Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1884-02-14
THE FLOOD.
TERRIBLE DESTRUCTION OF
PROPERTY.

menced to move. 1t gorged, and did not
again move until about o'clock in the
morning, when the Ice seemed to go out
smoothly and quite rapidly. Huge cakes
of ice would run up the iron noses OF the
bridge piers, only to be dashed into hun
dreds ofpieces. But the heavy ice sue
ceeded in knocking away, as it thus came
up, some four panels of the iron railing
along the foot walk OF the bridge, also
tearing up considerable of the flooring.
From this on the water continued to
steadily rise until Friday noon it had
reached point some s to 10 inches higher
than it reached last year. This unprece-
dented rise was owing to huge gorge of
ice in the neighborhood of Damascus,
which covered hundreds of acres und
piled up from ten to twenty feet high. 1t
is said the sight in the neighborhoou of
Damascus was as grand as it was fright
full. The overflow in this county has done
much damage to property of all kinds.
The residents of Goosetown, although
most of them had prepared for the worst,
suffered terribly, some twenty or thirty
families being compelled to seek higher
quarters. The loss in this section of town
falls quite heavily upon those living in
that quarter, as they are chiefly COM
posed of those who have accumulated a
little property and home and but little
more. 1t was distressing in the extreme
to thus see so much property under water,
80 to those interested. The
water has been the highest ever known,
even within the recollection of that ever
present individual, the "oldest inhabi-
tant."
The residents in and around Florida
suffered but little this year, the ice NOV
ing out easily and steadily. The terrible
in this locality last year was
not forgotten and the citizens were pre-
pared for the worst. When they found
that they escaped so easily joy reigned
supreme. The flood at most points has
been unprecedented. The splendid new
iron bridge at Maumee was destroyed,
also two bridges at Pemberville, Ohio.
Wood county suffered considerable loss
in bridges and other property.
The Wood county "cut.off" ditch over
flowed the whole country in its vicinity,
Milton township, which seems
to be nearly all under water.
The Nickle Plate bridge across the San
dusky river at Fort Seneca, was taken
away.
The trains on the Deshler and McComb
branch railroad were stopped on account
Of the high water.
A dispatch from Coshocton says: The
Tuscarawas, aud Walhond-
ing rivers are higher than for twenty-five
years. The adjacent valleys are flooded,
and the lower part of the city is sub
the water rising to the second
floors in houses on Water street. There
are bad wsshouts at Navarro and Bedford
On the Connotton Valley railroad.
At lsittsburg over 5000 buildings were
under water and the loss is up in the
millions. Ten thousand people were
1riven from their homes. Several lives
we're lost.
At Wheeling there was four feet more
water than ever before and more damage
% property than was ever experienced
here before has been done. The fair ground
8 total wreck, and three houses came
lown to-day from above. The Wheeling
Cheese Company loose about $4,000 by
water in the cellars of its storage house.
The merchants on Main, Water and Mar
set streets also lose heavily in perishable
goods now under water. Several houses
1oated off on the island and the south side
o-day. The losses will aggregate over a
million dollars. The water and gas
works gave out.
Logan has experienced the greatest food
,ver seen i'll the Hooking Valley. The
inc bridge here of the Hooking Valley
'ailroad is gone. The railroad machine
hops are ruined. The city is without
,as.
But little damage has been done at De-
lance.
At Steubenville it is known that at
east ten houses have fallen down in the
lood. The Jefferson Iron Works are
looded and willAoose 100000. At least
. thousand people are driven out of their
'ouset 6nd have to be provided for by the
,ublic.
At GAINESVILLE over 1900 people were
lomeless, and provisions were short.
At East Liverpool the potteries are
looded and the workmen left out of work.
he loss will be very great. A number of
ouses built by poor people for homes of
heir own have been swept away. Rail-
Dad communication is stopped. There is
much suffering.
There are fifty towns and villages be-
ween Cincinnati and Marietta, every one
which is more or less submerged: These
owns will get off easily if their losses
hould not prove more than $2O, 900 to each
own. In the actual destruction of prop
rty that will count up 81, 900, 900; loss of
ime and injury to business will count up
ouch more. In sixty miles on the great
river there are twenty-five
owns upto Charleston, distance of fly
evsn miles from its mouth. A quarter of !
million dollars for direct and indirect
,sses is low estimate for this district.
'elow Cincinnati to the mouth of the
river, distance Of about sew
nty-five miles, there are not less than
wenty cities and villages whose direct
,ss would aggregate easily $35O,O0O at a