The New York herald., 1875-03-20

q the s.vsr. xtsrs the lseorsrs have out sss: y
sink them in hopes that the nood wiz not CARY
theme them %; s, The wilks:oarre Toll Bridge COMPANY
ments with the Covered Bridge Company 70 nre
the,r bridge securing the latter sum reported TO-
De $4,000. The work OF destruction was oegun
this afternoon. 1t Is hoped that this purchase oy
the wilkesoarre Bridge Company OF the right 20
tional security to the wiltesbarre Bridge. The
new Iron Bridge Company DID not sell the right 10
burn their bridge and the labor OF saving the iron
structure 10 carried on day and night.
CHANGE IN THE RIVER
Is blowing Strongly. At Ransom the river has
1allen two feet since dark, and at Pittston Is mas
. Hs rs. Is Rs 5
gorge, and. rushing down. are again obstructed
blythe by The gorge rye below ,a Pttston, dammng M up and
follow What shall we do TO be saved Is the
prayer OF saint and sinner.
GREAT DAMAGE AT BAINBRIDog-NABRow Es-
CAPEs FROM DRowNING.
BAINBRIDaE Pa, March 10, 1875.
This town was the scene Of the most violent and
destructive nood yesterday that has ever visited
this locality, the water exceeding in depth by
six feet the remarkable freshet OF 1855, which
caused an immense destruction OF property along
the Susquehanna.
Batnbridge Is located about nine miles west OF
Columbia, and has . population OF q few hun dred
people. The Pennsylvania Railroad and canals
separate 1t from the susquenanpa River. The
Pennsylvania Railroad tracks are covered
with ice for q distance OF about ten miles.
In some places to the depth OF fifteen
feet. At Collins station, few miles west OF this
town, the destructiveness Of the food Is shown In
the demolition Of several buildings. At the upper
end OF Bainbridge the railroad track is COM
pletey oostructed, the ice burying It out
OF sight A similar condition OF things exists Tor
several miles down the railroad, the depth
OF the ice varying from four to fifteen feet Nearly
ali the houses IN Bainoridge skirtlng the main
street have been damaged by the huge cakes OF
tce four OF them completely wrecked. Several
saved by four or nve canalboats, which prevented
the Ice from dashing against and breaking them
to pieces.
The sudden rise In tue river came on the people
while some OF them were at dinner, and they had
scarcely time to retreat TO places o safety before
the ponderous blocks OF Ice commenced to dasn
against their houses In twenty minutes the
the demolished houses the ice IL piled up to the
second story windows. On the island opposite the
latter PROBABLY 100 yards from the former. A
family occupied the house, and wnen the water
members ascended to the second foor. The barn
was dlslodged, turned completely around and
to P the US
tlon. The situation OF the occupants was perllous
and they expected to be carried down the stream
every minute. But the nOOd soon receded and
they were saved. The Oldest fnhabitant here, VINO
has resided Tor nfty-fve years N the village. says
the nood was unprecedented. That OF 1855 was
considered immense, but 1t was not comparable
with the ice flood OF Thursday. No one was killed,
or even injured, yesterday, those the most dan.
gerous positions neeipg from their houses or OPP
portunely seeking refuge on the upper floors.
THE DAMAGED RAILROADS.
the Pennsylvania Railroad Company has prob
ably thousand men employed IN removing the
ice rom the tracks between point above Balm
hp{h nlnp hi lNnY hn nrn
to-day it is doubtful II double the number
VIII be able TO clear the track sufficiently to en-
The telegraph poles and wires nave been de.
strOyed and rendered useless, and all commu1i.
points hey ond Is completely cut on. ''' ANU
In consequence OIL the Ice hood the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company experiences much lnconven'
Bile effort Will be made TO restore the old order Of
things at the earliest possible moment. Tue
wall dividing the canal from the river from Red
Hill to cambridge, distance OF iour or i've miles,
has been demolished In many places, and the to W.
path Is badly damaged
Tne scene at cambridge and vicinity Is indescrib
the blocks arc six ieet thick, and the average Is
two ieet IN size. Some woulo cover quarter OF
an acre.
DESCRIPTION OF THE HAVOC OF THE RIVER
NEAR MARIETTA AND COLUMBIA.
MARIETTA, Pa, March 10, 1875.
The scene which marks the ice gorge on tho
Susquehanna at this point beggars description.
Here several gorges followed each other In quick
succession, and the havoc made is fearful to
behold. The first gorge formed at the steam saw.
mill Of Miller Musser, and IN the twinkling OF an
eye carried away the entire mill and all the lum.
Der, &C., in It's neighborh00d. Another gorge was
formed opposite the upper depot. Here immense
piles OF ice are thrown up on the bank and in the
canal. almost rivalllng IN MAGNITUDE the York
Mountains, whose snOw.covered sides rise ab-
ruptiy from the opposite shore.
In this neighoorhood the greatest damage has
been done to the Pennsylvania Railroad. Large
forced bodily under the track, and rails ties tele.
graph poles and wires lie broken and twisted up
In shapelesS mass. Communication py rail and
telegraph was entirely cut or but the telegraph
wires nave been riGged up on the trees and are
working tonight.
All the houses along the river were in imml-
nent danger from the immense blocks OF Ice
which were forced, with lrresisrDe power,
against their foundations and fronts. the cellars
and lower stories are flooded with water, and the
deniZens have taken refuge in tine higher parts
carried from the canal and thrown topsy turvy
upon the railroad track. one lies snagged against
a tree, with beams parted and rudder broken.
Between 1000 and 5000 laborers have been en-
plOyed TO clear and repair the railroad track, and
1t is presumed travel over 1t Will be resumed on
Monday.
Az Columbia the railroad bridge has been injured
TO some extent. An engine passed over this
afternoon, and upon examination 1t was found
that nearly every span had been injured and tnat
travel over It was unsafe.
THE RIVER FALLING AT wHKEsBARRE-AMEND-
ING DISRUPTED RAILROAD COMMUNICATION
FEARS OF THE NEXT BREAKING OF THE ICE.
WILKEsBARRE, Pa, March l9, 1875.
n uaof IN IA hue q