The Somerset herald and farmers' and mechanics' register. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 183?-1852, 1846-03-24
From The Harrisburg lafsHigencer.
WEDNESDAY, March Is, 1916.
Unprecedenfed Flood I'm the Sus-
quehanna.

BRIDGES AT EARRIGBURG AND ILARk
FERRY, AND on THE JUNIATA SWEPT
AWAY, AND VAST AMOUNT OF OTHER
PROPERTY DESTROYED!
The heavy rain on Friday night last,
carrying with it great portion OF The ina
mense body Of snow which was accnmu-
lated on the mountains and hills in the VI
cinity Of the Susquehanrla and It's ,ribu-
taries, caused the river TO rise to an un-
precedented. height, and vast amount
Of private and public property has been
destroyed.
The river at this point commenced III
sing rapidly OH Saturday morning, and
continued to rise till Sunday about noon,
at which time it had risen to the extraor
dinary height of about 81 feet above its
ordinary level; completely covering the
large Island opposite our borough, and
spreading over a large portion OF the low
er end of the town, in some instances RI
sing TO the sec ond stories of the houses
and driving the people from their homes
to seek shelter elsewhere from the raging
element The highest rise in the Sus-
quehanna in the recollection of our oldest
inhabitants, was the memorable 'pump-
kin food" of 1884, which did not ex-
ceed, if ii equalled this in height, and
was not any thing like so destructive.
The one half of the old Harrisburg
Bridge from the Harrisburg shore to the
Island has been completely swept away,
piers and all. The other end withstood
the shock and remains firm. The three
middle spans fell between three and four
o'clock on Sunday morning, with tre-
mendous crash, which awakened us out
of our sleep, distance of two squares
off. The end resting on the Island fell
about nine o'clock, and the last span on
this shore gave way about two o'clock in
the afternoon. Il fell with heavy crash,
and floated majestically down the stream.
The scene on the bank of the river at this
time was exceedingly animated, the shore
being lined with an immense mass of hu-
man beings, Of both sexes and all ages
and conditions, drawn together TO witness
this last scene of this catastrophy, and 10
gaze in amazement and awe at the power
of the raging torrent, as il rushed onward
in It's majesty and might.
This Bridge was erected from 1913 to
1917, by the celebrated architect Burr, at
a cost of nearly 100000, and we believe
the second bridge erected over the Sus-
quehanna. 1t had withstood the freshets
for thirty years, and would not now have
fallen, but for the immense bodies of ice
from the upper branches, which literally
cut the piers to pieces,by the terriblef force
with which they were driven against
them. The loss is heavy one to the
company.
The piers for the new Cumberland VAL
ley Railroad Bridge had all been rebuilt,
and the woodwork on four span erected,
which was all swept away. The loss
viii fall heavily upon the contractor and
the company.
The crops on the Island are Of course
greatly injured, if not entirely destroyed.
The family living upon it, and their stock,
with the exception OF two hogs, were
taken off about ii O'Clock on Saturday
night.
Considerable injury was done to Gov.
Porter's Anthracite Furnace. The wa
ter backed up into the Paxton creek from
the river, overfowing the creek, the canal
and towing-path, fences, brick yards and
houses, and rose 10 the hearth and almost
into the fires of the Furnace. The Fur.
mace was stopped, and somewhat damag-
ed, not seriously, however, as we are glad
to learn.
Two span of the towing-path bridge at
Clark's Ferry were swept away, and the
bridges over the Juniata at Duncan's
Island and Sherman's. creek. All the
houses on the lower part of Duncan's
Island -overfowed, and their occupants
obliged to remove for safe quarters.
i-'ffie Duncan Iron Works, at Ciark's
Ferry, were greatly injured. bridges,
dams and houses attached to the works be-