FLOODS

"The recent flood [of July 16, 1916] 1916 Flood was not Asheville's first, by any means, there being records of a great flood during the fourth week of August 1796, 120 years ago, and another August 28-30, 1852, sixty-four years ago, not to mention the flood of 1910. (Sondley, F.A. "Early Floods in Buncombe" news article filed 11 Sept. 1928.)"Newspaper accounts of the flood of 1796 are not available.  At that time, according to traditions handed down by succeeding generations, there were no newspaper in Western North Carolina.  Mail service was conducted by pony express, and was limited to infrequent trips.  Estimates of the damage done never were computed as it took weeks and months to hear from some sections. (Sondley, F. A. "Early Floods in Buncombe," SCVF.)

"W. J. Alexander, of Montford avenue, is the greatest living authority when it comes to 'freshets' [floods] in this part of the state.  Mr. Alexander was born in 1830, fifteen years before the first notable freshet which devastated Buncombe county....The freshet of 1845 covered all the bottom lands, says Mr. Alexander, but the waters receded early enough for the farmers to plant their crops, or to replant them.  He remembers that all had finished planting by June 10, and that the harvest was as good as usual.  The freshet was severe, but there was no loss of life." ["Buncombe's Historical Freshets Since 1791 Recalled by Pioneer" in Asheville Citizen, July 27, 1916 - SCVF.)

"In 1852, however, [T]he Asheville [NC] News, afterward The Asheville [NC] Citizen, was very much in evidence, and although the telephone and telegraph had not been offered to the world at that time, the news was able to get a comprehensive report of the pranks of the river, as the editor was pleased to term them. Bridges and crops were the only sufferers on that occasion, and the flood was not regarded in a serious vein at all." (Sondley, F. A. "Early Floods in Buncombe," SCVF)

"In this great freshet of 1852 several lives were lost.  Among these Colonel William Spencer Brown, Chief Engineer of the Greenville & Columbia Railroad, a son of Major General Jacob Brown, Commander-in-Chief of the Army of the United States, was drowned in Broad River between Alston and Columbia.  The flood destroyed the town of Alston and its ravages extended widely through many part of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and other States.  See J. B. O'Neall's Annals of Newberry, 1859, 364-391. (Sondley, F. A. "Early Floods in Buncombe," SCVF.)

"The News said of the freshet of 1852: ...Even the sweet Swannanoa got 'high,' and played some wild pranks--among other things carrying off the bridge at Mrs. Patton's, two miles from here.  All the bridges so far heard from are gone:  the bridge at Capt. Wiley Jones', Esquire Smith's, the one at Col. Garmon's, Alexander's, Chunn's, Warm Spring, and all the small bridges are either gone entirely or greatly damaged. Mr. Smith we are pleased to see, is taking measure with his usual promptness, to rebuild his bridge.  The loss of this bridge will be a more serious inconvenience than any of the others, as it is one of the most public roads in the country--the road leading to the western counties. (Sondley, F. A. "Early Floods in Buncombe," SCVF.)

"The bridge at "Mrs. Patton's" was across Swannanoa River about half a mile above its mouth; that at "Capt. Wiley Jones'" across French Broad in Early opposite mouth of Hominy; that at Colo. Garmon's across French Broad at Craggy; that at "Alexander's" across French Broad at Alexander's; that at "Chunn's" and that at Warm Spring across French Broad in Marion County." (Sondley, F. A. "Early Floods in Buncombe," SCVF.)