Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-02-07
H FURIOUS FLOOD.
The Height Reached and the Water
Subsiding.
Scenes Along the Wharf, Yesterday-Wells
burg Inundated-News from
Other Ports.

the heavy rainfall OF yesterday, Whicn Is
unabated at this hour, the river reached its
height and began to withdraw o after
noon. It will now recede as rapidly rs 1t
came. The wharf presented quite an ami
mated appearance yesterday. A contin-
uous line of people were passing to and
fro, all OF whom differed with each
other as to what would be the result
of the rise. some. of them thinking 1t
wouId reach 4S to so feet. The water
reached its highest stage at / o'clock yes.
terday afternoon, there being 81 feet OF
water in the channel. No perceptiole
change could be noted until about 8 O'Clock,
when il was discovered that the water WAS
receding slowly, and at dark last night the
marks showed 36H feet. The old rivermen
were divided as to the result OF the steady
rain, dispatches from above showing a rain
similar TO the one we are experiencing.
Some of the older riyermen thought the
river would probably fall three or four feet
and then rise seven or eight, owing entirely
10 the heavy rain fall. and the other fac
ton thought there would not be any more
of a rise, but that the water would steadily
recede.
The Top mill float and a barge broke
loose Yesterday morning and came tearing
down the river. Fortunately the Belle
Prince had steam up. and Immediately
swung out into the stream and caught
them, bringing them into the wharf amid
the cheers of the large crowd that lined
the bank and wharf.
The merchants along Main street were
compelled to move their goods out OF the
cellars, as the water was in some instances
two feet deep.
In the lower portion of the city al! the
houses bordering on the river and as far
back as Chapline street were more or less
damaged by the water. A majority OF the
residents moved their things into the Sec
ond story of their houses, not knowing
lust how much water was coming. When
the news reached them that water was re-
cedihg everybody was delighted, and prep,
arati ons were being made by them to get
their household goods into shape again.
No material damages were sustained.
Yesterday morning a dead man was dis
covered floating down the Back river on a
large cake of ice. Several efforts were
made to catch the body, but all without
success. From the general appearance 1t
looked as if the man had fallen into the
river and had succeeded in getting on this
cake OF ice, and being unable to reach
shore had frozen to death during the night.
The Katie Stockdale passed up en- route
for Pittsburgh, last evening; also the J.W
Gould, a towbOat.
The following dispatch was received from
Pittsburgh last night: Navigation will be
regumed to-day. Allegheny ice is pretty
we'll thinned out. Boats in slack water
running.
AT MARTINS FERRY.
The raging river continues to attract
attraction. and is the absorbing topic OF
conversation. The Laughlin mill was com
PEELED TO shut down yesterday, owing to
the water coming into the fly wheel pit.
None of the other manufactures were
obliged TO stop, they all being too highly
located. Scarcely any part OF the town
was submerged, and for this advantage over
other towns we shonld feel happy. Large
crowds stood about the banks during the
day, watching the ice and property go by.
Early in the morning a good sized iron
boiler passed. The hole was on top n 1t
iloated along like a log. 1t was caught at
Bridgeport. Many persons with skits
were engaged during the day catching logs
and other property, and they met with
much success.
AT BELLAlRE.
All day yesterday the big Hood appeared
to be the theme of conversation everywhere
YOU went. The banks were lined and
many persons spent the entire day taking
in the submerged portion of the city and
the boating ice and drift. The ice dealers
were hard at work and succeeded in OBJ
tanning large quantities of ice ranging in
thickness from fifteen inches to two feet.
The mill and water works were both COM
PEELED TO shut down and a portion OF the
water supply is shut of. In the First and
Second wards people were compelled to
take to the upper stories of their houses
and in several instan ceS vacate. The creek
rose TO the county bridge and the road on
either side was submerged, suspending
travel. Fortunately those who were COM
PEELED to cross had the b., II. aud G. bridge
to fall back on and crossed it. A report
was in circulation that a woman had been
drowned in Lower Town, but investigation
failed to reveal the truth of the state.
ment. The fleet OF sixteen bargeS be-
longing to the George Lyle and the one
loaded with lumber, which belonged to
Dubois e Mccoy, which were carried away
on Monday evening were caught a short
distance below the city and safely tied up.
The same man also caught the wharf boat
containing the scales, shanty and wagon
which passed on Monday. Thee. Y. Lucas
came up and landed near the Belmont
glass works. The Katie Stockdale passed
up about 4 o'clock. She came up the West
Virginia side at a very slow gate, and when
near the bridge she steered across, and low
eIing her stacks TO the pilot house sue.
ceeded in passing under. The flood opened
the eyes OF our people, yet the marks were
not up TO thoss nf the June rise in 1881.
The J.. w. Gould, which came down on
Monday and landed here pulled out in
tie morning and started up. Much fine
lumber was obtained during the day. One
man caught "a large logs.
BUFFALO CREEK.
On Sunday, Buffalo creek, which einpties
into the Ohio at Wellsburg, ran out with a
rush, carrying out all OF the ice which had
accumulated during the winter. On Mon
day, this strong flow was met by the heavy
rise in the river and checked. The water
backed up the creek for nearly a mile, 60
ing beyond the first toll bridge, which it
nearly hoated. The low ground on which
is built the south end OF W~ellsburg; was
entirely flooded and the farm M lying
back of the P, W. & h. railroad bridge was
several feet under water. The muddy ele-
ment overran the streets of Wellsburg as
far north as the Granite House, flooding
cellars and submerging yards, and there, to
add to the annoyance Of jewellers Of that
neighborhood, the water froze. The pike
leading to Betheny was entirely cut of and
The mail had TO be carried over the incon.
venient hill route and passengers and
wagons were compelled TO take the same
course. The bridge over the Buffalo was
submerged and entirely impossible and,
when tie iloOd reached its greatest height
the water was within a very short distance
Of the roaring gas well, Dwellers in Wells
burg were very much alarmed, but about
? o'clock, yesterday the waters began to
slowly recede and the danger was over.
SHORT CREEK AND GLESN's BUN.
The low ground at the mouth Of Short
Creek, back Of the railroad bridge, was a
vast and deep lake, and only the bridge
itself remained above the turbid waters.
Fortunately there was no current, else the
rush OF water TO the small creeks mouth
must have been disastrous to the bridge
embsnkmept The county road was lost
entirely, and had the commissioners taken
a view about noon yesterday they might
have had some pointers" in regard TO
the bridge they propose to erect there.