The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-08-22
RUIN RIDES
rpoS THE AWFUL FLOOD.
A Heavy and Continuous Rain
SwclIs the Streams
,Od Disastrous Results Like
Those of July 10
Follow, Even Worse Except for
Loss OF Lie.
THE pROYIDENTIAI' ESCAPE
or Hundreds of People OH the
Main Street Bridge.
The Old Stone Structure Falls a
Mass Of Debris
Almost Under the Feet Of Men
and Women.
R&O. TRESTLES ARE GONE
In the city aud Along the Hemp
field Road.
The South Side Without Water
Supply.
n .A.aI
,lmos, lndcr the Feet of Men
and Women.
R&O. rRESTLES ARE GONE
In the city aud Along the Hemp
field Road.
The South Side without Water
Supply.
Natural Gas and the Electric
Light Shut OF.

A steady rain, scarcely reaching the
proportions OF Il storm at any time in its
progress, and at no time to be compared
in volume Of rainfall or tierceness OF the
elements with the cloud.burst Of last
month"; set in yesterday morning shortly
aityrmiduightaud ragged all day longand
untilabout . o'clock last night. The first
heavy rain icIl for n few minutes about
jo'cIock in the morning, and from that
hour on it rlincd necessarily, but with
VARYING force. II the storm at its worst
wgs gender than the torrents Of Thurs
day evening, July 10, it made up for that
in inmtion and stcadincss, and in some
respects its results are even more disas-
trous. Valuable property was destroyed,
lives endangered, railroad traffic eieCtu-
ally suspended for the time being and on
some lines for some time to come, and
on the whole the work OF the flood will
prove severe and harder to repair than
that resulting from the last unprece-
dented flood Of Il month and two days
ago.
Az ALARMING RAINFALL.
When the rain had continued for ten
hours without cessation, the people be-
van to feel uneasy, and this feeling in-
creased to alarm as the hours rolled by
and rain continued, now agentle shower
and now a torrent from the skies. The
sat- experience nj the time OF the July
Hood made everybody timid, and crowds
lined the banks OF thecreek and watched
the surging yellow food swell and en-
CrOach upon its banks.
The first idea Of the serious results OF
the rain was obGained from the character
OF the wrcckagc and debris which came
down upon this angry torrent. 1t was
not late in the afternoon until Wheeling
creek was flowing through the city MS
high and fierce as at the time OF the for
mer storm. Upon its turbulent surface
werc carried down pieces Of fences,
heavy timbcrs from trGstlcs and bridges,
telegraph poles, Just replaced where
poles had been washed out before,
boxes, barrels, chicken coops and all
sorts OF stuff that would float. With
this mass oi stuff, which fairly covered
the waters, WAS Il COW, in her lust death
struggle. She was borne, family strug-
Cling, through the city bridgesl and far
out into the swollen river with the rl-
pilityOi a projcctile fired from cannon.
THE DESTRUCTION.
The body Of II mighty trec'came dash
Ing faster than the mad tide itself around
the bend into the view OF those on the
Main street bridge, shot through the
arch, by some strange freak Strengthening
with the current there, and then again
swinging broadside OF the current, swept
away the new Baltimore & Ohio treStlG.
From hour to hour rumors OF new dis
asteH reached the town, and the suspen-
son or decentralization OF railroad traffic
on all the roads emphasized and gave
weight 10 these reports. twas said that
The Board Tree tunnel, on the main line
OF the Baltimore Il Ohio road, had Caved
IN; that all the bridges and trestles de-
stroyed dbeiorc on the Hempheld division,
were gone again; that the Elm Grove
roads bridge over Woods run was again
wreck; that the bridges across the
lver were in u worse condition than
after the flood OF July.
Vehicles which started for points in
The country were forced to return. Two
hours after the Baltimore & Ohio trestle
al Main street gave way the old Stone
bridge near by fell into the creek. BY
Especial Providence no lives were lost,
though three seconds before hundreds
o'pcopIe were on the bridge.
STILL RAINING.
Fears We're entertained thnt other
bridges would so, and the Baltimore &
ONO depot, built over the creek, was
closed to the public.
All this time the rain fell with vary.
ing force and the waters continued Ia
tiSe ~ the creek. Anxiety to hear from
The hcAdwaters grew intense, and fears
%i ., another flood in the river like that Of
n were general. Increased crowds
viewed the wreck with blanched faces
S Shd wondered ii the worst was past
There was speculation us to all erposct
points; fears for the safety OF the dele
gates 10 the Republican State Conven
uon who left on the noon train over the
0mo River road, and when word cam,
thGt all trains on that road had beer
abandoned, it was apparent that III,
delegates were storm.stayed this side o
IMkeBburg.
Taken all in all it was an experience
Unparalleled in this community, an,
tenioId worse for the awful experience
so recently gone through, and which
was feared. not without good reason
Were to be repeated on a larger scale,
SPECIAL PoLcE APPOINTED.
At last nights special meeting c
Council resolution was Offered b
Sapt. Charlie Davis and adopted by bot
branches, providing for the appointmer
Of SIX special policemen, two for each I
The three wards on the South Sid,
VINO are TO he on night duty, in additio
10 the five regular men on ~ night, unit
such time a. the water and gas service
all right again.
As soon us this was adopted actin
Mayor Gilleland appointed the followir
named citizens and they went on dut
immediately: Ex-Police Officer JOSEF