Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-07-12

and when the swiftly flowing water reached
them il rushed in like water through
sieve, and caused the occupants to hee Tor
their lives. They tumbled out beds,
chairs, children and babies in the utmost
confusion.
The wharf looks like tenement row on
q general moving day. Ae the water en-.
croached upon the banks, the household
q utensiis were removed farther up toward
Water street, and since the rise was so
very rapid, number of removes had to be
made in a short time. Within a distance
of one hundred yards there were no lees
than thirteen little lots Of moving, and by
each of them sat q woman and few child
rem. At Williamsburg, Beck's Run, NC
Keesport, California, Monongahela Clty,
Belle Vernon, Brownsville, Fayette City
and other towns along the river are report
ed partly submerged this morning, the
water in some places being above the first
floors of the houses, while piles Of lumr
Der, timber and drifts In many cases are
iammedagaiDst the doors and windows.
At various points along the lines OF the
Pittsburg, Virginia and Charleston and
tuC Dl4tllbOlC ouu oA'S
railroads are under water, and
GREAT DIFFICULTY IS EXPERIENCED IN
RUNNING TRAINS.
At 1880 O'Clock this morning word was
received that beck No. 4, located short
distance above Monongshela City, had
been carried away by the strong current.
The loss from this will be very heavy. 1t
is impossible to hear from many points up
the river, as the telephone and Telegraph
wires are down.
The sudden rise is believed to have been
caused BY cloud burst, which covered q
large section of southern Pennsylvania and
Western Virginia. Fortunately there was
no rise in the Allegheny river. fthe high
water had come from the north also, the
flood would have reached a
GREArER HEIGHT THAN THE GREAT
FRESHET OF 1884.
As il is. none but the lowlanders will suf-
fer in this vicinity. Correct figures oil the
loss cannot be given at this time, but 1t is
safe to estimate it at $500, 900, and 1t may
reach great deal more. The loss in this
vicinity to coal and rivermen will probably
excees half that amount. The estimates
are wild and reach as high as a half million
dollars.
About IL o'clock saw mill, including
all machinery, passed down the river. 1t
was swept from Belle Vernon, Pa, sixty
miles south Of this city, and was owned by
Captain Cox, who valued it at 1000. 4
EARLY this morning man with wagon
and team OF horses attempted 10 cross the
Ohio river below Saw Mill run in Hat,
when in the middle Of the river he lost
control of the Hat and it was carried down
the stream. II is not known whether the
man was rescued or not.
Grafton, w. Va, reports traffic on the
main stem of the 3. 4 o. road suspended.
Two tunnels are filled to the top with
debris.
The latest estimates of the damage puts
the total loss at over q million dollars.
The loss at Brownsville, Pa, is reported to
be over $125, 900, and Rowelsburg, W. Va,
Sl25, 600. Iu this neighborhood it will en-
ceed $l00, 900, and it is not exaggerating
to say that with the above as fair estimates,
the total will exceed 81 900, 600 as the
flooded districts cover an area OF fully 2oo
miles. At McKeesport
ALL THE MILLS ARE CLOSED DOWN,
and hundreds are homeless and destitute
The CHARTERS Natural Gas main, crossing
the river at that point, was broken during
the night, and an immense pressure of gas
forced into the air. VIM knight, the
watchman of the Pittsburg, McKeespOrt
and Youghiogheny railroad, crossed the
the trestle at Salisbury short time after,
and his lantern ignited the gas, causing a
tremendous explosion. Knight was fatally
burned, and the bridge set on fire, but the
flames were extinguished before it was de-
strOyed.
Traffic has been almost suspended on the
Pittsburg, Virginia and Charleston road,
no trains running south Of Peters Creek,
10 miles from here.
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 the head
waters and the worst is oyet. Since mid
night the river at Brownsville has receded
ive feet. In this city there were %
feet Of water ut two o'clock this afternoon