The state journal., 1884-02-09
NO. AS.
SWELLING SUSQUEHARnA.
The River Rising Rapidly at this
Point.

ito CoAslueIdple losS OL property Is appre-
hended. At noon the water guage on
the pier of the bridge at Market Street
registered twelve feet above low water
mark. 1t was rising rapidly and the
surglng waters swept onward with a
mighty rush that was resistless. The
surface was covered with ice and drift
wood, much fine lumber in the
shape Of saw logs having passed
down. The banks were covered with
people at noon watching the swelling
river and specializing upon the probable
losses resulting from the deluge.
The disagreeable rain apparently
had no effect in keeping persons
away from the shore, and the
usual number of venturesome beys
row out III small boats and tow huge saw
logs to the land at the imminent. risk Of
their fragile boats being crushed by the
ice noe and themselves being drowned.
The precaution has been taken at the
water house of placing in position the
flood doors, yet the water at noon was
still ten feet below the mark of 1865. The
old lnhabitant, as usual, was on the
ground and related the regular Munchau-
senism about high water when he was a
boy. In his opinion the present flood was
a mere freshet and not deserving special
attention. People have lost confidence,
however, in the truthfulness of the 0. j.
and pay little heed to his remarks.
Independence island is wholly sub
merged, except the slight promontory on
which the house stands Above this
| island the river is one vast sea and the
volume of murky water is increasing
hourly.
Hargest's island is still consi dered SAT
and those living thereon have not thought
about moving to the main land. Several
acres are under water, but the danger is
not considered sufficient to warrant the
vacation OF the dwellings. There is no
telling what the next few hours may
bring about, but at this writing there
is no uneasiness felt by those on the
island.
The huge ash pile which projected out
past the wall of the water house was
swept away last evening by large cake
of ice which struck it and carried it down
the stream. When the immense block
struck the heap, over which lot Of hot
cinder had just been thrown, there was a
report like a cannon and there were
those VINO rhuoght serious accident had
| occurred at the water house. The ash
heap was cut away clear to the wall and
there is little of the great mass of refuse
left.
The ice passing down at noon was not
so compact and in such solid blocks as
that which came down yesterday, consc
quently lesSening the danger to low
| hriHn CT, IN,
pardy.
1t is the general impression that the
flood will subsidc without the usual loss
| of property, but should the present un-
favorable weather continue this roseate
view may need revision. There is a great
deal of ice and snow in the mountains
and the tributary streams will rapidly
empty their volumes of water into the
Susquehanna. 1t is to be hoped that the
present condition Of the river will be sue
ceeded by nothing worse.
ALONG THE JUNIATA.
The River Higher at Several Points than
1t Has Been Since 847.
A representative of the TELEGRAPH
rode through the Juniata Valley yester
day afternoon and the scenes witnessed
along the banks of the river from which
the valley takes its name were in many
instances of the most exciting character
The continuous rains and melting SHOWS
caused the river to rise rapidly. and as
the tributary mountain streams be-
gan pouring their torrents into it
the ice broke, and crashing against
the banks was swept down the river on
the mighty flood. Frequent gorges oc-
Cured and the swollen waters were
checked in their onward course only to
back over the loWlands and submerge
buildings too near the shore. Residents
along the river in several cases removed
their household goods and fled to places
of safety Fences were lifted bodily from
their places and carried away, while
small t-buildings were crushed
to atoms by huge blocks of ice. A num-
Der of bridges which span the river at va
rious points were in imminent danger,
and the people living near them anXiously
awaited the result, being pOwerless to
prevent their evident destruction. Pas
sengers in the cars pressed their faces to
the windows and scanned the rushing
roaring river with its sea of broken
ice, the latter plunging and cavorting
like so many leviathans. The river
reached the tracks at a number of places
and timid passengers regarded the waters
with looks of i'll concealed anxiety. AS
the train crossed bridges under which the
food surged and tossed the blocks OF ice
on its surface the nervous passenger
gripped the side Of the seat and his face
blanched with fear. sigh Of relief
escaping from him as the train again
touched the firm earth The Western
Union telegraph line was broken down
in several places and the poles hidden
under the ice. Lincmcn were promptly
at hand to temporarily repair the wires
At Alexandria considerable damage was
caused AT MNeytoWn the two
bridges which connect the town
with the railroad depot were in
great danger, and all communication
with the place was cut off An island
divides the river into two channels at
that point, and the bridges from either
bank touch the island This latter was
covered yesterday by ten feet OF water.
and as a gorge had occurred some dis
lance below, both bridges and barn on
the island were expected TO move Oft
with the ice when it started. Longfellow,
the next station east, was almost sub
merged and the furniture had been re,
moved from the building At other
points the danger was equally great and
the banks were lined with people-some
curious and others interested in
saving property. At Thompsontown
the bridge, two spans Of which
which had been swept from the piers,
was lying on the gorged ice in sheet
of flame, the structure having been fired
in order to save the bridges below. The
, river was higher at M'Neytown and else
where than it has been since 1917 and the
destruction to property will be proper
tonately large 1t was rumored
last night that the two bridges at
the latter place had been carried away
brt the report lacks confirmation. The
ride through the valley under these con
ditions was moi without interest and cx
, | element. Many passengers GREATNESS