French Broad at Nine Foot Stage and Still Rising

French Broad at Nine Foot Stage and Still Rising

Article describes the start of the 1916 flood. At 10 pm on the previous day, people near the cotton mill on Avery st. were "moving their possessions to higher ground." Mentions that Swannanoa River was nearing the top of a river wall near the Hans Rees Tannery. Mentions the French Broad measuring 8'8" in 1910. Small bridges around Swannanoa are failing. People walk to Biltmore and "various points along the French Broad River" to assess damage. Concrete bridge to West Asheville holding firm. Damage estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Steady rainfall since Friday evening (July 7) caused rivers to exceed their banks. Mud Creek and French Broad both "higher in Hendersonville yesterday than anytime in the last 30 years." Crops near rivers and streams across the county suffer due to the flooding. Some train tracks covered in water from the floods. Experts predict that little more rain will fall, and that it will be "a bright, clear day tomorrow". French Broad still rising as of 3 pm, despite predictions saying it would reach its crest before noon. Predictions now say river will rise to 10' before beginning to fall.

Newspapers.com

English

NEWS_006, NEWS_007, NEWS_008

1, 2