Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-07-12
THE RIVER.
TWENTY-FIVE FEET OF WATER AT MID
NIGHT LAST NIGHT,


There will be nothing like feed st
this particular point in the Ohio valley.
At midnight last night there was
twenty. five feet Of water in the channel at
the wharf, and rising about two inches an
hour. 1t is not probable there will be
more than twenty.six feet here this morn
ing, and the water will soon begin to fall.
High-water mark was touched at Pittsburg
at half-past three o'clock yesterday after
moon, the marks then registering twenty
three feet.
As was stated yesterday, all that saved
this section from disastrous freshet was
the fact that the storm area did not extend
over the valley of the Allegheny, as 1t did
over that of the Monongahela. Had the
first. named river come out at the same rate
as did the Monongshela there would easily
have been forty feet Of water here last
night, instead of the twenty-five feet ac-
tually recorded.
Pittsburg was big centre of loss, yes
terdaY morning. and the evening papers
from the ex-Smoky City contained columns
of incidents occurring along the swollen
and muddy stream. No coal was sent out,
the river being too high and the curret too
swift to admit of floating the heavy tows
iu safety. A start will likely be made by
the fleet tonight, and by tomorrow morn
ing, the twelve million bushels loaded will
be ON their way TO market.
Yesterday morning the Cincinnati and
Louisville wharfboat was torn lose from
her moorings at the Pittsburg wharf, and
turning upside down, was borne swiftly
away by the current Two towboats
started in pursuit, but it is thought the
beat was captured, as at nine o'clock
last night she was said to be momentarily
expected to pass this city, but did not ar
rive.
At the Davis Island dam the river was o
raging torrent, yesterday morning. Old
river men at Pittsburg said they never
saw the current 80 swift. Last evenings
Pittsburg Chronicle Telegraph said Of the
river at the dam:
1.-The wreekage, merchantable lumber
and debris which passes down, turning,
twisting, crashing rs it goes, Is fearful to
contemplate. Il was watched all day by
residents of the river suburbs, who seemed
never to tire of the ever changing scene in
the mighty waters. About 10 o'clock last
night the Waterman at the Island dam no
tieed that the run of timber and debris
changed from shore-timber or brush OF
little value to objects, every inch OF
which had its value. Here and there
was a valuable ssw-log. hay stack, and
so time went by, hour by hour, each mo-
ment bringing stuff more and more valu-
able until the rush Of logs, portions OF RATS
of lumber and timber filled the river.
Each moment there passed by articles
worth hundreds of dollars. About
o'clock great black object showed itself
about the center of the river. 1t came
down broadside directly at one of the
sbutments of the dam. Closer, then
closer it came; then there was craih.
Great timbers were shivered as If
by a lightning stroke. The object
concerned, stopped moment, then
swerved around, barely passed the
great stone wall now under water and
sank in % feet. 1t was the first craft,
which led q procession of its kind that
lasted for hours. This craft was loaded
with black diamonds. 1t was not known
who owned it; it may never be known ex-
cept that some operator will have barge
of coal missing which he will never fiud.
Two more loaded barges came down, pass
ed the dam in safety and were borne on
out of sight. Their fate is not yet known.
From this time on to 80 o'clock this morn
ing Is more barges, 25 coal boats, all empty,
II coalboat bottoms, one crane boat, three
model barges passed down. All were crush
ed and broken excepting the last named,
which were landed safely after hard work.
Of the others all were crushed and batter
ed out OF shape. Many 'longshoremen
have turned the great flood to their pecuni-
sry profit. All the way down the Ohio as
far as Rochester, men are working in the
river drawing out logs and lumber, and
many will reap q handsome reward for
their labor Two men, more enterprisiDg
than the rest, rowed out to half coalboat
bottom. They boarded it and went on
down the river piling mp lumber and Sc
curing logs to it. When they have finish
ed their work they will have secured thou
sands of dollars worth of material"
The Pittsburg Leader of last night said:
Compared with the turgid Monongshels
this morning, burdened with its hundreds
of dollars worth of driftwood, the Allie
gheny forms marked contrast. Its sur
face is immaculate and devoid of single
ripple"
The highest point reached at Browns
vile was 43 feet 81 inches-1S inches
higher than the flood Of $50. At McKees-
port the river was higher than since 1862.
A very large amount Of drift passed this
city during the day and last night, but it
was mostly small stuff, of no value what
ever, as the best Of the floating timber and
runaway barges, etc., were all picked up
long before reaching this city. Daring the
day the transfer boat Lizzie Townsend was
sent up stream to assist in securing barges,
in response to q telegram addressed to
wharfmsster Crockard.
RIVER NOTES