40 THK rLOOD OF 1^43. 



exhibited great force in uprooting and transporting trees, 

 excavating the soil, &c. It is probable that fully as much 

 rain fell in the valley of this stream, as in any other section 

 of the county of equal extent. The dam and part of the 

 race of Samuel F. Peters' near the mouth of this creek, were 

 swept out, and his property otherwise injured. The water 

 was eight inches on the roof of his saw-mill, and attained a 

 height of 20.5 feet, being eight feet three inches higher than 

 the ice freshet of 1839. 



Below the junction of the two main branches of the creek, 

 the flood swept along with increased force and violence. 

 Trees of a large size were uprooted, and carried down ; rocks 

 of great weight were removed from the places where they had 

 quietly reposed for ages; beautiful green meadows and gar- 

 dens were divested of every particle of soil, or covered with 

 heavy deposits of rocks, stones, gravel, and sand, while the 

 wrecks of buildings floating from above aided in the destruc- 

 tion of those upon the united stream. 



The dam and race bank of Samuel Riddle's cotton factory 

 (the first on the united stream) were carried away, together 

 with an old mill ; and his machinery was considerably injured. 

 Mr. Riddle's establishment is at Pennsgrove. At this place 

 the flood reached the height of twenty-three feet ten inches 

 above the usual level of the stream, and was at its greatest 

 height about six o'clock. George Peterson, the owner of two 

 double stone houses, situated on the margin of the stream, 

 near Pennsgrove, was a heavy sufferer in proportion to the 

 value of his property. One of the double houses was swept 

 away, and the other occupied by himself, much wrecked, and 

 the furniture washed out, and mostly carried off. In the same 

 vicinity, four small tenements owned by John Rhodes, and 

 occupied by himself, Joseph Drake, Thomas McGuigan, Mrs. 

 Morton, and Mrs. McClese, were, with all the household goods 

 which they contained, swept off, leaving no trace of a build- 

 ing upon the site where they stood, and causing the loss of 

 six lives, the particulars concerning which will be given in 



