The New York herald., 1875-03-20
high. The main bridge st Perryviile 10 considssed
safe. and no danger Is at present threatened to


Tonight this town appears like beneged city
awaiting an attack The people move about seri-
ously, as though they felt that some awful and i'm
pending calamity from which they cannot ny was
upon them. The ominous look OF each person who
arrives from the upper Districts where the debris
OF the mood still remain, fringing the banks with
their dsordered snd frigid presence, Is sufncienr
to arouse the gravesr suspicious and to scatter
to the winds the theories OF the more
hopeful regarding an easy dissolution OF the
gorges. The agony Of suspense seems even more
terrible than the anticipated trouble. As peo.
pie who have had some mlsgivinRs concerning the
truth OF the stories anoat about she immensity
and formidable strength OF the Ice dams return
from individual observations and examinations OF
them, bringing back the widest Endorsement OF
the reports, the feeling or anxiety grows apace
and creates universal GLOOM which is very ap-
parent About four O'Clock this afternoon q re.
port gained clrcu.ation that the upper end Of the
gorge was moving. and that 1t was quite likely
that the whole mass would be loosened tonight
and come down the river. This iumor had the
eject Of keeping large number OF our merchants
on the east side, because they did not care to run
the risk OF being caught by the mood on the other
side.
THE DANCER OF WEST PrrTsToN
In the event OF o sudden and rapid rise OF tho
river overnowing tho banks again with threaten
Ing lOrCe, IL IL DoueVeO tue means Ol trauspOEta-
tion now provided for instant flight Will be found
adequate, and that loss OF life will result, how
ever furious the ireshet may prove. Ever since
The hood Of Tuesday night kilograms have poured
in at the once here inqulring about the safety OF
friends in this locality. 1t is well, therefore, TO
state that unless something far more terrible than
Is anticipated should occur the anxiety regarding
the dehverance OF the people residing In W est
Pittston may be set at rest, as every precautiOn
has been taken to prevent any serious afilcion of
this nature.
The weather continues very cold this morning.
The surface OF the river even, swift as 1t Is run
sucn frGd state OF things exists, 1t Is not at all
likely that the great gorge VIII move out, and.
therefore, the reports circulated this afternoon
are not TO be credited
The river for the past two days has been dotted
with small boats, Ierrying passengers across The
rates OF lare, which began at 81. have settled to
Ferry and Bridge Company, which owned the old
bridge, have advertised for proposals to run
Jerry ior teams and passengers. This company
bridge on the old piers. which are still standing.
CLEANING THE TRACKS
ware, Lack kwanna and Western Railroad. was In
town yesterday, making arrangements to COM
mence the rebuilding O. the railroad bridge at the
earlles, possible day. This will connect Scranton
again with the Pennsylvania Central Railroad Tor
minutes past @ six o O'Clock sas Evening, superin
tendent Packer. OF the Pennsylvanla and New
York division Of the Lenlgn Valley Railroad came
gagged since Wednesday morning with hundreds OF
men at work clearing the track OF The solid ice
boulders that covered 1t for two miles to depth
OF from three to fifteen leet. To-day 800 men cut
through tnree-quarters OF a mile Of the heaviest
mence running norta. tom Pittston to El-
mira, but WIZ be unable to make make through
next week. as the ice and water on tine track
between Pittston and wilkesbarre are several leet
above sep here tos S s ace the aDUss
two miles north and continues up the
H ms as Fans II s sns ice IN
this gorge is thought by the superintendent to be
heavier and thicker than any that has yet come
down the stream. AS the water III the river falls
the cakes OF ice become more compact and freeze.
making them more solid than might otnerwis be
the '.Narrows'' the excavation is so deep that the
passing tram is entirely hidden out OF sight. The
| spectacle is 80 grand and imposing that several
enterprlsing photo.operators took views OF the
scene to-day. Above this last mentioned gorge Is
fore. about hundred miles up the river 1t is
cleared OF large bodies Of Ice; but at the place
known as the BIG Island is Ice which has been
Canal. A. this point the ice is always very thick
ana this year 1t is still more heavy. 1t IS est-
mated by Engineer Stedman, OF the Pennsylvania
Railroad, that lr Will take rise OF I've ieet more
water TO move the gorged ice Tomorrow morn
! vana Railroad, with special car furnished by
the superintendent 10 make personal observa.
tion OF the gorge and the damage in this locality.
A TOUR ALONG THE RIVER.
Your correspondent made a tour OF West Pitts
roweu r N nnnosIte Camnhei,s Tanoa along tne
! loot of tre monniains to noInt near
E"rtv rort savan m,les trou pi,,aton
wnere rne three snans Of ,he old covsred
ferrv br,6ge and fonr sna ma Of the new ccmhina
tion bridge now lay; At the highest point north
p|ts,nn ne iounn fnrtner nrouress nrohin,t ad NV
resSnn ~ Inc ice mar has hee1 Iett IN tne m onn
to,n 800 ,ron, civ to f,teen ieat IN th,ctnass
rtr,a w" are anthoritatIveiv InIormed is tne con-
,tit,or or tho road or seversl mea IN tho river IN
pna waSt a,de and it wii renuire ,he nnTtad IN nn
ence ~ tho 'rnwnsnin 'rreasnrer ann the gem II
rnns ~ Tho ~ tho hea vnne savera ne q
=" c,oar Tho road an fhst fsa rarmars can oar to
,no rrat win tneir nrod,,ca II is irsr ths edo NJ
tnIs no,nt than deurcssion in tine land runnino to
th pr'nht onn hack of Weat p,ttston that 10 no w
tnr,s Ccoor Tous Tna hrid, n IN .ha m,ir road
ovar the creek has heen washed owAy ana
Thrnugh h,s ca nnei roe of wal or
HnwaT ovarnowIn1 ,sa"du Of ocras of tho 10 w
iands and In ,vtneJ hnCe hnnIders nnon inc mains
Mnrn viii na va re he MA sted or removed hv som