The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1875-03-31

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which has been cut of by The destruc
ton Of the Lackawanna and Blooms
burg Railroad bridge, will be re
sumed tomorrow forenoon. The
Iice-gorge at Wilkesbarre still attract:
hundreds of visitors, but gives ne
evidence Of breaking up. Every
hour of such weather az We have
now but gives it strength. 1t will
take violent storm to disturb it
but when it moves it is certain to
carry destruction 10 its path
lee AND WATER.
PoRT DEPOSIT, March l9.-TLe
food in the streets of this place i.
subsiding slowly but certainly, aud
the worst is probably over. At this
writing it has fallen at least FIVE feet,
and the ice cskc has dissolved and
partly disappeared. The food was
certainly the most disastrous and
dangerous that ever visited the town,
as it was the most sudden and unex.
pected There was not al immense
gorge like there was last year, no
great plies of ice extending miles up
the river az then, nor any signs to
warn our people Of the disastrous
consequences in store for them. The
difficulty and the danger was that
the aceumulations were higher up the
river Asit is, complete subsistence
of ttc river is not expected for sever
al days and possibly weeks. Ac-
counts from higher up, including all
the points of prominence, such as
Marietta, Columbia and Couqwlago,
all tell the same story-of great niles
of ice and unusually high water.
All of this must pass down the Sus-
Quehanna, aud even with the moder-
ate weather which prevails, aiternat,
ing melting and freezing tempera,
ture, some time must elapse before
the back water passes off. The scenes
Of last night and this morning have
been Of the most narrowing nature.
The accounts from above had prepar.
ed the people for a rise in the river,
but there was 40 apprehension that
it would be SO sudden and so disas.
trous in its results. In the afternoon
the reports grew more alarming, and
the people began to fear the effect
should there be any stoppage Of the
immense mass of ice which was pour
ing down the river at the rate of 30
miles an hour and filing 1T from shore
to shore. The river continued to rise
steadily, and the volume Of water to
expand. At night, by the aid of the
moonlight, the great cakes of ice
coald be seen pushing down the
food, crushing each other with q
noise like thunder, and striking terror
into the hearts of the people. At 10
O'Clock the warehouses of MessFs.
DAVIS & Pugh, j H. Rowland & Co,
and j. Tome & Co, near the river
were completely surrounded, and the
valuable stock of lumber on hand
swept away. Several dwellings were
flooded, and their owners and oecu.
pants were compelled to take to boats
to escape The wharves and railroad
tracks were all flooded, several YES.
sells badly crushed, and numerous
RATS broken and hoated oG Tbe
whole town was full Of excitement
and those Of the people who did not
flee With their effects and furniture
TO the hills gathered in groups near
the raging food, which, under the
clear ligh. Of The moon, presented a
grand and inspiring scene. At mid.
night the flood was at its height, and
a general feeling of fear prevaded the
town. Numerous people who remain.
ed in their houses to protect their
property were rescued by means Of
boats, and the town-tbe water be.
ing from ten to twenty feet deep, and
the streets full of floating timber,
barrels, chicken-coops and boxes
was dirty and very miserable copy
Of Venice. The railroad through the
town was completely covered with
lee and water for q distance of FIVE
miles. The trestle-work and bridges
Of the railroad through that distance
are all broken and crushed. Much
lumber was swept away. The trains
will probably be unable to run ovel
the damaged part Of tAe road fol
two weeks, The water at its heigh
was higher than has ever been known
IN the history Of the place, and q
the maximum exceeded the grea
food of 1851 by four feet. Tht
Western Union Telegraph Office wa
badly damaged, aud communication
with the South is still imperfect. To
night, however, the water continue
to subside steadily. No accurate es
timate can vet be formed of tho loss
but it will be immense,
COLUMBIA, March l9-The rive
banks above Columbia. along th'
Iieary Clay furnace, Chickes Rock
the town Of Marietta, and as far a!
Bainhrjdge. presents q scene neveI
before witnessed. The food of yes
terday carried immense bodies of ice
piled up along the shores, to heights
at various points varying from fv'
to twenty-five feet. The ice varie
I in thickness from fifteen inches t.
nearly or quite four feet, and in tb'
surface some of them measuring sew
eral hundred feet
Along Chickes' Rock, about mid
way between Columbia and Marietta
the ice, well packed and resembling
perfect mason work, is from FIVE t
ten feet deep over the track of n
PENNSYLVANIA Railroad, and durinI
the afternoon about four hundre,
men were at work along the poi1
cutting it away.
At Marietta the scene is vet NOR
Interesting. Along the upper par
of the town it is piled up on III
front street and railroad track from
ten to upwards of twenty feet. A
several places places the railroad
badly damaged. and rails bent an
torn up. Some Of the houses wer
saved from total destruction by larg
trees in front. Several canal-boat
were lodged against buildings an,
across Front street, and a few build
ings, including the Office Of Goa
and lumber dealer. are totally de
stroyed-
! BAISBRIDGE.
At Bainbridge, seven miles beyond