Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-02-21
MORE RELIEF NEEDED.
Matters in Worse Condition in Alle-
gheny Than Was Thought.
FALLING WATERS CAUSE DISEASE.
Cleaning the Streets, Alleys and Houses
in the Two Cities.
STARTING UP THE NATURAL GAS FIRES

pecteQ, ana more relief Is urgently neede0. /.
Yesterday witnessed a continuation of the
cleaning-up process in that city, as well as
in Pittsburg. A number OF the cellars and
courts are still full of water, but the river is
away down in its banks and still falling.
It is expected the water to-day will be down
to the 12-foot marks-at least, such is the
prediction of the Signal Service officers.
In Pittsburg the flood marks are almost
cleared up, and even the wharves are assum-
ing their normal appearance. AT the Point
several fire engines are at work pumping out
cellars, and gangs of men are rapidly clear
ing away the mud The Health department
commenced work last night, and all the
residences in the flooded district are being
disinfected and fumigated.
Interest in the Sights Dying Out.
The crowds on the streets have greatly
diminished. and only few persons now
watch the rivers from the bridges. The
most attractive scenes on the Pittsburg
streets now are the advertisements of tine
damaged goods sales"
Across the river the scenes are more
serious Allegheny's streets and houses
have been deeply SCARED by the flood.
Pavements have fallen in every here and
there. The streets are torn up to repair
breaks in the gas and water mains, and
also to enable the workmen to pump the
water out Of the gas pipes. Inprovlsed
steps made OF storeboxes and rough boards
from the piles of drift takes the places of
those washed away by the water. River
| avenue is still blockaded by great piles OF
dri!t, and the wreckage completely blocks
up the PittsDurg and Western tracks. Up
near the Duquesne tannery whole train
load of bark is lying on Its side in the mud,
and is total loss.
In the greater portion of the flooded dis
trict the natural gas has been turned on, al
though there are still large districts that
have to depend on coal. The illuminating
gas has also been turned into the pipes As
soon as the gas was started yesterday morn
ing number of fires were started In the
Worlds Museum, and yesterday afternoon
the first performance at that place since
the flood was given.
Many Cases of Destitution Found.
Now that the waters are down the police
have found large number of cases of suf-
iering. Hundreds of people are still in
want Detective John Glenn had direct
supervision of the distribution of relief
from Federal street down, and Ordinance
Officer Barclay looked after the wants of the
destitute up the river.
The wagons started out at daybreak, with
1000 loaves of bread $50 pounds Of coffee,
large amount of sugar, and several hundred
pounds of ham and other meats The pro-
visions given out by Mr.. Barclay were
mostly distributed in the neighborhood of
Herr's Island, where he says there is a great
amount of suffering. Whole families are
wet and destitute and have no money to buy
anything and must depend for the time on
charity. In one house in Sawmill alley
Mr.. Barclay found woman about 20 years
old, living sick in bed. She had lived there
all through the food without fire, and the
water for awhile within two inches of her
resting place. A home was found for her,
and 1t is expected she will recover.
Reports of cases, almost as bad, are COM
ing in hourly at City Hall, where provisions
are also being distributed, and Detectives
Aiken and Zimmerman and Officer Stew
art Hamilton were kept busy investigating
reports and giving out supplies. At times
the hall in front of Chief Murphy's
Office was crowded with applicants for aid,
and none were sent away empty handed.
Detective John Glenn, who was looking
after the relief in the lower wards, in speak
ing of the work yesterday, said: "People
do not seem to realize the suffering along
the river. Most of the people flooded out were
persons who lived from hand 10 mouth, and
this disaster has completely laid them out.
Many of them only rented the lower
floors of the houses and consequently they
must remain in the cold and dampness.
Great Need of Lot of Brooms.
GAIL the people are making great attempts
at cleaning up, but even in this they are
handicapped. They do not even have
money to buy brooms. I have seen women
working down there with only stumps of
brooms There should be at least 500
brooms distributed there.
ION Kilbuck street and in Smiths court
the inmates are still held in by the flood,
and We have to distribute supplies there in
boats. We still have a great need, and
would ask for contributions of provisions
and coal. We need meats of any kind that
we could cut up and give out in slices.
There is also a lamentable want of clothing.
Some has already been sent in, but nothing
like the amount that is needed. Clothes
can be sent to the Fourth U. z. Church,
where the clothing is being distributed
Among the contributions yesterday were
45O pounds Of coffee from Mayor Wyman,
800 loaves OF bread from S. S. Marvin, 1000
loaves of bread from the Worlds Museum,
sugar from Mrs. Hostetter, 900 bushels of
coal from Allegheny merchants, $25 from
Senator Neeb and $40 from Hon. C. A.
Muehlbronner. The Sterritt W. c. T. U.
gave box of clothing.
The distribution of coal was also kept up;
8, 800 bushels were sent out to the sufferers
by Major Hunker, and more will be given
out to-day. The scenes about the coal piles
were the same as the day before. Coal was
gathered up as fast as it was thrown upon
the streets.
Cleaning the Flooded Districts.
The work of cleaning up the flooded dis.
tricts OF the Northside was pushed with a
will. The Street Commissioners put a
large force of men at work cleaning the
streets, and carting the Shiny mud to the
river. There were also gangs of men who
washed the streets as soon as the heavy mud
was carted away. Chief Jones got two en-
gines at work early in the morning, and all
day the work Of pumping out cellars was
vigorously pushed.
The thermometer yesterday made several
jumps that were rather surprising in their
nature, and proved to be anything but
agreeable. AT an early hour in the morning
the mercury registered 800, while at
o'clock it was up to 46o. The next jump
was to 600 at IL o'clock, and at o'clock it
was $50. which was the maximum point for
the day.
The propects for rain to-day are good and
the chances are that the weather will be
cooler. There is a little rise coming into the
Monongahela at Morgantown and Lock 4,
but it is not expected to amount to much.
The river at the former place at o'clock
Yesterday afternoon registered S.3 and at
Lock 4, 1913.
2 R. n TpATNs nEIAYEn