The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-07-12

on general moving day. As the waters
encroached upon the banks, the house,
hold utensils were removed farther up
toward Water street, and since the rise
was so very rapid, number OF removcrs
had to be in short time. Within dis
lance OF 100 yards there was no less than
thirteen little lots OF moving and by each OF
them sat woman and u few children.
At Williamsburg, Beck Run, portions OF
McKeesport, Belle Vernon, Brownsville,
Fayette City and other towns along the
river are reported partly submerged this
morning. The water is above the first
floor Of the houses, while piles Of lumber,
timber and drifts in mary cases are jam
med against the doors and windows. At
various points along the lines OF the Pitts
burg, Virginia Il Charleston and the
Baltimore * Ohio railroads the tracks
are under water and great difficulty is ex-
pericnced in running trains.
At 1890 o'clock this morning word was
received that lock No. 4, located short
distance above Monongahela City, had
been carried away by the strong current.
The loss will be very heavy. II is i'm
possible to hear from many points up the
river as the telegraph and telephone wires
are down, and there is a complete cessa-
ton OF communication by telegraph or
mail. The sudden rise is believed to have
been caused by cloud burst, which COW
cred large section OF southern Pennsyl-
vania and western Virginia. Fortunately
there was no rise in the Allegheny river.
| II the high water had come from the north
also the flood would have caused n greater
hight than than the great ireshet OF 1881.
As II is, none but the lowlands will suffer
in this vicinity.
| THE LOSSES INEsTIMABLE.
No direct figures OF the loss can be given
at this time, but il is safe to estimate it at
500, 900, and il may reach a great deal
more. The loss in the vicinity TO coal and
river men will probably exceed half that
amount. The estimates are thought to
reach 100000.
At IL o'clock saw MILL including all
machinery, passed down the river. II
was swept from Belle Vernon, Pa, sixty
miles south of this city. and was owned
by Capt. Cox, who valued II at 81, 900.
/ Early this morning q man with wagon
and team OF horses attempted 10 cross the
Ohio river below Saw Mill Run in fiat.
| When in the middle OF the river he lost
control Of the flat, and il was carried down
the stream. IL is not known whether the
man was rescued or not. The telegraph
companies report communication entirely
cut Off with Monongahela valley points.
Grafton, w. Va, reports traffic on the
main stem OF the Baltimore x Ohio road
suspended. Two tunnels are filed 10 the
top with brush.
The latest estimates OF the damage puts
the loss at over 81 100000 Wheeling re,
ports the damage in the vicinity OF Cratic
| w. Va, at not less than $3.50, 600, and
about Paramount rs much more. The loss
at Brownsville, Pa, IL reported 10 be over
fl25, 900; ut Troelsburg, W. Va, sl2j, 200.
| In this neighborhood Il will exceed $780,
600, and IL Is not exaggeratlng TO say, with
the above as fair estimate, the total will
exceed 100000, rs tho flooded district
covers an area Of fully $50 miles. At Nc.
kccsport all the mills are closed down and
hundreds are homeless and destitute. The
Charters gas main crossing the river al
that point was broken during the night,
and an immense pressure OF gas forced
into the air. Mr.. knight, the Waterman
Of the Pittsburg, Mckeesport q Yough.
ioghcney railroad, crossed the trcstlc al
Saltbug a short time after, and his lantern
| ignitcd the gas, causing a tremendous ex'
plosion. Knight was fatally burned and
THE BRIDGE SET OF FiRE
but the flames were extinguished before Il
was destroyed. Traffic has been almost
suspended on the Pittsburg, Virginia &
Charleston road, no trains running south
Of Peters creek, nineteen miles from here
A Wheeling dispatch says the freshet wa
the greatest ever known. The destruction
10 property is beyond computation, bul
enough il known 10 warrant the declara
ton that nearly every house and most o
the fencing on all the low lands between
that point and Clarksburg on the west,
and as far at least rs Grafton on the Valley
river, have been swept away. From early
day until dark the Mongahela con.
tinucd 10 rise, and during that time the
channel was constantly filed with houses
fencing, timber, saw logs, shocks Of wheat
parts Of bridges and other debris dcnotinI
the havoc Of the rushing waters. tn,
water Is now falling at the hcadwa,crs and
the worst is over. Since midnight the
river nj Brownsville has pcedcd live feet
In this city there were twenty-five feet %
water at clock this afternoon, and still
rising.
AtG o'clock this evening
TUE WATER WAS FALLING
at all points between Pitisburg and tic
head waters, aud no moro damage from
the ircshct is apprchendcd. The highcs
point reached here was twcnty.thrcc feet
and NJ o'clock Il had fallen TO twenty
two feet. At Brownsville, California aud
other towns along the Upper Monongahela
there were three feet more water than ever
before. The current is still running at tn,
rate Of nine miles an hour, but the river |,
comparatively clear Of debris, everything
having run ont. The coal men are now get
ting their coal tows In readiness, and 10
morrow about l0,OOO.0OO bushels will bS
started down the river. The report thai
lock No. 4 had been carried away by III,
ircshot Is untrue. II substantially built
and will Withstand many mofcsuch foods
IL will take twenty.iour hours for the watci
20 rcccdc sufficiently 10 permit the resi-
dents Of Polishiown 10 return 20 theil
shanty boats. They are still campcd on th,
banks, and take things philosophically.
A dispatch rom California says Dur
ing the highest point Of the food the Iona
trcstle works Of the pi,,sburg, Virginia 4
Charleston railroad spanning Pike Run
! creek turned over from one end 10 III,