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Distraction of Port Angeles and the Custom HoWe find in the Victoria Chronicle, thefollowing account of the terrible* flood which jwashed away the town of 1’ort Augeles, aud!caused the loss of two lires.The beautiful little American town ofPort Angeles (or Angels Port), which isnestled at the foot of one of the loftiestspurs of the Cascade Uansre of Mountains.lina direction nearly opposite to our own!i city of Victoria, has been nearly 9wept away1 by a torrent of water, which burst upon it I suddenly through a gorge or ravine which , opens into the rear of the town. The calamity occurred about 6 o’clock on Wednes day cveniug last. The first intimation 'which the inliubitants had of the dungerl was a rushing roaring sound proceeding' frotn the gorge, and on turning their eyes thitherward they saw a great body of water several feet in height, bearing upon its surface or sweeping before it logs, trees and stumps, rushing down npon them. Before they conld even realize therr danger the flood was upon and over the greater part of i the town. The Custom-house, a large, two i story structure, stood exactly in the path I of the vast torrent, and was overturned and i swept away in a moment. Of the three | occupants in the Custom-house at the time, Dr. Gunu, the Collector, was the only one who escaped. His deputy, Mr. J. W. Anderson and Captaiu Goodell, an inspector, were overwhelmed with the building and lost their lives. Their bodies, mutilated and swollen, were recovered from the ruins after the water had subsided. The flood next carried away the dwelling of Victor Smith, (ex-collector,) his family narrowly escaping with their lives ; and swept clearinto ..he harbor the dwelling of Mr. E. Stanton, whose family were rescued with difficulty by boats. The front portion of the Rough and Ready Saloon, a portion ofj the wharf, and several thousand feet of logs were also swept out to sea. Three or four miles behind the town, in fertile valleys, several farmers have settled, and it is feared they too have been overwhelmed with the flood. One of these farmers has a wife and fonr children with him. A person who visited the town on Saturday says that the picture of ruin and desolatioo presented is indescribable. The fragments of houses, and hundreds of trees and slumps lie scattered about io every direction, and in some places they are piled one npon another to the height of thirty feet. The face of the towa site fora breadth of at least 100 yards hy one mile long, is completely changed. Tho Occident is supposed to have been caused by the late rains melting the snow and ice in the mountains, and causing avalanches iato the lakes at the foot hills. These lakes were then overflowed and rushing down the gorge, carried everything before them. It is said that the Indians told the whitfs, when they were laying out their town, that its site was subject to overflow, but uo heed was paid to the information. By some it is thongbt that the Custom-house will l»e returned to Port Townsend, while others be iieve that the damage will be repaired and that with proper care the recurrence of a calamity of the kind may be prevented.!
Newspaper Details
Seattle Gazette
Seattle, Washington, US
Sat, Dec 26, 1863
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
David W.
WA, USA 08 Dec 2020
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