The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1889-06-13
FEARFUL RAVAGB.
A WIDE AREA or DISASTER.
The Sweep of the storm and Prop
crty Losses.

1t is interesting TO trace the rise, rOosres'
AMI extent of the rain storm that culmin>
ntei last week in Central Pennsylvania on
the W stern slope o. the mountains and in the
great Susquehnnna BASIN. Its progress is obs
servabe by the weather reports from S)uth-
ern California where it appeared on Sunday,
May 20, 20 the New England States the close
of the week. Its course was varied.
north and south from an east ana west
line, by prevailing winds. With ut doing
any very serious damage in the West itreach'
ed Western Pennsylvania on Mon lay. May
80. and IL was held here through Friday.
when it divided, one sect on passed TO New
England aud another s)uthaasterly, deluging
Maryland, West Virginia and Virginia. An
atmosphere thoroughly suurated was held
over Western aud Central nnsylvania by
the force OF north ,ass anl southeast winls.
The downpour only added to the accumu-
lations of heavy rains OF the preceding six
weeks.
The fearful loss OF life in tho Conemaugh
Valley resulting from exceptional circum>
stances not existing elsewhere, has with
drawn attention from the great lossss OF life
and property by the flood In all the breadth
of the great Susquenanna basiu, along the
| Potomac and on the James and other rivers
of tide water in Virginia. They were tre-
I men lous and under other circumstances
/ would have been the center OF interest,"
| The struction OF property in the valleys
| Of the Su.quehanni ald its tributaries was
without p r ,llel. The city Of Williamsport
! ha, been grievously stricken. The destruc>
! tion of lumber interests there and elsewhere
was very preat, run i ng into many millions,
Happily, while tn, loss OF life has besn con-
siderable, IL bears no relation TO that on the
J Conemaugh. Coun y and railroad bridges,
and vau bic ublc and private improve
me It's bave been swept away. II some OF
the central counties not a bri lge Is left stands
ing.
Coin South, along the Po.omac the de-
struction has been, the wreck OF the ChCsa>
pcake an Ohio Cinal-orign ,ted 10y Wash>
ngton--from Cumb, Rand to Georgetown be-
in the most serious result. This mea not
only tho total loss aud abandonment OF a
great water way, which originally cost Sll,-
10000, aud upo which, has been expended
,iuce its be inning nearly 80 0C0, 900 more, but
II meaus also the death Of Georgetown as u
coal port, and an iic ,lculabio loss in busi>
ness 10 he merch II OF that placo and the
coal operators OF the Cumberland regoL
Still goIn, South, the damage in Virginia,
particularly in the James river va 10y, is said
to DO incalculable, in property, crops, and
railway destruction. Many lives were lost,
and dispat ch from Richmond says: Virginia
has p o ably siifer,d more than any other
State except in loss of life.'
Any estimate OF the values Of property
destroyed in Pennsylvania, the border coun-
ties of New York and the three States south
san only he an approximation of the
most vague character. 1t IL
appalling aud but for the
loss of life, ia itself would be recognized as
the greatest calamity that has befallen the
parts of five States involved. An estimate
by active mel located there OF losses in the
Conem ugh Valley. with its 10000 populaN
ton between South Fork and the Allegheny,
and its greet in1 ustries and railroad inn
provements, is placSd at $4,000 900. In the
Susquehanaa basin, from New York down
to Port Deposit, at the mouth
OF the river, in lumber, mills, railroad
property, county Improvements, and
private property ETC., the loss Is
counted as no, lass than Sl0,0)o,00o, and
in Maryland and Virginia ss,0O),OoO
These estimates take NJ account OF the los
OF time and business; consequent on the su-
pension of operations in large communities in
: all departments Of activity.
Here we have total destruction OF prop
erty in this limited area, compared with the
entire area of the States over part OF which
the storm swept, of not less than sSs, 900, 900
The estimate of course 3 crude, butt give
fairly good idea of the immense destruc
tioa Of property.