The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-03-19
PORT DEPOSIT AGAIN IN PERIL.
Miners Driven from the Coal Shafts
by the Water.
Bridges To Be Speedily Re
built.
THE BLOCKADE OF THE RAILROADS
THE sUsoUEHANNA VALLEY.

THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY.
GENERAL VIEW OF THE DISASTERS PAST AND
ANTICIPATED.
PITTsToN, Pa, March Is. 1875.
The general press despatch sent from Scranton
asst night which asserted that West Pittston
stood between two hoods, is incorrect. The I'M
preston that such calamity might occur proba-
bly, arose from the TACT thar tue pos ton
OF the town threatens a catastrophe OF sucn
nature. The river. which lows Tor
many miles above West Pittston in southeast
srly course turns almost abruptly as approaches
the northern part or the town. and runs in
curved line easterly q short distance, when IL
changes, and takes due southerly course This
leaves the upper end Of West Pittston open to the
attacks OF the foods as they precipitated from
the north. There are evidences that some
time in the past a channel has MADE
Its way along the western end OF the
town at the base OF the mountains, and 1t is
thought that THIS was the original course OF the
river. When the Ice became damned on Tuesday
night and forced the water back IL was feared
that the river would take its ancient channel, in
the event OF which the whole town must have
been quickly submerged; but the ice gorge
below here giving way saved Us this
nWiui CdlbAlss IoI INC PEoScnI Suu sPdTcu
ne finest town in the Wyoming Valley
from destruction. A great deal OF water
was forced back BY the dam into the course
spoken or, and as 1t subsequently receded, IL left
Its precious trail behind in shapeless masses OF
ragged ice cakes, piled from ten to twenty feet
high Some idea OF
THE STRENGTH OF THE ICE
may be formed when it becomes known that 1t
varles in thickness from two to even Jour feet.
Many OF the blocks are clear as crystal and az
soliu. The lmpellng force OF Q terrific nood.power
hurting these slabs, which in many cases are
dozens OF feet square, against the banks
and other intervening objects can better be
Imagined than described. In one instance, at the
junction the other night single cake. about SIX
the Jury Oh the waters over an ice emoanEment
Ten leet high, and then, striking small barn about
two rocs distant shiverea it into thousand
pieces. lnis Is gwen as an illustration OF The
awful force or the waters.
THE APPEARANCE OF THE RIVER
Today IL has been very clear, but cold. The sun
shone from an unclouded SKY, but Its warmth
made no Impression upon the ROCKY ridges OF he
rusds or the snow.manted slopes oil the noun.
Lains. Tue river Tell little, but this ausurs
nauYht Tor the peace OF the future. WHAT Is
MORALLY dreaded, ana with good cause, too, Is the
release OF the ice dlkes above. Standing on
The nnltops In the northern portion OF West Pitt
ston tue awful Darricade NAV be observed. 1t
ZONES down across the river almost Ia a straight
lue, whlle at lis base the pent waters hubble up
Ia tremendous Jury as they escape Irom below the
and even twenty feet above the surface.
Tne imprisoned glaciers sparkle and jut
miles up the river. CHANGING upward along
the LOFTY mountain Slopes tue eye IS dazzed py
tue sein MI OF the continuous snow nelds
whlcn still exist and which are terrible reminders
81 tne Jury which 10 locked IN their rgd embrace.
PICTURE OF WOE AND WARNING,
ana many sad eye gazes upon It tonight not
knowing wnat the morning may bring OF ruin and
disaster. Behind this leariul gorge the people
aware Il0t others
the river. Is IL any wonder then, that the
excitement is deep and terrlOlef There no TEN
ing now often TINS heavy mass or ice, when II
starts. may stop on It's way and force oack rhe
waters. II it would only run out when 1t IL once
let loose there would not De 50 many apprehen.
sons; but the clrcuitou- course OF river below,
the twists and turns II takes, the numberless
whlcn oesiege US and winch are distinctions to
general outgoing OF the broken fragments ana
tue nood. Iiere 10 scarcely single residence
within quarter OF o mile BACK from the river
and for al least hair mile along It's length winch
is not tne nome or wealth and refinement Art
has done much to enhance the natural beauties OF
the locality. and inagn lncent dwellings, built after
the most improved moJern styles, rise all
SIDES. IL has oeen ascertained mat in lew In.
stances very serious damages have been done by
the food OF Tuesday nignt. handsome structures
were greatly weakened, and II is thought That II
Will take but very little TO annihilate them CON-
pIetely. That this little will come is almost GER
TAN. There appears to-nignt to 10 no prospect oi
MINES FLOODED.
There was great deal OF excitement to-day in
town, caused Dy tue announcement thar several
coal mines located near the junction were being
Hooded By tne dow OF BACK water A subsequent
and Ready" mine, owned by private indi-
vIduals, was completely filed by the In
RPsas i River Ta''G a. wa sas' rom nne es
nad been pushed back. The mines are
rendered . useless Tor some time, and waen tne
ouf. The loss 10 the owners WILL OF course, bs
very heavy. what 10 known as the Twin snait.
another nine located near tue "RouRh and
Ready" began 10 ill up also; but the strenuous
efforts Of gang OF men succeeded In putting an
zion Of a saitabis dam. Many other mines In TINS
locality have been sealed up, and IL Is thought
VIII escape damage by the anticipated GOODS OF
REBUILDING A BRIDGES
meeting OF the directors OF tue New Bridge
company was neid to-day, and II was resolved
that tue worx OF REBUILDING the handsome struc-
ture tnat was swept away on Tuesday night shall
permit AS was stated 10 previous despatch,
three spans OF the nooded bridge lie intact about
IL the ice gorge ormed there, and today a large
humoer 81 me- went DOWN TO endeavor
siDie. IA the Orders are all fastened
together Win IRON bars elampea on the opposite
en- II IL thought, ny unscre Wing taese DANCES the
wnos STRUCTURE can oe removed piece by piece IN
s,sry snSr; tms L Is ysry cod sSl.gh VITA
noOos tine earth WITH slvery radiance ana siiords
GOOD opportunity TO work through tie nigat
hours.
THE SITUATION AT NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
THnRATESED WITH DzsrRucT1os--A CEMETERY
TORN Up By THE WATERS.
wLxEsDARRR. Pa, March 10, 1878.
The river mas been falling slowly this alter.
noon. and 10 now nearly two feet lower than
On Wednesday morning. There 10 no c1ange In
the ice In the main channel. and 1t is generally
bsleved that nreacnes TO the bottom OF the
river. For some distance above the Island gorge
below the CITY and Plain.
wis, o distance OF Eve N ilss the zoe 10 Jammsd
up Ia , SOLID mass several persons walked
across the stream ON IL. A. ttu place
Ihl aApQl OIL The IAhiah YAllAl RAN