The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-02-07

TIE SWOLLEN FLOOD
which sweeps Where the Calm Ohio
swept.

The Ohio river should, until further notice
be spelled with big R-it Ia u big thing, and
II last nights heavy, drenching rain counts
for anything, II. will be still bigger thing
ere many hours have passed. Visitors to the
levee yesterday morning found that the river
had continued to rise during the night and
was still coming up slowly. Looking across
10 the Island shore, where the houses appear
ed to be coming up out Of the water, one
could hardly realize that that broad, turbtd
expanse OF water rolling on with such cruel
power, was the 0hio-the river that less than
| Jour months ago was so low and shallow that
packets could not run, and which will prob
ably be Ia the same condition inside OF the
next four month";
A DISGRACE TO THE CITY.
By 10 o'clock yesterday morning the usual
levee loungers were all on hand, aud also q
large crowd that gathered TO see what the
river had done and what 1t was likely TO do.
The bulletin boards were first earnestly
scanned for telegraph news, and then the
observers hurried 10 where the marks ought
TO be, to see what they could learn there.
They learned very little, and put in the time
abusing the city OF Wheeling and all con.
nected with it who in any way have any
thing TO do with the wharf. The abuse was
| Just. The city collected over s., 900 last year
!
would disgrace country town. The marks
only show TO thirty feet, and are said not 70
be reliable. Above thirty feet, certain cobble
stones stand for marks. Every time there Is
big river, the depth has TO be guessed at.
This could oil be remedied by putting down
old iron rails with the fiat side up and the
marks cut in.
The ice was running very light aud all in
the center, while the broken barges and 9th.
er debris were few and far between, having all
gone out the day before. Shortly after 10
o'clock the J. W. Gould passed up under full
head Of steam. 1t will be remembered that
she passed down broadside the day before In
the midst OF stream Of ice; in helpless
condition; II was rough trip, but judging
from her appearance yesterday, she was I'M
injured. The Durnal was warped up from
| the foot of Twelfth street 10 Just below the
"Old Reliable" wharf boat, where she looms
up like an ocean steamer. One does not get
a very good idea OF the size OF our packets
until he sees them raised on the bosom OF q
mighty river so that from the hurricane
deck one can see into the second.story win
dows Of the houses on the wharf and from
the gang.plank almost jump to the curb
stones The whariboat rubbed against
the platform OF the p, W. & Ky. passenger
depot and at the dip In the track at Twelfth
street, the water was within few inches OF
the rails. At the freight depot the river was
well up under 1t.
THE RIVER AT NOON
Shortly after IL o'clock the river, as near
as could be guessed aud calculated, was SO
feet 10 inches In depth. II remained 30 for
about two hours, and it was .ieved that the
top notch had been reached. When the
river gels so high, and there is such dis.
lance from bank 10 bank, 1t takes an i'm
mense amount OF water TO raise 1t an inch,
and the dispatches did not indicate that any
more water was to come, but on the contrary,
that the rivers above were falling. At Q
o'clock there was about 30 feet OF water In
the channel and 1t remained at that stage
for several hours.
Yesterday morning the weather was threat
ening, and shortly after noon driZzliugrain
sci in that gradually increased, until At six
o'clock asteady, drenching storm was In pro.
gress, the water falling almost by the buckets.
| full, At frat 1t was supposed to be merely
local storm, but as 1t increased In volume
and continued without intermission, the
apprehcnsions OF river men began TO
be excited. They were augmented by the
dispatches, which indicated that the rain
was general. The effect cannot be otherwise
than TO still further swell the already swol.
len stream. The residents OF the Garden
spot, who begaR TO breathe freer as tho waters
subsidized, again became anxious, and the
night was one OF much anxiety.
OIL CRY, February G-Rlver 0 feet and
falling; cloudy and cold.
GREENSBORO, Pa, February 6.-Rtver 0feet
II inches. Weather cloudy.
PITTSBURGH, February G.-River 10 feet
inches and falling; cloudy and cool.
PAREER's, Pa, February 0.-River 0 feet
and falling. Weather cloudy and cool.
MoRaANrowX, W. Va, February Driver
feet and rising; raining thermometer 500
at4PM.
OIL CRY, Pa, February O.-River 0 feet
inches and stationary. Weather cloudy
and cool.
FArRxox7, February 0-The river took
sudden rise to-day. Is now seven feet four
inches and rising slowly.
BROWNSVILLE, Pa. February G-River II
feet 4 inches and stationary. Weather
cloudy; Thermometer 2G'.