Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1884-02-14

The Floods of '3z and '5z Discount
ed by Several Feet.
The Loss from Head waters to
Cairo Estimated at About
SSO,ooo,Ooo.
Account of the Flood I'm the Neigh.
borhood and other Points.
Never in the history of the Ohio Valley
has there been such a deluge as the flood
of last week, which has now subsided,
but the effects of which will be felt for
months to come, not only by the rich cor
porations, and the business men. who are
heavy losers, but also by the poorer class
es-many of whom have lost their all
coming up from the raging waters, with
out roof to cover their heads, scarce
clothing enough to hide their nakedness,
and protect them from the raw, rainy,
inclemenJ weather, and would be starv-
| ing for the common necessaries of life,
but for the heartineSs and generosity
with which all who do not live along the
river come forward and donate for their
relief; as also the donations from many
who are sufferers to a greater or less ex
tent from the raging waters. From the
Sunday Registers Account of the Deluge
of the Ohio Valley, in February, 1884"
we extract:
| Through experience and by a careful
comparison of the relative depths at
Wheeling and Pittsburgh at different
tim es, and by the aid of the telegraph,
The Register was able, on Tuesday
morning. to foretell food of unusual
depth. and to warn all people within
reach of its influence to prepare for an
overflow beyond anything they ever
knew. A prophet has no honor in his
own country, and the warning was
secuted in many quarters; it was read
| lily believed that high river would
come, but that it would surpass the
flood of go, no, never. The river
was then falling. the snow had been
carried off, and such a thing was impos-
sible. But with daylight Wednesday
morning the appalling prospect was
|
of emergency without its wise and its
foolish virgins, and SO it was now. Late
Tuesday night prudent nercants had
removed their goods from their cellals
and cleared their upper stories for a
case of extremity. Wise Islanders haul
ed over their valuables and put them in
| places of security and otherwise pre-
pared themselves against the day of
trouble. But too many neglected the
warning and allowedtime to pass without
the necessary precautionary measures.
With the dawn of Wednesday morning,
the water had reached a depth of IS
feet and was still rising rapidly. All of
| The low land of the city and vicinity
was then overfiowed and people were
| fleeing for safety to high ground, leay
| ing their homes and household goods to
| the mercy of the waters. The rain,
which began on Monday, was still fall
ing in torrents, and added to the misery
which had just begun to dawn. At the
same time, the telegraph brought infor-
nation that all headwaters were still
| rising, and at Pittsburgh the flood had
not reached its height, while the rain
storm raged with uuabated fury. Busi-
ness suspended at once, in the city, AMI
the inhabitants thronged in dense
crowds to the waters edge. Then it
was known that at least 45 feet would
be here and all living below that line
of danger, and merchants with their
stocks endangered worked for the pre-
servation of their property. The water
creDt up with wonderful and terrible
emery, and at noon on Wednesday it had
reached Al feet, higher stage than had
been known since the great flood of 1860.
| Then wonder and curiosity gave way to
| terror, and in many quarters panic set
| in. That depth carried the water to the
edge of Twelfth street, on Water; closed
the thoroughfare on Main street bridge
and in center Wheeling inundated eve
| rything up to Main street. On the Isl
and scarce spot of ground was left,
and the Eighth and lower Sixth
wards we're almost entirely inundated.
| By midnight the scene of desOlation was
at it's height, and Oh Thursday at noon
the flood was at its greatest.
But what pen can fitly defcribe the
terrOrs of that awful night! The once
beautiful Garden Spot was now lost in
center of a gigantic volume of water,
and over it swept current that wrought
havoc. Many persons, deluded by the
experience of former years. concluded
to pass the night in their upper stories
Many others, caught in their ZONES by
the treacherous and swiftly rising floods.
were unable to get out, and others, par
alvZed by the terror of their situation,
we're unable to lift hand to save them
selves. Houses swayed and tUttered on
| their foundations as they were struck
by the huge logs and ice cakes borne on
the breast of the current and out of the
darkness of the night came shrieks and
cries for aid, that Smote upon the ears
of the people everywhere, and sent
shudders of horror wherever heard. To
add to the terror the gas mains filled
with water and the Island was plunged
into Stygian darkness, shutting out the
scenes of danger which the Imagination
only too vividly lighted up. In this dark
picture is one brilliant spot. 1t was
made by the band of heroic men who
worked through that long and weary
night, looking death in the face hun
dred times, to save the lives of their
fellow men. No life cOrUs on a rocky
sea shore ever braved greater dangers or
worked more heroically than did that
devoted band. The water had reached
the foot of the approach to the bridge.
across which swept current with re-
sistless force. On its edge stool the
band of brave men, one after another
volunteering to the perilous work. A
boat is manned and, steering boldly into
the current, is swept out of sight In the
darkness; long period of anxious sus-
pense, and it reappears, laden with
men, women and children. Some are
taken from upper windows, drenched
aud chilled; others have climbed to the
roofs and waited the approach of death
Ol rescue, as might be decreed; some
few, driven from their homes, had taken
refuge in the branches of trees, from