The daily gazette., 1883-02-08
THE RISING RIVERS.
GREAT FLOODS IN PENNsYL.
VANIA AND OHIO.
SITUATION AT PORT DEPOSIT.
Fears Of Another Disastrous F1oOd--Ter-
rible Destruction of Property Along the
Ohio River.

rIble Destruction of Property Along the
Ohio River.
PORT DEPOSIT, MD, Feb. 7.-Since Sun
| day morning last when the alarm was first
given that the ice In the Susquehanna was
breaking up, 1t has continued to gain and
pack opposite this place, south and north,
and now extends, a broken, jagged mass,
from Mount Ararat on the south to Rock
Run on the north, distance Of at least two
miles. South of Mount Ararat to the rail-
road bridge at Havre de Grace, a distance
| of three miles, the ice is still solid and is
strong enough to resist and hold In check
the vast mass of gorged ice above 1t. North
of Rock Run the river is full Of
broken or mush ice, which has
been passing down to-day. AS this
ice adds nothing to the head of the
gorge II must pass under It and out into
Chesapeake Bay. The danger here is that
the channel through which the ice passes
will become damned up and back the
waters and ice up sufficiently to inundate
the town, as was the case during the men,
orable gerges Of 1873 and 1876, when the
destruction of property and sufferings of
the people were great. All day people who
| live IN exposed places have been busily en-
gagged in removing their valuables to places
of security. The lumber dealers have put
out booms around their yards to protect
their STOCKS, and the warehouse men
have hoisted their stock of grain, fertilizers,
etc., into the upper stories. Every possible
precaution has been taken against loss or
damage should the flood come. kilograms
received here by the railroad officials show
that the river has been rising all day at Har-
risburg, Columbia, McCall's Ferry and
other points, and vast quantities of mush
ice are passing down. At several points
gorges Lave formed, causing rapid rises
back of them, but most of them have worn
away. The railroad companies remove
their rolling stock every night to places Of
safety, but during the day trains run as
usual.
PITTsBURG, Pa, Feb. IA tremendous
flood is coming In the Monongahela, which
is expected to reach this city between mid
night and daylight. For the past As hours
rain has fallen in torrents allsalong the Mo
nongahela valley, and all the small streams
are putting out vast volumes of water The
high water line here exceeds % feet, but q
height OF at least 80 feet is expected by noon
tomorrow Should this anticipation be re-
allied much damage must ensue, MS hun
dreds of buildings, including many of the
largest iron and glass factories, will be more
or less submerged. Many families have
hold goods to the upper stories, and others
have abandoned their homes. River men
have been busy all day removing their crafts
to places of safety. The floods have had a
serious effect ON the low grade division of
the Allegheny railroad. Seven hundred
cars Of coal are blocked on that railroad,
and orders have been issued to send no more
cars into the coal regions before Friday.
The coal mines closed this morning.
The Monongahela continues swelling,
with 20 feet of water In the channel at 10
o'clock, River men say there will be 35
feet of water by tomorrow. This will com
pei hundreds of families TO leave their
homes, and cause many manufacturing es-
Establishments to shut down. A great deal |
of distress among the laboring class is in |
evitable. The old portion of the Smithfield |
street bridge connecting Pittsburg and the |
south side, was swept away tonight.
ELSEWHERE,
STEUBENvILLE, OHIO, Feb 5.-The water
works are submerged, and the manufactur-
ing establishments have closed. The river
is 80 feet high and is still rising.
Mn.LERsBURG, Ohio, Feb. 7.-Railroad
communication interrupted ON Saturday,
was not re-established until to-day. Tae
damage to railroad and other property In
the country will reach $4,000.
PoMERoY, o., Feb. 7.-The river has
overaown into the main business part Of
the town and business is suspended. Many
residences have been flooded The water Is
rising at the rate Of five inches an hour.
CINCINNATI, o., Feb. THE Ohio river
is rising here nine inches an hour, and at
the same rate at Portsmouth and Catletts-
burg. Heavy ice is reported to have reached
Portsmouth. The river is sc feet high at
Wheeling, and is beginning to rise again on
account of the heavy rains. The side
streams Will cause rapid rise all along the
river.
MARIETTA, o. Feb. THE whole lower
part of the city is overdowed as far as Put
nam street. The river is rising at the rate
of inches an hour. Hundreds of people
have been driven out of their homes. A
meeting was held tonight to organize relief
measures.
WAvERLY, ONO, Feb. THE Scioto
river is overfowing bottom lands and is ris-
ing ~ inches an hour. The town Of Jasper
seven miles below here was flooded tonight
by the breaking of the levee. The damage
Is enormous.
TOLEDO, O, Feb. S.-Great distress from
the flood still prevails at the towns above
on the Maumee. The water has fallen
about three feet to-day at Defiance. At
Napoleon the bank of the canal is reported
to be giving way, which will food the entire
country.
At the town of Florida, 40 miles above
here, the water has risen 33 feet, and every
family in town has been driven from home.
Many have taken refuge in the school house
and others In the brick church, and both
buildings are crowded Much live stock
has persisted.
The river is falling this evening at Perry
Vile. The weather is clear and cold.
PORTSMOUTH, ONO, Feb. 7.-The Ohio
marks AZ feet inches, is rising inches an
hour and is full of ice. The water is ia
houses in the upper part of the city.
-.-S-a- -S->-s-