History of Western Maryland. J. Thomas Scharf

on the opposite side it reached the second story of some houses, knocking topsy-turvy everything it came in contact with. In Brewers' Alley the destruction was very great. Mr. Peter Bear was a heavy loser. The bridge over the creek at this point was swept away, together with seven other bridges in different sections of the city, which cost over $20,000 to rebuild. Following the creek from Brewers' Alley down to Market Street, and thence to Carroll Street, nothing but ruin and destruction met the eye. The barrel-factory of G. Koontz, on Carroll Street, together with a lot of barrels and cooper stuff, was washed away, involving a heavy loss to the proprietor, and throwing many employees out of work. The house of Joseph Nelson was completely flooded, and it was only by the timely assistance rendered that his family were saved from drowning. That part of S. G. Groshon's warehouse adjoining the creek was swept off, also the back building of the house occupied by Mrs. Dayhoff. Many valuable horses were lost, among them two of Gideon Bantz', one of Mrs. Norris', one of Dr. Fairfax Schley's, one of Oliver Myers', one of Jacob Schmidt's, one of L. M. Hildebrand's, and one of Peter Bear's. It is impossible to give a list of all who suffered. F. Y. Rhodes and family, finding the water about to inundate their premises, started to find a place of safety, and had scarcely got across the bridge ere it fell into the sweeping current. His store was drenched from the floor to the ceiling, destroying the major part of his confectioneries, with other injuries to carpets, etc. Charles E. Myers, while attempting to rescue some horses in the stable of his brother across the creek, was obliged by the rising waters to seek refuge on the top of the stable, and was only relieved from his perilous position by a rope thrown to him. A. M. Baughman, employed at the foundry of McClintock Young, started home, wading in the water, but was caught up and carried down on driftwood to the stone bridge on the Baltimore pike, where the drift lodged. In this way he was enabled to escape. Mrs. Pampel, seeking to escape from her house on West Patrick Street, was barely rescued just as the advancing waters were about to carry her off. Mrs. Paris Corey, of West Patrick Street, came near being lost in escaping from the lower to the higher part of her house. The damage in Middletown Valley was immense, being over one hundred and fifty thousand dollars; also along the Linganore, where not a mill-dam was left. Capt. John Spargo, a merchant at New London, was accidentally drowned while attempting to save some property. For over a week following all railroad communication with Baltimore was cut off, and the mails were greatly impeded and delayed.

      Notable Storms. — The first week of March, 1767, was remarkable for its heavy storms. On Monday evening, the 2nd, it rained hard; on Tuesday, the 3rd, there was another heavy rain and high, destructive wind; on the 4th, 5th, and 6th there was more rain and a severe wind from the northeast. By these heavy rains the rivers and streams were swollen so much above their usual height that many bridges, mills, and dams were swept away, and much other damage done. The tide rose at Annapolis to a very great height. On Saturday, the 7th, two persons attempting to ride across Patapsco Falls were drowned, and Joseph Goodman, a blacksmith, while fording a stream was also lost. In one part of the Potomac the river rose forty-five feet higher than it bad been in the summer, and the Monocacy rose about fifteen feet. Many houses, cattle, horses, etc., were carried away and lost. In the sugar-lands the flood made prodigious havoc, about four hundred hogsheads of tobacco being destroyed. There was another flood on the 5th of October, 1786, the creek which runs through the town rising suddenly in the night, many persons not being apprised of the danger had their stock carried away by the current. Several persons whose dwellings bordered on the creek, and who were confined to their beds with sickness, came near perishing before assistance could be afforded them. People who had resided near the Monocacy for sixty years stated that the waters of that creek rose ten feet higher than was ever before known, and the inhabitants sustained considerable losses, as many dwelling-houses, grist-mills, and saw-mills were destroyed or carried off.

      May 16, 1803, there was a tremendous hail-storm, accompanied with thunder and lightning. The weather during the previous six weeks had been unusually cold, and the fruits were destroyed by the frost. Some of the hail-stones measured three and a half inches in circumference.

      June 26, 1826, there was a freshet in Carroll's Creek, and considerable damage was done to the gardens of Jacob Englebrecht, Mr. Retmyer, Joseph Talbott, and Dr. Duvall, with others. Along the Monocacy hay, wheat sheaves, rye, logs, fences, etc., were swept away.

      April 20, 1828, another flood in Carroll's Creek.

      May 26, 1828, another severe hail-storm, hail falling as large as pigeon-eggs.

      Sept. 29, 1837, freshet in Carroll's Creek.

      March 5, 1838, another flood in the creek; gardens overflowed, and many houses full of water.

      Nov. 2, 1816, there was a flood in Carroll's Creek, the highest since 1821.

      Oct. 7, 1847, there was another fearful freshet; bridges were swept away, gardens washed out, and buildings damaged.

      Aug. 12, 1848, there was .another great freshet in the creek.

      Aug. 6, 1855, high water in the Monocacy within five feet of the tops of the abutments of the bridge.

      Feb. 2, 1876. — The wind-storm which passed over the county and city of Frederick between two and six o'clock a.m., and which came directly from the west, was one of the most terrible and destructive ever experienced in that section of the country. For several hours it raged with unabated fury, and created the greatest consternation in almost every household. Quite a number of houses, stables, etc., in the city were unroofed and otherwise damaged, and the debris scattered in the streets and gardens. The steeple of the Episcopal church, one hundred and thirty-five feet high, was blown down, and in falling crushed a portion of the roof of the Central National Bank building, occupied by Col. G. R. Dennis, the president of the bank, and his family as a residence. Fortunately no one was injured. The damage to both buildings was between three thousand and four thousand dollars.

      The State Deaf and Dumb Institution had a number of window-glasses broken and the roof slightly injured, and considerable damage was done to Montevue Hospital. In the country a great deal of loss was incurred. At Jefferson a church steeple was blown down, and at Mechanicstown the Lutheran church was completely unroofed. Numerous houses also were damaged at these and other towns, and a number of fine stables and barns in the country were partially demolished. Among the latter were those of Nelson B. Ramsburg, Rev. A. E. Wallis, and Thomas Anderson. The destruction of fencing, etc., was very great, and at various places the roads were blockaded by large trees which had been torn up by the roots.

      Record of Events. — In July, 1757, Alexander McKeafy and Samuel Wilson were shot and killed near Frederick Town. This was probably during the Indian war. On the 22nd of October, 1773, four convicts who had murdered their master, Archibald Moffmar, were executed at Frederick.

      In December, 1798, Upton Bruce, a member of the House of Delegates from Frederick County, asked leave to bring in a bill entitled an " Act for the gradual abolition of slavery." There was some opposition developed, and Mr. Bruce withdrew his motion.

      In November, 1763, about twenty Indians made an inroad into the " Great Cove" and killed Christopher Fiddler, Charles Stewart, and Thomas Enery, burning the house of William Nox, taking him and his family of eight persons prisoners, and murdering one of his children. They were pursued but escaped.

      1819. — Methodist Episcopal Church camp-meeting began on Mr. John Devilbiss' farm, near Lewistown. Oct. 4th. — Great Masonic procession. 1820. — German Reformed Synod met, in May. The Catoctin Mountain, northwest of town, on fire, extending ten miles, and was extinguished by a heavy snow falling, April 2nd.

      August 27th. — Annual Methodist Episcopal Church camp-meeting in progress on land of John Devilbiss, near Lewistown. November 18th. — Officers of First Frederick Dragoons elected, viz.: Captain, John McPherson, Jr.; First Lieutenant, John Rigney; Second Lieutenant, Thomas J. Graham; Cornet, George McLane.

      Artillery: Captain, Lewis Green; First Lieutenant, John Buckey; Ensign, Matthias E. Bartgis.

      First Frederick Guards: Captain, James F. Houston; First Lieutenant, Samuel Webster; Ensign, William Russell.

      1821. — January 30th. Samuel Frey, the " converted Jew," preached in Reformed