Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1884-02-13
THE MIGHTY WATERS.
At Pittsburgh And Allegheny
City.

Standing on Duquesne Hlghts, Whlch
overlooked the two cities last Wednes-
day afternoon, one could see spec
tacle rarely spread for view. At the
base of the hill the black fringe Of mills
and factories were idle, and the clouds
of smoke that ordinarily roll up from
the grimy throated chimneys were not
present to disturb the vision. AS far
up the Mononghela as Hazelwood, and
up the Allegheny to Sharpsburg, the
course of the food could be seen. On
both rivers it was the same thing.
Railroads along the banks had disap,
peared in many places, and here and
there q stranded car could be seen
sticking it's black top out of the water.
Buildings that usually stand away
from the waters edge were surrounded
and cut off from it's connection with
the solid earth. Bridges in some in
stances were nothing more than islands,
the water having pentrated to the low
spots that exist in almost all approaches.
The steamboats, had pushed up until
their bows almost touched the houses
along the wharves, and in some places
were floating in the street.
Looking down the Ohio River, is
lands could be seen sinking in proper
ton, as the waters rose up and hid
their lower portions from sight From
shore to shore the water was covered
with ice, with here log and there the
<f ha Hnof NJ hIrI m lr
in the midst of it. Of large wreckage
there was none, for the grinding ice and
the strength of the waters tore every
thing apart. The shores presented a
queer view from this elevated lookout.
Much of the point bad disappeared
and it was only the two bridges that
made it possible to say where the ex-
act end of that part of the city was To-
Gated Point bridge was cut off on the
Pittsburgh side, the water being neck
deep at the foot of the approach. Skiffs
and floats we e plying to and fro and
appearantly had many patrons. The
Union bridge was deserted and sur
rounded by water. Sixth
street bridge, with water running by
it at either end, and Hand street
bridge, with the ends of it's arches in
the water, seemed almost ready to float
off for Cincinnati.
A line of umbrellas looking like
huge mushrooms touched by frost could
be seen moving along the banks wher-
ever the water left foot room. They
started at Grand street and kept on
down, moving steadily until they
seemed to center at the Point, or as
near as it was possible to come; that
was at Short street, below there the
water was king.
The rivers at Pittsburgh passed the
danger line Thursday night and at
noon Wednesday had reached thirty one
feet and six inches, the highest stage
since 1852. Dispatches from the
head waters OF both rivers reported the
water still rising, while in the city il
was creeping up on to the streets at
rate of eight inches an hour. Miles OF
property in Pittsburg, on the South
Side and in Allegheny were submerged,
and hundreds OF families were compell-
ed to vacate their houses. Al the
mills and factories on the banks oI
both rivers suspended operations, and
the connection between Pittsburgh and
Allegheny by street was entirely cut
off. On Duqnesne Way the water
covered the Office furniture of the Rob.
inson House, and was within one loot
of the floor of the Duquesae depot. The
merchants on Water street re-
moved their goods, precaution it has
never been necessary for them to take
before. Railroad traffic on the river
lines was greatly retarded, and the
Baltimore Il Ohio, Pittspurgh IL Lake
Erie, Pittsburgh IL Western, Pittsburhg
McKeesport IL Youghoigheny, West
Pennsylvania & Allegheny Valley
suspended entirely.
The greatest Suffering and damage
reported came from the Youghoigheny
region, where the mining hamlets
and the portion Of the towns lying on
the low lands were inundated and
hundreds of families were forced to de
sert their homes and fly before the com
ing flood. In some places in was found
necessary to anchor dwelling houses tc
trees and rocks TO keep them from
drifting off to total destruction.
The scene along the route of the
great gorge which extended thirty pilef
up the Youghoigheny River bcggared
description. Streets and dooryardt
are piled full of ice, with dreary heaps
piled in many instances fifteen ant
twenty feet high, standing az silen
mountains to the might Of the flood.
At midnight tie siyers we're believed
to have reached the high' st point, anc
at thirty-three feet three ipcbes, anc