| From the New Orleans Times Picayune |
| |
| February 8, 1861 |
| |
| [Special Correspondence of the Picayune] |
| Montgomery, Ala., Feb. 4, 1861 |
| There have been unusually
heavy rains, within the last few days, throughout South Carolina,
Georgia and Alabama, and, as a consequence, the creeks and rivers are
full, and some of the rivers mark a higher stage of water than has been
known for many years. It is unnecessary to state that much damage has
been caused. At Atlanta, Georgia, on Saturday night, the drain due on
the State railroad {Western & Atlantic RR}
was twelve hours behind its usual time, and fears were entertained that
some of the bridges on that route had been washed away, or otherwise
damaged by the angry flood. |
| The regular passenger train
from West Point {Montgomery & West Point RR},
due here at noon today, when within about three miles of this city, was
met with a serious accident to cars and wheels, but no person was
injured. The track was broken up for about fifty feet. The luggage and
express cars were considerably smashed, disengaged from their trucks,
and thrown on their sides, to the slight injury of trunks, smashing of
boxes of eggs, the liberation of chickens from their confined coops, and
also to the consternation of the many passengers on board. On the train
were several delegates. The Hons. A. H. Stephens, Robert Toombs, James
Chestnut, T. J. Withers, Thomas R. Cobb and perhaps others, whose names
I did not learn, all escaped unhurt, but all were more or less excited,
and consequently not entirely "insensible to fear." |
| There are not, so far as I can
learn, more than twenty of the delegates now present. ***** |
| The streets here are in a
loblolly condition, and the Alabama river is up higher than for many
years. |
| ***** |
| It is near the hour the
convention meets, and I must close. |
| W. H. P. |
|