The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-02-09
|SWEPT BY THE FLOODS.
CITIES AND TOWNS UNDER WATER.
Thousands of Persons In West virginia
Homeless Wheeling Devastated by
Raging Watrrs-Pittsburgh and
Cincinnati Inundated.

WHEELING, w. Va, FEB. 10 attempt
to adequately portray the condition Of af.
fairs in this city is beyond the ability of the
most gifted of its citizens. One-half of the
city is submerged, from five to seven thou
sand people are rendered homeless, and the
loss in money will reach from $3.50, 900 to
: | 900, 900. At nine O'Clock last night
the river had risen to fOrty-six feet
above low water mark. From five to seven
feet more water is looked for. This will
raise the stage to tifty-two feet, and will
drive additional thousands from their homes
and canse further loss Of millions. Several
lives have already been lost here and at sur
rounding towns.
Wheeling Island, comprising about eight
hundred acres, and containing population
OF $500, is entirely under water, and the
loss there alone IS $500, 600. Hundreds OF
warehouses in the business part OF the town
are partially under water, and streets in the
higher portion are piled high with barrels
OF sugar. salt, oil and nails, bales of prints
and dry goods, and other merch andise.
From Bellaire, Bridgeport West Wheel
ing and Martins Ferry, o., and Fulton,
Wellsburg, BendwoOd and Moundsyille, Va,
heartrending accounts of suffering come
>Oue of these towns are entirely submerged,
West Wheeling, for example, not having a
solitary house out OF water. Within u
radius of fifteen miles $1,000 people are
homeless, and loss of S5,000,0O0 has
been sustained. Deaths by drowning are
reported from seyeral points.
OHIO CITIES UNDER WATER.
CINCINNATI, Feb. THE Ohio River
continues to rise, and there is grave appre-
hension that the Hood of one year ago is to
be repeated. At midnight the water coy
cred the sixty one foot mark, and was ris-
ing at the rate of two inches an hour. Dur
ing the greater part of the day it rose at the
rate Of four inches ali hour 1t is raining
above here, and the Ohio and all its tributa-
ries between here and Pittsburgh are rising
rapidly. Here it raimed the greater part of
Monday, all of Tuesday and Tuesday night,
and all day "Wednesday. The gas is begin
ming to fail, and by tonight it will be en-
tirely cut off. The pumps at the water
works will probably be stopped within
twenty-tour hours. The Board of Public
Works warn the people to use as little
water as possible, and the running of ee-
vators by water is forbidden. Only two or
three railroad companies are able to receive
freight Navigation on the river has been
entirely suspended and street-car travel has
been stopped.
CLEVELAND, Feb, THUS far the
floods in Cleveland have Occasioned but
little damage. The river has fallen some
what. A large portion of the flats are in
undated, and factories and mills are par
TALLY under water. Along Merwn street
the water has entered the cellars, and is
doing some damage. The Connection
NYnlI a,,l tbA oil
are still cut off from communication
with southern points, and are
partly covered with water for fifteen miles.
1t is claimed that 10000 feet of timber were
swept out into the lake. 1t is not expected
that more damage will be Occasioned here.
At Youngstown the river is within few
inches of high-water mark and steadily
rising. About thirty families have been
and wagons. Bottom lands are flood
ed and great damage must ensue if the
weather continues warm in Northwestern
Ohio. Arlington is under water, and thou
sands of feet of lumber have been lost. Re-
ports from Warren and other points in
Trumbul County say the flood there is the
highest ever known
NEWS FROM LAwRENCEBURG.
CINCINNATI. Feb. IA NetCS-JOurndI
special from Aurora, Ind, says: Intense
excitement was caused here at ten o'clock
last night, when the alarm-bells in Law
renceburg, two miles away, were distinctly
heard. The levee above that town has
given way, and no doubt the place is being
subjected to rushing flood There is no
means of obtaining particulars.
FLOODS IN PENNSYLVANIA.