THE FLOOD OF 1843. 25 



thousand dollars, had its three arches entirely swept out. 

 These arches would probably have been insufficient to pass 

 one half of the water of this flood. Thomas Glascoe's dwell- 

 ing and furniture were greatly injured, as was also the furni- 

 ture of other persons in houses belonging to him. The artifi- 

 cial banks of the creek below were broken in several places, 

 and a quantity of hay carried off. 



Above Garrett's but few trees were uprooted by the flood, 

 but below that place, a number of considerable size jnelded 

 to the force of the current. None of the tributaries of this 

 creek, which empty within four miles of tide, were flooded in 

 a very extraordinary manner. Those above were raised 

 higher than ever before witnessed, and several of them were 

 productive of considerable damage in the destruction of cul- 

 verts, fences, &c., and by the deposition of large stones, 

 gravel and sand upon meadows. 



It will be perceived that Darby creek has a less descent 

 than either Crum, Ridley, or Chester. It may also be 

 observed, that the hills which border it are not quite so high, 

 and in general it has a wider valley than either of those 

 streams, though in some places it is closely approached by the 

 hills, particularly in the district where the greatest amount of 

 damage was sustained. 



Crum creek. — Proceeding westward, this is the next of the 

 large inundated creeks. The flood in this stream attained a 

 greater height than in Darby creek — was productiv^e of much 

 damage to bridges and private property, but was unaccom- 

 panied with any loss of human life. 



Except to fences, &c., the flood in Crum creek evinced 

 but little of its destructive force, before entering the borders 

 of Delaware county. Immediately below the Chester county 

 line, at the factory of Jonathan N. Hatch, an unoccupied 

 frame tenement was carried away. The extensive stone 

 bridge at the West Chester, or Strasburg road, which was 

 built at an expense to the county of ten thousand dollars, and 

 which had a water way of thirty-two feet, had its arch com- 



