Alexandria Daily Gazette, Commercial & Political

RICHMOND, August 11: On Tuesday evening last, we had one of the most powerful floods of rain ever witnessed by the inhabitants of this city. About 4 o'clock P. M. "the windows of heaven were opened," and the torrent discharged itself for during an hour and a half, or two hours. An intelligent gentleman informs us, that there fell during the day, four inches and eight tenths of rain; the greatest quantity that he has measured, read or heard of, since the celebrated gust in September, '69. In the morning, only 0.45 of an inch: Above 4 inches and one tenth fell during the squall. The effects were correspondent to this impetuosity of water. Our streets were almost deluged. Small runs that were in the least confined by their banks rose in some places 16 or 20 perpendicular feet. But the most singular and unfortunate accident, that took place in the vicinity of this city, was the injury sustained by the James River Canal and Basin. So sudden was the rise of the water, that for some distance it overflowed the canal, and run over the banks, on the sides of which, in several places, it washed away a considerable portion of the dirt. This rise and its consequent effects would have been much greater, if the arch over which the canal passes, about half a mile from the basin, had not given way. The ruin of this arch is not so much attributed to the pressure of the superincumbent water in the canal, as to that of a stream of water, which passes under the arch, and was swelled by the accumulation of the rain to such a height, as to overflow the wall, and mingle with the waters of the canal. This stream bearing up against the concave part of the arch, is supposed to have burst the stones asunder: or as some suppose, it threw down the upper part of the opposite wall and removed the stones of the arch. The water in the basin has consequently subsided from the loss of the water in the canal. In several places, the sides of the basin have also yielded and sunk down. The loss of the James river company is estimated at about 2000 dollars. A part of the works of the armory also gave way; but it is supposed that 4 or 500 dollars will repair the damage and replace every thing in the same situation. The mills and armory, which stand below the arch, will be stopt in their operation, until its reparation is completed. Boats cannot descend to the basin, but a temporary dam is erected a few feet above the arch, which will enable the boats to descend to that point on the canal. From that landing, the produce will be conveyed by drays to this city. This suspension will not probably continue for more than three or four weeks.