THE FLOOD OF 1 843. 65 



quantity of water passing down increases in a ratio much 

 beyond the increase of depth, as the cross section of the 

 valley of the creek increases as the flood rises, and the veloc- 

 ity of the current is also greatly accelerated by its increased 

 depth. It is probable, therefore, that the quantity of water 

 which passed the mills of Mr. Sharpless in a given time in 

 the flood of 1843, was much more than double that of 1839, 

 and if the comparison were made on Chester creek, it would 

 probabh' quadruple that flood in the quantity of water which 

 passed in a given time. 



LOSS OF LIFK AND RESCUES FROM DROWNING. 



The most melancholy part of the dutj^ of the Committee 

 consists in recording the circumstances connected with the 

 sacrifice of human life, which was occasioned by the flood. 

 Nineteen individuals, most of them children and young per- 

 sons, were suddenly, and almost without warning, deprived 

 of their lives ; and this too, under circumstances peculiarly 

 distressing to their relatives and friends. To persons who 

 cannot bring their minds to realize the almost instantaneous 

 rise in the waters, the number lost by drowning may appear 

 large, but in reality it should be regarded as almost miracu- 

 lous, that so small a number should have perished. The 

 numerous hair-breadth escapes and rescues from the most 

 perilous situations, will sufficiently show what trivial circum- 

 stances prevented the number from being very greatly 

 increased. Had the inundation occurred at midnight, when 

 most persons are wrapped in slumber, the destruction of 

 human life would have been dreadful indeed. Such a calam- 

 ity can only be contemplated with feelings of horror. 



Seven lives were lost on Darby creek. When the stone 

 bridge at Darby yielded to the torrent, two young men — 

 Russell K. Flounders and Josiah Bunting, Jr., were standing 

 upon it. Both perished. The body of the former was carried 



