The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-03-18
THE RUSH Or WATERS.
CONTINUED FROM THIRD PAGE

telegraph poles along this route are ali down,
The residents IN the neighoor2ood OF Ransom ana
OF the small places between that place and
PitIston are IN mo-. terrible sac
wnen the weather unshackles the freld
grasp oil the ice gofges and transforms me Vast
sccumulatons OF snow on me mountains ihto
running streams. fney say that the dangers Q!
= more terrible hOod than has yet occurred are
apparent. This Is believed 10 oe the case here Ia
flttston. \ number OIL small oOais madt lhe!E
appearance on the river to-day TO Jerry passen-
gers across, but very few were Wiling 10 RISK
the dangers OF the urlons current The nrst
person 10 cross was conpOslLOr IN the comet
onice VINO came over Ia a skin, although lIaplored
by hundreds on the banks not 10 make the AT
tempt.
To-day large number oil mines stopped work
in consequence OF their being unable to snip coal
rom this point over the Lehigh Valley aud l.. and
b. kailroads The Pennsylvania Coal Company an
nounce that six mines VIII De idle tomorrow. THIS
consequence OF the damages 10 railroad
BRIDGES an the Delaware All the blaming mills To-
GATED up town. near the river, were forced 10 sus-
pend operations to-day, IN consequence OF oeing
hooded last night. Great quantities OF lumber
passed down WITH the current al an early lour
THE PATH OF DEVASTATION.
The HERALD correspondent secured passage
sarly this morning on the tack OF 4 oiooded
charger and moved down the river road 10 inves-
ligate the damages resulting rom the de!uge OF
yesterday evening, but had progressed only
couple or miles, 70 RAILROAD station Enown as
Port Blanchard, when ne found ms advance Dy
horse wholly INSTRUCTED and he abandoned Ohm for
the doubtful mercleS OF q canoe, With when ne
travelled the line OF the plank ROAD quarter
D. a mile, passing on ms way, on the right, the
current OF the river glutted with massive slabs oil
ice. and on his lett the fences IN some places quite
ont oil sight ana the houses Hooded TO the window
sills one schoohouse, located III grove, was
nearly out OF sight. ana put rom TIE TACT that
the current is not strong here IL must nave gone
the way OF all things else In the pain OF the hood.
The famous old hosiery at Port Blanchard was
entirely surrounded ana huge cakes OF Ice piled
up against its DOORS though now cogged,
threaten vengeance dire when the atmosphere
soItens the rlgldity. OF It's companionship
southern journey. The Ice is damned back IN
he main channel al distance OF about two miles
below Pittston, and the waters are cutting new
avenues on either SIDE through the hats. AT
Plainsville the Lehlgh Valley Railroad depot Is
nall out OF sight.
, Several reight cars, with their contents. to-
gether with the freight in the depot are ruined.
FRAGMENTS OF BRIDGES.
Just below THIS point and about four miles below
Pittston are seen two spans OF the old covered
which are lodged III the ice, apparently out little
damaged.
bridge, twisted aad rolled into ball OF wood and
lron The remaining two spans OF the new bridge
anu ahothef lost span OIL tue oid pruge aus. nave
been smashed 10 pieces and sunk beneath the
heavy cakes or Ice.
There is no sign OF their whereabouts. At this
place the waters have cut 10 the westward,
through the plains OF the historic Forty Fort and
covered the entire level even into kingston
borough. just west OF Wtkesbarre. Kingston Is
beautiful village OF about LOCO Inhabitants and its
maln street IS now traversed only by SKINS and
families are deserving their homes for more
cure locau ms.
Against the sides OF the mountain from this
point, where the waters overflow the banks OF
Forty Foot to the WisesDarre Bridge, the channel
presents spectacle even mole imposing
and dangerous than any other point below
Ransom. The ice Is pied up IN masses
in some places fifteen To twenty feel in height and
Is held IN II place only by tue gorge below ana The
lrlgdlty or the atmosphere.
DISASTERS IMPENDING.
The wind is blowing iearu gale and the
snow Is falling rapidly. The bridge at WiKesoarre
IS III great PERI. as are also the ones at
Plymouth ana NanticoEe, and when the turn
III tae weather takes place there VIII follow the
moving OF the ice, together with the three upright
spans OF the Pittston Bridge and 10 a lew mo.
mentS VIII Wlisesbarre benold It's ancient sruc-
lures Keeping company with the bridges that were
baptized IN the era vi destruction at Plttston last
lures lurther down the RIVER as named above, and
ali communication Dy bridges between the east
and west OF the winding river Will be stopped ior
wILxEsBARRE THREATENED
But this is not by any means the greatest I'M
pending disaster to the popuious city OF Wilkes
barre. Below the latter snori distance is a nat
ural gorge. Tne stream Is very narrow, and on
either side rise In perpendicular form the rocky
SIDES OF the mountains Greas approximations are
entertained lest the Ice become damned here,
In when event the packwater will rise several
eet higher tnan ever, and the entire city will be-
submerged. This Phase OF the breakup Is not q
iLeak OF lmagnat!on. It Is altogether prob
yet 10 follow the flow OF Tuesday evening. AL tue
lcebreakers OF the Wikesnarre Bridge nave sue
sumbed 10 tue strength oil he prevailing elements,
8nd several stones OF one OF the piers have
gone out. The waters are now nigh enough
on River street, the fashionable avenue OF the
city. TO make trdve. impossible Tue gas works
are foOced and the CITY IS Ia darkness, adding
additional gloom 10 the eventful times.
WATER ~ THE MINES
Tie water has reached thn openings in
several places between Pittston and Wlkesoarre
aud begun to mood the anthracite regions be-
low. Last evening measures were
Laken to stop the damage by cement
lag up these OPENINGS and the work
sim gees on. All trans north on the Lengn VAL
ley Railroad are stopped at WilEe5oarre. their
progress further being impossible Tor several days,
even should future events be most favorable Inc
United states mails are being piled up in ne
storehouses Of the railroad company. and great
inconvenience must be eXpcrfenced thereby.
All things considered justify the grayest an.
prehenslons, not only Tor tue bridges, but the
towps OF WllKesOarre. Plymouth aud NanticoKe.
and nothing but the power OF an intervening
Providence Will save the valley from still greater
damage than this We have already acquainted you
with.
THE LEHIGH RIVER
MAUcH CHUNK, Pa, March II, 1875