Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-03-18
THE ICE GORGES.
Great Destruction of Property
in New York and
Pennsylvania.
half a Million Worth of Bridges
Swept Away.
Towns Inundated. and Citizens
Fleeing for Their Lives.

PORT JERvIs, n. Y, March IA
six o'clock thisi morning a large shop
whistle summoned the people TO look out
for the flood, as the ri7er was rising with
fearful rapidity. The telegraph had pre-
viOusly announced that the ice had swept
through every barrier above here, and was
coming down upon this city riding upon
the crest Of wave ten feet high.
Z 4. M.-The water is rising very rapidly,
and King street stimulated. Alarge charge
Of nitrO-glycerine just exploded did great
execution. The ice is daming up al the
head Of the gorge. The Delaware railroad
bridge, three miles west, has been swept
away. The food is coming with incOn-
ceiYable force, and the inhabitants are flee
ing in confusion from the fats.
"a. M.-The gorge remains firm, but the
volnme of water Of this writing has made
a river Of King street, carrying all before it
and submerging great part Of the lower
portion Of the town. The food is now
within one hundred yards Of the telegraph
Office.
$50 A. MA great shout Of thankful
ness has just gone up. The gorge has
broken and the ice is floating down stream,
while the water in the village is lowering.
The Barrett bridge stands, though badly
damaged. Probably thirty blocks were in
undated, and some houses carried of. AS
far as heard from, no lives were lost. The
general impression seems to be that
the weakening Of the gorge by
blasting, has saved the entire lower
part Of the village from destruction.
Five holes had been dug in the main dam
of the glacier, in each Of which twenty
five pounds Of nitro glycerine were exploded
at the critical moment.
ga. M.-The Barrett bridge has just
been swept away, unable TO Withstand the
railroad bridge which had given way some
distance above and was dashed against 10
by the food. The wrecks Of two bridges
are being carried rapidly down the stream,
and the suspension bridge, eight miles be-
low, is felt 70 be doomed.
NEW YORK, March u "A dispatch from
Pa, dated 1 A. NJ. to-day, states
that about ten minutes ago the ice began
TO move out suddenly, and with it one
span Of the magnificent new bridge. Two
men we're on it at the time, but were just
rescued, when out swung three more spans.
This cleared the new bridge, with the eX-
ceptiOn Of the east span, which is still
standing. Within ten minutes Of the first
loud sounds came from the di-
-eCtiOn Of the old bridge above, a quarter
Of a mile up the stream, and in a moment
after that structure also swept out into the
current and was carried away The Lack
awanna Railroad bridge had previously
zone down. The loss in bridges alone is
not less than half 3 million dollars. In
West PittstOn, the river is making terrible |
nrOads in the valuable property therein |
Ocated. The food has already covered the
over portion Of the place, and the greatest /
are felt for the safety Of |
several dwellings. As it is, the loss must |
De very great.
9:45 A. M.-AbOut three hundred houses |
n Port Jervis proper, between the railway |
md river, were more or less damaged by /
water. Many Of them were filed 10 the /
ecOnd story. Owing to the ample warning |
riven BIZ the authorities, no lives we're lost. !
ali the larger shops Of the Erie Railroad /
lad more or less water in them, but No /
Teat damage was done. The chief engineer |
# the Erie Railroad has started for the 10 |
alton Of the Delaware bridge, TO arrange a /
structure for crossing the river. |
Germantown, the western part Of the VII /
age, suffered most.
WILKESBARRE, PA, March 1.-THE !
liver is % feet above low water mark, and J
yitbin three feet. ffJeisyytpJ away. All /
with the opposite side Of /
he river has ceased, as the bridge is in
ecure.
WnKEsBARRE, Pa, March 1.-THE /
&c still remains stationary at this place, |
md there has been no perceptible fall OF !
he water since the afternoon. The eel
ars Of houses on River street are hlled
With water, and the gas works have a
lepth of several feet Of water IN them.
The whole city is in darkness, candles and
amps furnishing the only light. The
.hree bridges which were swept away from
Pittston are iammed in the gorge above
here. The weather has been gradually
colder, and everything will be
frozen solid tonight. Should a gentle
.haw follow, the ice may 60 down without
further damage; but if the thaw be sudden,
devastation will be greater on account Of
the cold snap.
The Lackawana and BlOomsberg Rail-
road bridge, which was swept away last
night at PittstOn, cost $4,000, and the
wooden wagon bridge cost $4,000. The
Lehigh Valley Railroad, above and below
Pittston, is covered in many places with ice,
and no trails are run above WllkesOarre
BIyGHAMPToN, n. Y, March 1.-THE
ice gorge in tie river at Hooper, eight
miles west Of BinghamptOn, IS over four
miles long and twenty to thirty feet high.
The valley is overfOwed at present.
Weather cold aud river falling.
Between Two Floods.
SCRANTON, Pa, March 17.-West Pitts
ton stands between two floods, one Of which
broke through a ravine at the base OF the
mountains this morning, cutting on the
flight of the inhabitants, who sought the
mountains for safety. The losses by Hood
and obstruction to railroad traffic viii not
fall short of a million dollars.