The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-02-08
HOMELESS.
Terrible Devastation Caused by
Western Floods.
Thousands Of People Suffering Along
the Ohio River.
Every House in lawrenceburg,
lind Under Water.
Several Lives Reported Lost-Damage
Reaches Millions of Dollars.

PITTSBURG, Pa, Feb. 7.-The rivers are re-
ceding here and at all points along the Ale
gheny. The Mononaahela is slowly rising at
its head waters, but it is believed that the
worst is over. No accurate figure can yet be
given as to the damage, bat the most conserVa-
tive admit that it will mount up into the mil-
lions. This morning it was found that be-
tween 5000 aud 5000 builiings in the two
cities were submerged, including the residences
of $4,000 people, 10000 of whom are not able
to occupy their houses. Fifteen thousand men
are temporarily thrown out OF employment by
the stoppage of the mills and factories.
READING, Pa, Feb. THE Schuylkill river
rose two feet during the night. Ia the north-
ern section of the city, the katzenmeyeIs
dams, which are stocked With fish, oveifowed
their banks aud flooded the streets and eel lars
in that vicinity. The breast of WanneT's.
dam also burst, hut the water flowed into the
river. The Small streams above are all swollen,
After the overflow of the fish dams, many peo-
pie were engaged ia catching The fish with
hook-and-line aud nets in the cellars of their
houses.
CINCINNATI, o.. Feb. THE river is 81
feet 61 inches, and is still rising. There is
slight rain at intervals. Topographic comnu-.
nicaton with M river points Is almost ien-
tirely cut off, and there has been no commune
cation with Portsmouth, Ironton, Hunt NJ ton,
Marietta or Parkersburg this m0rning. CALI
polls reports rise of three feet last night, and
it continues at the rate of three inches per
hour. The levee on the Miami river at Law
renceburg, broke at O'Clock this morning, but
as the town was already submerged with water
from the Ohio, not much more damage could
be done.
The view from the suspension bridge this
morning is not cheering. A long the Coving-
ton side to Licking river the shore is entirely
submerged, water being ia the second story of
the dwellings. Newport presents the appear
ance OF a lake. with few dwellings peering
out like small islands. The whole lower part
of the city, from Second street. to the river
front, is covered with b ais TODAY, empioead in
patroling aud relief. The common council has
decided to ask authority Tor a loan Of $40 600
for a relief fund. School houses have been
closed ia the submerged parts OF the city, and
Will be nsed for the accommodation of people
driven from their houses.
In Covington, KY, relief committee was
organized today, and the Legislature wi | be
Hooded Districts. No loss TO lie aud no great
destruction 10 property has occurred as yet.
PIrr BURG, Pa, Feb. THE police patroled
the flooded district last night in boats, and all
occupants of skiifs W bo Were unable to give q
good account of themselves were arrested as
1t was feared that thieves would take advan-
tage of the deserted stores and Dwellings and
plllsge them. No gas was burning on the
streets, and intsuse darkness prevailed in
many dwellings from which the occupants had
fed. The gratifying news that the water was
stationary AZ midnight was received on all
sides with expressions of Joy and thankfulness.
Measures for the relief OF sufferers by the
flood are being taken. The public halls of the
city are filed with homeless women and chill
dren.
Only one casualty has been reported today,
that Of john JACOBS, of Sharpsburg, who was
drowned. Travel ou nearly ail the railroads ia
still suspended, and hundreds of strangers are
unwillingy forced TO remain in the city. A
collision occurred en- the Baltimore & Ohio
road yesterday, naar Salisbury, between two
passenger trains. Several people were hur
but none fatally. 1t was caused lsy land 8
Ia large railroad bridges are reported de
isbed at Beaver Paw, and another is in dan,
WHEELING, w. Va, Feb. 7.-The food NJ :
covers three miles of the city iront. Fivt
thousand people are homeless, and the less on
property will be million dollars.
A dczsn lives have been reported lost. No
street cars or telephones are in use. Rottings-
berger & Gsron, dealers in cheese, lose 5 co.
600. The telegraph offices are drowned out,
aud DO trains have run from any point today.
A number of houses float cd of, .aad family
of three were drowned 10 the lower town. The
Daily Intelligeucer has been driven out of its
office. There were heavy fires at Bridgeport
and West Wheeling today, bat it was impossi-
BILE to reach them.
no liscIJ db IL tus, was rlSlHS SLOWLY.
Vastly larger areas are submerged than in
1882, and houses, barns and bridges have been
floating past all dAy. The Wheeling Cheese
Company lose $4,000. The Western Union
Telegraph Conpans's office can only be reach
ed by boats. Tie water and gas works gave
out today, and tonight the city is in darkness
Ten Thousand people are homeless and un-
provided for here, aud fully $4,000 have been
driven from their home by the flood, but
third OF these are comfortably quartsred at the
hotels and boarding house, or with friends
The schools and churches have been thrown 1
open, and the people are fed and housed there.
The water reached It's highest point at 10
O'Clock, since when it has receded few inches.
PITTsBURG, Pa, Feb. 7.-[l2 80 a. m THE
MonoDgahea has fallen three feet since mid
night, and the Allegheny is falling thee inch
es an hour. Many of the streets are now clear,
and communication With Allegheny Cits, will
be resumed tomorrow. Two more drowning
cases are reported.
CosHocToN. o., Feb. THE Muskingum,
Tuscarawas aud Walpondng rivers ara higher
than for 25 years. The adjacent valleys are
flooded. aud ihe lower part of the city is sub
merged, the water rising to the sec. nd hoors
in the houses. The damage in Eastern OHIO
will be incalculable. AT this hour, 6 D. M,
the rivers are sill rising four inches per hour.
Below Zlnesville number of bridges are re-
ported gone
NELseNvILLE, O.. Feb THE entire SOUTH
west and south end of the town is under water \
aud many houses have been swept from their
foundations. The Hooking Valley road bridge
with 10 coal cars. were carried away last night.
also the county bridge.
LOGAN, o., Feb. This is the greatest
food ever seen in the Hooking valley. The
railroad bridge is gone, and the railroad ma
chine shops are ruined. The city is without
gas tonight
MANAyUNK, Pa, Feb. THE ics in the
SchuykIll commenced moving shortly before
and has carried away the new tres
tie bridge OF the Pennsylvania railroad. Sew
eral mills along its banks are damaged, and
are blowing whistles for assistance.
CA,HocroN o., Feb. IA boas containing
three men was crushed ~ floating logs in the
Tuscarawas rtxer, near Lafayette, t day, aud
Frank and ehes Henderson, brothers, were
drowned.
PITTsBURa. Feb. THE rivers at midnight
are siitl recs0iog. Careful estimates of the
loss in this county gives total OF So 900 00O
This is largely due to the fact that majority
of manufacturers viii not be able to resume
operations sooner than week from next SUM-
day. All mills lie low, and will be inundated
long after the streets are clear.
PoMERoY, o., Feb THE river is but two
feet lower than during last years food. There
is six feet of water in the stores on Front street