1884 Flood in Augusta

From Higginsport, I steered for Augusta, ten miles [!] further down, and there was witnessed the worst scenes that had yet been encountered. The whole town is literally submerged up to the second stories. All the business portion is under water, and over sixty houses have been washed away. Unfortunately, a great number of the sufferers in this town are widows, who in their houses had everything they owned on the green earth, and can not expect to own any thing more, unless sweet charity with its kindly face steps in, until they own their final lot in God’s acre. In addition to the flood, they have had to contend with fire. On Monday morning, about 8 a.m., a fire broke out in the drug store of Mr. P. Knoebler, cause by an explosion of gasoline. It spread to the dry goods store of Mr. Dunbar, and both soon became a total wreck. It was impossible to enter the burning buildings for some time, as it was known that gunpowder was stored in the drug-store, and it was not until the powder exploded that the fire was gotten under control. The Enquirer man got most comfortable quarters in the Taylor House, and started early yesterday morning to complete the sixty-five miles’ journey to Cincinnati. 

From the Cincinnati Enquirer, February 17, 1884