The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-02-07
The River at Cincinnati Four Feet Below
High-Water Mark of Last Year, and
Slowly but Surely Rising.
Lawrenceburg Cut Off from All COmmu-
nicatiOn with the Outside World.
The Scenes of Last February Repeated in
Jacksonville and New Albany-High-
Water News from Other Points.
PITTsBURG AND ALLEGHENY.

PITTSBURG AND ALLEGHENY.
Thousands of Houses Inundated by the
Water-Scenes Along the YOughiogheny.
PITTsBURG, Pa, Feb. 6.-The river at this
point passed the danger line last night and at
noon to-day had reached thirtv-one feet six
inches the highest stage since 1852 Dispatches
from headwaters of both rivers report the water
still rising, while here it is creeping up onto the
streets at the rate of eight inches an hour
Miles of property in this city, on the south side
and in Allegheny are submerged, and hundreds
of families have been compelled to vacate their
houses. All mills and factories on the banks of
I both rivers have suspended operations, and con-
nection between Pittsburg and Allegheny by
streetcars is entirely cut off. The schools in
the First and Fourth wards are closed On
Duquesne way water covers the office furniture
of the Robinson House, and is within one foot
of the first floor of the Duquesne Depot. The
merchants ON Water street have moved their
goods to the second ioors-a precaution which it
has never been necessary for them to take be-
fore Railroad traffic on all river lines is greatly
retarded, and the Baltimore & Ohio, the Pitts
burg & Lake Erie, the Pittsburg &
Western, the Pittsburg, McKeesport &
Youghiogheny, the West Pennsylvania and the
Allegheny Valley railroads have either suspended
entirely will be compelled to before evening.
So far there has been no individual losses here,
and the damage is confined exclusively to flood
ing property. The greatest suffering and dam
age reported in this city or vicinity comes from
the Youghiogheny region, where mining hamlets
and portions of towns lying in the low lands
have been inundated and hundreds of families
va haan forcad IN dacart their ho,nac ond nxy
before the coming food. In some places it was
found necessary to anchor dwelling houses to
trees and rocks to keep them from drifting off
to total destruction. The ice along the route of
the great gorge, which extended thirty miles up
the Youghiogheny river, beggars description.
Streets and door yards piled full of ice, with
great heaps piled in many instances, fifteen and
twenty feet high, standing as silent monuments
to the hight of the food. So far as can be
learned, no lives were lost, but the total damage
will reach thousands and thousands of dollars
A special from Washington. Pa, says the
CHARTERS railroad bridge, at Bridgeville, was
washed out, but no serious accidents are re-
ported.
Beaver river rose suddenly yesterday ard
carried off about $4,000 worth of lumber
2 P. M-The Allegheny river is 80 feet
inches, and the Monongahela 80 feet inches,
and rising about six inches an hour. kilograms
from headwaters report the rivers still rising at
all points but Greensboro. where the water is
stationary. Rain has been falling almost with
out a moments cessation since Monday after
noon, and from present indications the food will
be greater than that of 1882, when the water
reached 50 feet, the highest on record. All the
lower part of Allegheny is under water,
and it is estimated that 1900 houses in Ale
gheny City alone are inundated. The water and
gas supply of the north and south sides have been
cut off, and if the rise continues few hours
longer Pittsburg will be without either Fears
are entertained that the Sixteenth-street bridge
over the Allegheny will be washed away 1t
declared unsafe this morning, and travel
was suspended If the water carries it off it will
probably take with it the railroad and Hand
street bridges.
There has been only fatality reported up
to this hour An unknown man was drawn into
the Monongahela near the foot of Short street.
1t is thought he committed suicide.
$50 p Mt is still raining with no immedi
ate prospect of clearing weather The Monon
gahela stopped rising couple of hours this
o'clock, and the marks now show thirty three
feet six inches. The Allegheny water is over
the marks, but is about thirty four feet, seven
inches and still rising. Dispatches from up the
Monongahela valley report the waters falling
At Freeport on the Allegheny, the water is also
falling. but rising at Oil City and
Parkers. In this city, the streets bounded
by Duquesne way on the north and
Water street on the south, and from the juno
ton of the two rivers to Sixth street including
Penn avenue, Liberty, First to Sixth Ferry
and Short streets, is almost entirely submerged
and every street south of Penn avenue to Sharps-
burg, distance of FIVE miles, is under from one
to ten feet of water. Library Hall, on Penn av-
enue, where Lawrence Barrett is playing, was
compelled to suspend the performance until the
water recedes.
Tonight the city is in semi-darkness The
water is up to the works and while the gas is
still burning it is very dim. On the South Side
every street south of Carson. from Charters
creek to Thirteenth is inundated while all prop
erty within three squares of the river in ALE
gheny is submerged.
At this time it is impossible to estimate the
loss, but it is safe to say that