| From the Charleston Mercury |
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| February 6, 1861 |
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| Great Freshet in the Up Country |
| In Columbia |
| [From the Carolinian of yesterday] |
| The unusually heavy rains of the past week
have caused a rise in the rivers which led to apprehensions of a
disastrous freshet. On visiting the river yesterday, we found that these
fears were likely to prove well-founded, for the water was within six
feet of the floor of the bridge, a height not reached since the great
freshet of 1852. It is thought, however, that it commenced falling about
two o'clock, and at six last evening had fallen nearly four inches. |
| Communication on the Greenville
{& Columbia} Railroad is interrupted, and
it is feared the damage is extensive. The morning train went up about
sixteen miles, when they found it impossible to proceed further, and
therefore returned to the city. About half-past twelve, the train again
ran up to the point where the track was washed out, in the expectation
of there meeting the down train, and transferring the mails and
passengers. The train had not returned at nine o'clock last evening. All
the low lands, of course, are flooded, but we have yet heard of any
material damage done, except at Granby. A report having come up in the
course of the day, that the dam at the quarry had given way, we went
down to see the condition of things. On reaching the quarry, we found
that the extent of damage done was more than was reported. Some time in
the forenoon a portion of the dam on the lower or southwest side of the
quarry gave why, and almost immediately a breach of about sixty feet was
made, through which the water rushed with the force of a cataract,
running the entire quarry in fifteen or twenty minutes. When we arrived
there, the entire force was engaged in saving the timbers and fragments
of derricks, &c., which were floating round. Two of the derricks are
entirely broken up, and some of the others in bad condition. The roof of
the engine house came off, and the house itself has been raised about
four feet from its foundation. Nothing of it can now be seen above water
but a portion of the smoke stack. The depth of water in the middle of
the quarry is now about eighty feet. Much of this will run off as the
river subsides, but there will still remain an immense quantity to be
pumped out. |
| From this quarry up to what is known as
"Miles' quarry," near the brick yard of Messrs. Green, the railroad is
covered with water to the depth of about four feet. Miles' quarry is
full of water, and it is reported that some damage has been done to the
engine and derricks there, but we were not able to get to it to see the
extent of the injury. The brick yard of Messrs. H. P. & J. S. Green,
where all the bricks for the new State House are manufactured, is
entirely under water, and the damage done there must be very heavy. |
| The current of the river is very swift,
much more like the impetuous Mississippi than the usually quiet Congaree,
but there was very little drift wood or other matter coming down, so
that there is not much fear of the bridges, or of any damage beyond that
caused by flooding. |
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