The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-07-12
FRESHETS.
The Monongahela on a Wild Boom.
The Floods Sweeping Down on
Pittsburg Without Mercy.
Thousands of Dollars Lost in the
Destruction Of Graft.
Hundreds Of Acres Submerged by
the Uncomfortable Waters.
Thrilling Descriptions of the Terrible
Incidents of the Day-Every Stream
in the Upper Ohio Valley on
the Rampage.

PITTsBURG, Pa, July 1.-THE freshet
in the Monongahela river is almost I'M
precedented, and great damage has been
.-done to the river craft and property all
along the river from the 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. Mil
lions Of feet OF lumber, scores Of coal craft,
fences, out houses and coal tipples have
been floating down the swift current for
the last eighteen hours. The river at this
point is still rising with twenty-one feet
and nine inches on the marks at 0 o'clock,
but II is reported as stationary with forty
five feet at Greensboro, 100 miles above
this city. At every point between Green's
boro and Pittsburg, the low lands are UNI
der water and the 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 foot an hour, and at Greensboro
thirty-two feet OF rise was recorded in
less than twenty-four hours. The damage
10 property cannot be estimated at present,
but il will reach away up into the thou
sands.
A barge which broke away yesterday
caused over 5000 damage, and this is but
one little item. So far but one life has
been reported lost, that Of a man named
George Getty 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 az II
was swept down the swift current The
river and coal men were OH the alert, fear
ing their craft would be torn from their
moorings and as fast MS one cable would
.snep in twain il would he replaced by an
other. Occasionally floating boat, barge
or tipple would strike one Of the piers OF
the Smithfeld bridge and with a loud
grating sound sink from view. Again,
THE HELPLESS CRAFT
would pas the bridge in safety and con.
tinue on its journey TO Cincinnati. The
greatest damage 20 river crafts occurred be-
tween o'clock this morning and daylight
Shortly before o'clock a large number OF
bargcs belonging 20 jenkins d Co. came
down the river from the second pool and
struck the Smithfeld bridge, the huge
bargcs turning end over end and breastng
the iow.boat Barnes against the steamer
Jacob.
Every whistle on the river sounded the
alarm, aud ~ the liyid rays OF the electric
light swept from side TO side across the
turbulent flood il presented a wild sight
Logs, bargcs and fuel boats were dashed
against the piers OF the bridge and snapped
like twigs by the overwhelming force Of
the current. Half OF one Of Jenkins boats
lodged against the bottom Just below the
Smiihncld street bridge and the water
dashed over II, throwing spray high into
the air, while the driitwood crushed and
cracked over the wreck with the grinding
noise which adds 10 the horrors of food.
About fifteen minutes after the broken
bargrs came down a number Of pieces Of
wrcckago noated past, in the middle Of
which a shanty. boat was swept along with
light on board. The river men shouted
and
THE WHISTLES SCREAMED
10 GET an answer from any persons who
might be on the boat, but no reply came,
and the owner, who was on board and
aslccp as the river men thought, was
Later, the steamer George Wood broke
her moonngs above the Tenth street
bridge and came drifting down the river,
D-fut was finally caught and towed 10 safe
harbor. The rupcs that held the hall
snnkcn Cincinnati wharf boat, which the
owners had been struggling for twelve
hours TO savc, parted about this time and
the cumbersome craft was quickly swept
away. A few minutes later lot OF
O'Ncl's bargcs and two pieces belonging
10 Joseph Walton & Co., were cut from
their moorings and carried down stream.
"Polishtown," located along the bank
al the Monongahcla river, between the
foot Of South Twenty-sccond and South
Twcnty.iourth streets, was In sad plight
today. There arc nearly sevcnty.hyc
shanty boats nj that point occupied by
over $50 families. aggrcgating population
of more than 500 people. All OF thasc,
with the exception oi about dozen iami
lies, campcd out last night. Early yostcr
fay morning the trouble began. All day
men, women and children were busy
pumping water out Of the boats aud re-
moving their goods n places Of safety. by
night ten lighthouses had been sunk OF
capsized and several carried down III,
river. The families who moved out piled
their goods up along the railroad, ant
then the men did the best they could /,
secure the boats while the women watchct
their possessions by the light Of wood fires
LITTLE CHILDREN CRAwLED
under pieces Of furniture. and slept on il
blisslul ignorance Of the Hood and liz In
oumbcnt cares. On both sides Of the rive
from the point far above the Tenth stree
bridge scenes Of the liyelicst description
occurred. Many incidents are ludicroul
and laughabo, and some serious enough
20 those who we're compelled 10 be acton
In them, but fortunately none ended In
catastrophe. From the Smithteld stree
bridge 70 a considerable distance above tn
Baltimore & Ohio depot were a number o
<A,,oat.housos occupied by families. tn,
sudden fisc oi the water found these occ,l
pants totally unpreparcd, and q good!
number OF the scmi.amplibious dweller
were forced 10 make hasty retreat ~ dr.,
land. The boathouscs that had thci
foundation on the water and were In mu,
rode the frshc, In safety and kept the fec
and possessions Of their occupants dry, bu
those which had been proppcd high abov
the sluggish low water had every seam an
A -. Al. .l.a..