The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-02-22
THF FLOOD ar ORIGINATE.
Exiracts frem n Private letter Received
in this sity.
CINcnNAr1, Ohio, Feb. Is, 1884.


The great river has at last come to stand.
still, after reaching the unheard of height of
10 feet above high water mark. To give you
an idea of how rapidly the river rose, you re-
member of my speaking of TWO signs on the
kentucky side. Well, last Sunday we could see
the whole of them looming up in the middle
of the river, and yesterday not trace of them
oould be seen. Last Tuesday s. aud started
for town. We had not been in since Saturday
and of course the river had changed great
deal in that time. We did little shopping
but found the stores almost deserted, while
crowds OF people were surging down towards
the water. We went after c., and went down
Walnut street to Third, where the Ohio bade
as go SO far aud no farther. We could not see
much of anything for the crowd. O. and 1
wanted to take boat and go on to the bridge
but 8. stood trembling on the brink aud feared
to launch away. She returned home, and we
started out. Children and fools fear nothing
you know. To appreciate the situation, you
remember that it has rained steadily for ten
days, and until yesterday we had not seen the
sun for twelve days. The city is arranged like
this. First comes the "leSee," corresponding
to our wharves. Then Watsr street, then
Front, then Second and Third. The water is
now up to Third. About as far from the wa
tor SIS Congress street, at home, we took boat
at the corner Of Third and Walnut, and rode
down to the suspension bridge, which connects
Cincinnati and Covington. 1t was a decidedly
novel sensation to hold your breath once in
whils for fear you would run aground on 3
lamp post, and in some places telephone and
telegraph wires interfere with navigation; but
the voyage was accomplished in safety, and
we1sndsd on the bridge. After paying q three
cent toll for the sufferers, we walked over, and
made my first bow to Kentucky. The Cow
ington end of the bridge was out OF water, and
we walked round little. Went into the
court house and post office, and then bent our
steps toward the Newport and Covington
bridge, which crosses the Licking river. Here
re paid some more toll for some more suffer-
ers. After walking across the bridge We stood
a few moments looking at poor desolate New
port. Houses without number lying fiat on
their sides, and boat load after boat load Of
people with all their worldly goods sung on
their arms in bandanna, leaving their homes
behind them to the mercy of the waves. Ono
ing and kicking at a great rate, tied together
BY the legs. While we stood there, a large
srame house sailed slowly down the river, and
moment after, hearing great crash, we ran
to the other side of the bridge to see huge
pile of lumber fall over and start down the
stream, only to be stopped by the fallen houses
and shops around it. After staying there Ave
or ten minutes, We took row boat for trip
through Newport. Imagine. II you can, rid
ing in boat half mile through the principal
streets of town, Handsome houses on eithel
side, the water flowing in over the second story
~indow sills. We saw mon sitting in their
boats and talking to people in the second sto-
ries, for they stick to their houses In great
many cases, and move up higher as the water
ereeps slowly up. In most of the houses, how
sver, the goods and the people were either oct
or moving. We saw them loading boats which
we're fastened to the second story window sils.
After time We reached our third bridge, the
Newport and Cincinnati, and crossed that for
home. The railroad company have fixed up
walk Of raised planks, and we walked over
that. On one side is the water, perhaps foot
deep, Jnnd on the other flooded coal she'd We
stepped pretty carefully. Itwas guarded at
each end. and people were only allowed to 20
one way at the same time. Standing In the
same place where we had been the Saturday
before, we could see what vast progress the riv-
er had made. In the houses that we saw on SAT-
urday where told you they rowed in over the
first story, they now row over the second. The
lamp posts have disappeared, and the street
was filed with boats. II is desolasion and des-
titutiOn on every hand, but nothing is what 1t
vill be when the water goes down and shows
the ruin 1t has wrought. Newport, although
in such terrible fix, is nothing compared to
Dayton. Six houses from there went down
| the river this morning. The hill opposite hera
has been covered with carriages and people all
day, watching the water.