The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1888-07-19
.MONONGAHELA
A TerrIfi, Flood Sweeping Down
Into the Ohio, With I'm
mense Damage.
Thru ing Scenes Along the Course
Of the Freshet in West
Virginia.

this region during the past week, aud the
loss of property in the range of twelve
counties hereabouts is estimated at $3.50,
900. A bridge worth $4,000 was swept
from its mornings yesterday. All day I'M
mense quantities of wheat and
timber hoated past in tan
gled mass. Almost every farm
i'll the valley has been swept clear
of its products The Middle Island Tie
company lost $1,000 ties last night, val
ued at $4,000. A number of trestles and
bridges ON the Columbus and Northern
road running into Palmer, on the Ohio,
are wa he'd away and travel is indefinitely
suspended. The GAINESVILLE and Ohio
River road, just put into operation, is
badly washed out, and it will be several
days before travel is resumed. The town
of SOlini is entirely under water and many
families nave left their homes.
FREsHET IN THE MoNONGAHELl.
PrTTsBURG Pa, July 1.-THE treshet in
the Monongahela river is almost unpre-
cedented, and great damage has been
done to river craft and property all
along the river from the head waters to
this city. The suddennesi of the rise
took The rivermen entirely by surprise
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 q feet and inches on
the marks at O'Clock, but it is reported
as stationary with As feet at Greensboro
between Greensboro and Pittsburg the
lowlands are under water, and the resi-
dents 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 a foot an
hour, and at Greensboro thirtytwo feet
of rise was recorded in less than twenty
foul hours.
The damage to property cannot be
estimated at present, but it will reach way
up into the thousands. So far but one
life has been reported lost, that of man
named George Getter, who was struck by
parted cable and instantly killed. The
scene along the river front this morning
was one of great excitement, The banks
were lined with people watching the
debris as it was swept down the swift
current, and all river and coal boat cap
tains were on the alert, fearing their
craft would be torn from its mornings.
About IL O'Clock saw mill, including
all the machinery, passed down the river.
| 1t was swept from Belle Vernon Pa, sixty
miles south of the city and was owned by
Captain Cox, who valued it at $1,000.
Early in the morning, Orbn with a team
of horses, attempted to cross the river be.
low saw mill, in fiat. When in the
middle of the river he lost control of it
and was carried down the stream. 1t is
not known whether the man was rescued
or not.
The telegraph companies report COM
inunication entirely cut off with Mopon-
gahela valley points. Grafton, W. Va,
reports traffic on the main stem of the
Baltimore and Ohio road suspended. Two
tunnels are filed to the top with debris.
Estimates of the damage put the total
loss over $1,OOO00O. Wheeling reports
the damage at Grafton, w. Va, at $685.,
600, and about Paramount as much more.
The LOSE at Brownsville, Pa, is reported
~
Va, $125,000. In the neighbOrhood it will
exceed 100000, aud it is not ex8ggerating
to gay that with the above as fair
estimates, the total loss will exceed
81 100000, as the flooded districts
cover an area of 800 square miles. AT
McKeee's Port all the mills are closed down
and hundreds are homeless and destitute
The gas main crossing the river at that
point was broken during the night,
and an immense pressure of gas
forced into the air. The night
Waterman of the Pittsburg, Mo
KEGS Port and Youghiogery railroad
crossed the trestle at Salisbury a short
time after, and his lantern ignIted the
gas, causing tremendous explosion.
The Waterman was fatally burned and
the bridge set on fire, but the flames were
extinguished before it was destroyed.
Traffic has been almost suspended on
the Pittsburg, Virginia and Charleston
road. No trains are running south of st.
Peters creek, ten miles from here.
Wheeling dispatch says the fTeshet
was the greatest ever known. Destruo
ton to property is beyond computation,
but enough is known to warrant the dec
iaration that nearly every house and most
of the fencing on sil the lowlands between
that point and Clarksburg on the west aud
as far at least as Grafton, have been swept
away.
From early dawn until dark the Monon-
gahela continued to 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, denOtiug the havoc OF the
rushing waters. The water is now falling
at several points, and the worst is over
In this city there were twenty-five feet of
water at o'clack iris afternoon. and still
rising.
The greatest damage 10 the river crsf
occurred between 2'3O O'Clock this morn
ing and daylight. Shortly before , ocIocl
a large number Of barges, belougiug I'd
jenkins d. Co., came down the river IRON
the second pool, and struck SmitbHeIt
street bridge, the huge bsrges turning.
end over end, and bringing the tow boa
Barnard in against the steamer Jacot
Every whistle on the river souuded tn.
alarm. As the liyid rays Of the elect7i
lights swept from side TO side acros
the turbulent food j. presented a
wild sight. Logs, ba-ges and fuel boat,
were dashed against the piers of the
bridge and snapped like tvigs by The
overwhelming force of tho current