The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1884-02-15
LITER FROM THE FRESHET.


The Ohio River he .ches the Highest
Point Ever Known at Cincinnati, and
Still Rising-The Situation at Wheeling
and Elsewhere.
CINCINNATI, o., Feb. i2.-The river is
now foot higher than it reached last year.
AMI is still rising. At the present rate of
increase by this afternoon the Cincinnati
Northern viii be the only road able to get
passengers out of the city. Ohio and Mis-
sissippi boats can no longer land and will
use wherry to convey passengers
to and from the boats. The water
has now reached Chester Park, and Maud
S. and kittson's horses will proha-
bly, have to be removed from the
stables. Covington has neither gas nor
water. The day just past has been one of
the greatest excitement since the flood be-
gan. The stage of high water last year was
passed at one p. m, and steady and hard
rain during the greater part of the day, to-
gether with reports of general rains along
the Ohio valley, make it certain that a still
more dangerous flood has yet to be en-
dured. The gas was lost Monday. and the
water supply ceased to accumulate
yesterday. There are five days sup
ply in the reservoir with careful
use, but one big fire would
make serious inroad on that Rising wa
tiers above, and in all tributaries of the Ohio,
render it certain that the river must con-
tlnue to rise for some time. 1t is hardly
possible to give an idea of the situation.
The approach to the banks is cut off on all
the streets running to the river al Pearl
street or near it. Strangers in the city raay
gain an idea when it is said the water is now
but little more than six hundred feet from
the Burnet House. From there to the
river bank proper the distance is between
three and four squares. The Suspension
Bridge. one hlndred feet above low-wat
mark, makes low arch above the mad
flood. Newport and the Southern Railroad
bridges look as if they were almost touching
the water. At the foot of the hill on the
west side of the city, Mill Greek spreads to
an average of mile of water, and
reaches north out of sight Cow
ington and Newport houses can
be seen peering out of the
water, whilo down the river almost from
hill to hill the valley is covered. Up to
this time, great as the danger has been,
there has been 10 great disaster, but the
cry OF distress is beginning to grow louder.
In Newport it is estimated there are from
5000 to 5000 people homeless,s and their
supplies were exhausted at noon. Many go
without because the supplies are exhausted.
Mrs. Dueber has since the flood been feed
ing fifty homeless children every day at her
house.
The area covered now by water must be
fully eight square miles, about one-third of
a itX nd 10 NJ Of
where the heaviest manufacturing and the
wholesale business is done. Along the river
front, for distance of seven miles, the
water has encroached over an average
distance of about three squares In some
places it is ten feet deep. Skiffs are as
thick as wagons and drays and street-cars
were week ago. The police patrol their
beats in boats, aided by the militia. What
the ultimate damage will be can not now
be foretold. Last year it was over 81, O00,-
900, as ascertained by actual tabulated
statements, embracing every loser.
Beginning with the upper part of Cinein
natl, on the Ohio side, are Columbia, PEN
dleton and Fulton. Below Cincinnati, Sc
Evansville, Riverside, Fernbank, North
Bend, Lawrenceburg and Aurora, Rising
Sun, Patriot, Vevay and Madison. On the
Kentucky side are the towns of Dayton,
Bellevue Newport and Covington, opposite
Cincinnati, Ludlow. Bromley, Petersburg
and Hamilton below. All these are
within thirty miles of this city, and
all are more or less submerged and
in distress. When added to these
are all the towns on the upper Ohio,
some of which have suffered fearfully, some
idea of the great flood of distress that has
rolled over the Ohio Valley may be had.
Probably before the flood reaches Cairo it
will have brought ruin and distress on fully
$50, 900 people, many of whom will depend
on charity for their lives and their shelter
for days to come For most of two hum
bred miles above Cincinnati the river is from
one to three miles wide, in fact from the
Ohio to the Kentucky and Virginia hills
there is silent yellow sea of ruin.
WHEELING, w. Va, Feb. 12.-Not until
yesterday was an adequate idea of the dew
aStation wrought by the water obtained.
On Saturday and Sunday nights the water
receded rapidly, and the sun yesterday
morning Illuminated scene of desol ton
that no pen can describe. The island is an
unsightly spectacle; the Fifth, Sixth and
Eighth Wards, never handsome, are little
better than a lake of mud; the streets
in the central part of the city are
covered with mud; the first stories
of all buildings are painted with the insight
ly mixture, and the cellars abound with it.
In fact, it is everywhere. All have gone to
work with will, and within a few days
most of the mud will have disappeared from
houses and yards The city of Wheeling
suffered greater loss last week than it has
in all its hundred years of existence. Moth
ing like it has ever visited the city before.
In Belpre forty-three houses have been
swept away, as are also street pumps and
the flour and planning mills. Williamstown
and Harmar, twelve miles above here, are
entirely submerged. There is great dis
tress at Mlrietta. Three-fourths of the
town is under water, the grain elevator is
bursted, the railroad and county bridges
over the Muskingum are both swept away,
and private losers are unnumbered Each
of the towns mentioned have organized
relief committees. Marietta and Harmar
are suffering from famine.
LAWRENCEBURG, Ind, Feb. 12.-The
situation here is growing worse. The May
or to-day, for the first time, asked help from
abroad. More houses have been lifted from
their foundations. People are removing
from the second floors, abandoning their
goods because there is no place to take them,
dangerous. A family was rescued from the
second story, where the water was already
four inches deep.
GALLIPoLIs, o., Feb, 12.-Five thousand
people are camped on the hills in terrible
want for food and shelter. One hundred
and fifty houses have foated away. Near
ly every business man is bankrupt A
house went by Middleport with woman
sitting on the gable end. Men rowed out
and appealed to her to get off, but she re-
fused, saying she had four babies below.
The glass was broken, and the children
were seen floating dead.
Two Oregon Judges have resigned.
and their reason for SC doing is the same
given by Judge Macarthur few months
ago. namely the smaIlness of the pay.
Oregon pays the Judges of the Supreme
Court but 81, 900 a year, and the conse-
quence of this niggardliness is that jul
dicial positions have generally to be
filed with young, inexperienced attor-
neys. One of the appointees to fill the
recent vacancies has been a member of
the bar but three months Chicago
To.ts.., ~