The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-02-14

at intervals. Telegraph communica-
I!on with up-river points is almost en-
: lIrely cut off; no Communication with
portsmouth, 1ronton, Huntington,
e Marietta or Parkersburg this morn
2 ing. Gallipolis reports a rise of three
/ feet since last night and still rising
| three inches per hour. The levee on
t Miami river, at Lawrenceburg, broke
J at O'Clock this morning but as the
town was already submerged with
, water from the Ohio, not much more
; damage could be done.
AN ASSURING SIGN.
CINCINNATI, Feb. 8.-The most as
surlng sign to be seen to-day is
white flag with black centre floating
, from the top of Pixies Opera House
building from the signal service office,
denoting coming cold weather. 1t is
not the first time that a signal has
been used, and could never have been
more welcome. So long as the weather
remained mild the little streams
would continue feeding the flood and
prolong high water. A freeze will put
| a check on the sources and hasten a
fall. 1t is now thought the river will
commune to rise here until Saturday
or sunday, and If no more rain comes
will then fall rapidly. The view from
: tee suspension bridge this morning is
not cheering. Along Covington front
to the Licking river is entirely sub
merged, the water being in the second
story OF dwellings.
Newport presents the appearance OF a
lake with few dwellings peering out
like small islands. The bridge COM
pany tries to furnish transportation
across the water on the Cincinnati
side but its single boat is inadequate
to the demand and a large number of
private crafts are engaged in ferrying
Tor i've cents passenger and earning
rich reward. Tie whole lower part
of the city, from Second street to the
river front is covered with boats to. /!
day employed for patrolling and relief
The common council has decided to
ask the authority the loan of one hun
dred thousand dollars for relief fund. /
Ten school houses have been closed in |
the submerged or near the submerged |
part of the city and placed at the dis |
| posal OF the relief committee for the
accommodation of people driven from
their houses.
In Covington to-day relief COM
mlttee has been organized and the
legislature petitioned not to collect
this years taxes in the flooded dis
trlcts. There is no loss of life and no
great destruction to property yet.
The story of the loss of life at Mari
eta, Ohio, is not credited, but the
wires are all down to that point and
the river IS rising still but more slow
ly. In thirteen hours, since midnight,
the rise has only been eight inches,
and at 1 o'clock this afternoon the
record stood siXty-one feet, eight
inches. Preparations are being made
for doing without gas tonight, and
brisk trade in coal oil lamps and
candles is going on in consequence /
thereof. People still contemplate
even greater rise than last year,
but little alarm is caused. 1t is esti-
mated that the losses from the over
flow will be not more than ten per
cent as much as last year, owing to
better care being taken to prevent
losses.
RECEDING.
PITTsBURG, Feb. The rivers are
receding here and al all points along
the Allegheny, but are rising slowly
on the head waters Of the Mononga-
hela. At II o'clock this moaning the
Monongahela marks indicated thirty
Two feet, a fall of sixteen inches since
midnight. The Allegheny is declin-
ing less rapidly, with thirty-three feet
ten inches, drop of eight inches from
the highest point reached. 1t is be-
lieved the worst is over and that
the water will now rapidly decline.
Rain fell all night and indications this
morning are for continued light rains
through the day followed by colder
and clearing weather. No accurate /
figures can yet be given as to the dam.
age, but the most conservative admit :
that it will amount into millions. In
calm review of the situation this
morning there is found to be between
5000 and 5000 buildings in two cities
submerged, and the residences of
$4,000 people, 10000 of which will not
be able to occupy their houses, 1900
men temporarily thrown out of
the mills and factories flooded in
these districts last night presented
a vivid spectacle. All night long the {
police patrolled their districts in boats, s
and all skiffs of which the occupants
were unable to give good account of S
themselves were taken in. 1t was l
feared that thieves would take advant- {
age of deserted stores and dwellings S
and pillage them. No gas was burn
ing on the streets and intense darkness
prevailed, which was only relieved by
an occasional electric light. There
were plenty deserted residences from
which people had fled, but there were
just as many who stayed-but few of l
them slept. While they declined to {
seek safety by removing, they had not
the courage to sleep while danger was t
imminent. Curtains were drawn
back, and out of the windows hung /
occupants, who nervously inquired of {
the police patrol, as they passed in {
boats, what was the stage of water &
and if the rivers were still rising. The t
gratifying news that the water was ]
stationary at midnight was received i
on all sides by expressions of joy and {
thankfulness. {
WAY UP.
COsHOCToN, o., Feb. THE Mus
kingum, Tuscarawas and Walhond-
ing rivers are higher than for twenty !
five years. The adjacent valleys are
flooded and the lower part OF the city
is submerged, the water rising to the
second floors of the houses on Water
street. There is a bad washout at .
Navarro and Bedford, on the Como I
ton valley railroad, and the long {
bridge at Bartlett is threatened. NOle
trains have run on this road since I
Monday. At Trenton the Panhandle c
track is under water for half mile
and 100 yards of the track are washed !
away. Another bad washout at Min !
go junction is reported. East-bound
Panhandle trains are side-tracked here {
and will probably not get out tonight.
The damage caused by the flood in
eastern Ohio will be incalculable.
The rivers are still rising four inches
an hour below GAINESVILLE, and a num- /.
Der OF bridges are reported gone.
STOPPED RAINING. {
CLEVELAND. Feb. 7.-Rains have S
ceased and the waters are falling in |
Northern Ohio. At Youngstown the
low lands were submerged eight l
inches deeper at o'clock this morn
ing than previously known. All man
ufactories have shut down. The PEG.
pie are rowing about in boats. At L
noon the water had fallen two inches t
and was still receding. About Akron
the water has fallen three feet. No
further damage is expected. Rail
ways are resuming. From the vicin- t
ity of Canton the reports are of SINH
lar condition. At Garrettsville it has
fallen from two to three feet. At II