Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-07-12
WORLD VIKINGS.
The MOnOngahela on Its
Summer Spree.
UNPRECEDENTED HIGH WATER.
A Second Daniel Come to Judgment.
Jury Bribers on Par With
Anarchists.
ASSOCIATED Press Dispatches to the HERALD.


Associated Press Dispatches to the HERALD.
PITTsBURG, July 1.-THE freshet in
the Monongahela river is almost un-
and great damage has been
done to river craft and property all along
the river, from head waters to this city.
The suddenness Of the rise took the river
men entirely unawares, and they were
not prepared when the great volume OF
water burst upon them. Millions OF feet
of lumber, scores of coal craft, fences,
outhouses and coal tipples have been
floating down the swift current for the
last eighteen hours. The river at this
point is still rising, with 21 feet 8 inches
above low water mark at 9 A. NJ, but it
is reported as stationary with 45 feet at
Greensboro, one hundred miles above
this city. At every point between
Greensboro and Pittsburg the low lands
are under water, and residents have been
compelled to live in the upper stories OF
their houses, and in some cases to seek
the hills for safety. Many had not time to
remove their goods as the water rose at
the rate of
AFoOT AN HOUR.
At Greensboro forty-two-feet rise was
recorded in less than twenty-four hours.
The damage to property cannot be esti-
mated at present, but it will reach away
up into the hundred thousands. So far
but one life has been reported lost. The
oil ho frAv,f fhiG y, n
was one of great excitement. The banks
were lined with people watching the
debris as it was swept down the swift
on the alert, fearing that their crafts
as fast as one cable would snap in twain
casionally floating boat, barge or tipple
bridge and sink from view; again help
less craft would pass the bridges in
safety and continue on its journey to
Cincinnati. The greatest damage to
river craft occurred between l 80 O'Clock
this morning and daylight. Shortly be-
fore O'Clock large number OF barges
came down the river and struck the
bridge, the huge barges turning end
over end, and forcing the tow-boat Barn
ard in against the steamer Jacobs.
Every whistle on the river sounded the
alarm, and as the rays of the electric
lights swept from side to side across the
turbulent flood, it presented
WILD SIGHT.
Logs, barges and fuel boats were
dashed against the piers Of the bridge,
and were snapped like twigs by the over
whelming force of the current. About
fifteen minutes after the broken barges
came down, a number of pieces of
wreckage foated past, in the middle Of
which shanty boat was swept along
with light on board. The river men
shouted and the whistles screamed to
get an answer from any persons who
might be on the boat, but no reply came,
and if the owners were on board and
asleep, as some of the river men thought,
they were swept down to inevitable de-
struction. The Polish town, located
along the banks of the Monongahela
river, was in sorry plight to-day. There
are nearly seventy-five shanty boats at
that point, occupied by over $50 families,
aggregating population of more than
500 people. All Of these with the excep-
ton Of about dozen families, csmped
out last night. Early yesterday morning
the trouble began. All day men, women
and children were busy pumping water
out of the boats. and removing their
goods to places of safety. By night ten
boat houses had sunk or capsized, and
several were
CARRIED DOWN THE RIVER.
Williamsburg, Becksrun, a portion Of
H.U - II. l.
City, Bellevernon, Brownsville, Fayette
City, and other towns along the river
were reported partly submerged this
morning. Various points along the line
of the Pittsburg, Virginia and CHARTERS
and Baltimore and Ohio tracks are under
water and great difficulty is experienced
in running the trains. At 10 80 A. NJ.
word was received that lock No. 4, To-
Gated short distance above Mononga-
hela City, had been carried away. The
loss from this will be very heavy. The
sudden rise is supposed to have been
caused by cloud burst which covered 6
large section of Southern Pennsylvania
and West Virginia.
THE LATEST ESTIMATE
OF the damage puts tire total loss at over
million dollars. A report from Wheel.
ing reports damage in the vicinity o.
Grafton, W. Va, at not less than $3.50,
600, and about Fairmount at about al
much more. The loss at Brownsville
Pa, is reported to be over $125, 900; a
Rowlesburgh. w. Va, 1922 900; in thil
neighborhood it will exceed $100, ,O0O, ,ant
it is not an exaggeration to say that will
the above as fair estimates. the total loss
exceeds 81 ,000, ,000, as the flooded dstric
covers an area of fully 250 square miles
At McKeesport the mills are closed down
and hundreds are homeless and desti
tute. The Charters natural gas main
crossing the river at that point, was brok
en- during the night and the immens,
pressure of the gas was forced into tn,
air. The night watchman of the Pitts
burg, McKeesport and Youghioghen,
Railroad, crossed the trestle at Salisbury
short time after, and his lantern ignite(
the gas causing
A TREMENDOUS EXPLOSION.
The man was fatally burned and thu
bridge caught fire, but the flames wer,
extinguished before it was destroyed
Traffic has almost been suspended OF
tie Pittsburg, Virginia and Charlie
Railroad. No trains are running soutl
of Peters. Creek, nineteen miles from
here. A Wheeling dispatch says th'
freshet was the greatest ever known. Th,
destruction of property is beyond compu
tation, but enough has been ascertaine(
to warrant the declaration that nearl,
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