long. The
water entered the Mayo tobacco ware
house, thirty-five feet above the low
water mark. All the teams in the city
were impressed to save the tobacco,
much of which is for the French and
German Governments. With the
exception of one hundred and eighty
hogsheads, the tobacco was all
saved. At this time it was found that
the upper portion of the city was in
danger from overflow of the canal,
down which an immense body of water
was rushing and Speeding over the
banks. The street lamps arg under.
water, and the city is in darkness to.
night. The losses by merchants will
probably reach 100000. Persons we'll
acquainted with the sections OF the
State flooded say that, including dam


- IL L. Ill