The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-02-18
Flood Does Immense Damage
in Pittsburg and Suburbs.
NATURAL GAS EXPLOSIONS.
A Steamer Sinks at Cincinnati, With
Unknown Loss of Life.
Sonnstown Again Under WATERFALL
road Travel In the AIlexhsnies sus-
pended-Many Pennsylvanis villages
soaked-Hores OF Colder weather.

PITIssUks, Feb 17.-Lase tonight an explo-
s'on OF gas blew out the entire front of 81 La
cock street. Allegheny. Five persons were in
the house, all of whom were badly injured. but
only one fatally. The flooding OF the cellar
caused the accident
The present unexpected food bids fair to rival
that OF 1854 The river has risen all DAY. and is
still going up tonight Allegheny City has suf-
iered most. Several streets are under water.
and at least 1,00o cellars are flooded Great ap-
preaension rs felt there, as two natural gas ex-
piosions tonight have endangered life and ruined
property. II is feared others may follow.
as the meters and pipes are several feet
Under water and cannot be reached. The mills
along the river have been shut down because
oil Hooded fires, and thousands OF men are idling
about the river banks. On the Piftyburg side
cellars and houses on the low ground are being
Hooded. and people are beginning to move out
Any further rise will do great damage, as the
nigh water limit has been passed. Even now IL
Is reported that the exposition and other large
DOWNTOWN buildings have been greatly damaged
All the street cars between Pitfsburg and Aile-
gheny have stopped running. owing to the tact
that the approaches are several feet under water
Scores OF drays and boats are engaged in hsul-
ing anxious people through the water to the
bridges The Pennsylvania trains are behind
time, owing to washouts near the Conemaugh,
and the Baltimore & Ohio had several bad land
slides
Reports from the head waters of the Monon-
gahela and Allegheny rivers show high water
and general distress. At Johnstown the dread
ful Stony creek and Conemaugh rivers stood at
the highest point all day. The heavy stone
bridge caused the water to back up into the town.
the greater portion of which 10 from four
to six feet under water. Every house in
Cambria City is deserted, and swift stream
flows through the streets. Late tonight the
rivers at those points began to fall rapidly, but
the people win not attempt to return To their
houses until assured the food is over. The
railroads all about here are suffering great
damage.
WILLIAMsPoRT, Pa, Feb. 17.-Adviees from
points up the river are that it is still raining,
and all the streams are high. Lumbermen are
very uneasy Many merchants have commenced
to move their goods from the lower stories OF
their establishments. The levels of the city
show that q twenfy-six foot food will bring the
water up to the courthouse square. A food is
now reported on the headwaters of Pine creek
at Galeton. On that creek a boom broke,
letting between eight and ten million feet of
logs escape. At Clearfeld some OF the streets are
inundated, and many people are compelled to
move. Several millions of logs have been
washed out At Tyrone, houses in the western
Part OF town are half submerged. At Triton
there is foot of water over the railroad tracks
At Mineral Point the conemaugh river is high
and many men are ont working on the tracks
CLEVELAND, Feb. IA dispatch from Zanes-
wills says: The ffuskingum river 10 rapidly ris-
ing. Two hundred persons were driven from
their homes today. Railroad traffic is almost
entirely suspended. The rain ceased tonight,
aud colder weather may cause the subsiding of
the Hood.
CINCINNATI, Feb. 1.-THE steamer Sherlock
struck the Kentucky pier of the Chesapeake 4
Ohio bridge going down the river tonight on a
trip to New Orleans There were about fifty or
sixty persons on the boat. The river was high
and the wind strong. and as the vessel approach
ed the bridge those on deck were horri-
fed TO see the boat apparently at the mercy of
the current In moment more with a terrible
crash the steamer struck the stone bridge and
was Immediately disabled. James Picket observed
the accident from the Kentucky shore aud getting
all the men he could. manned several boats and
went TO the rescue. He succeeded in taking of
six women and seven men, following the float
ing vessel as she went down the river He saw
some of the crew swimming ashore, two ON a
raft, and thinks he saw many struggling in the
water. When the steamer reached the Fifth
street wharf the huh sank. leaving the passeng-
ers in the cabin afoat Here some
of the people managed to get ashore. The har-
Dor steamer A. l. Martin was hastily sent after
the floating cabin and caught it at Riverside,
several miles below Cincinnati As many peo-
ple an were left were taken hastily aboard and
brought back.
Mrs Mclean, of Pittsburg, was instantly
killed by falling freight when the boat struck
the bridge.
At 10 p m it 10 known definitely that Mrs
Mclean, of Pitseburg, and her grand daughter,
Margery Brown, were the only one OF twenty
one registered passengers lost OF nine unreg-
istered passengers whether all are safe is not
hy,ff tS hcli aycdf ~,
who were rescued by the boats. All of the crew
except the cabin and deck clerks are believed to
have escaped, but there is much uncertainty
about the clerks and some roustabouts who were
not on the official list. Persons are reported as
having escaped to shore for quite distance
along the river below Covington- The rescued
are so scattered about on both sides of the river
tonight that il 10 impossible TO make q tally of
those missing.
/. SCHESEcTADY, n. Y, Feb 17.-There il a gorge
In the Mohawk river. near here. The river is
rising ten inches per hour tonight, and naugbs
but the tree tops tell where the islands are.
WHEELING, W. Va, Feb. 1.-THE greatest
flood for many years is expected here. Reports
from all sections of the state indicate unusually
heavy rains. and the streams are rising rapidly
All the railroads entering the city are blocked
By landslides.
GREESsBURG, Pa, Feb. 1.-THE streams con-
tinue to rise, and people living on the low
lands are making preparations 20 move at any
moment. The Loyaihanna at West Iatrobe is q
half mile wide, and much of the town is sub
merged. The second and third stories OF build
ings along the creek are flooded The same con-
dition of affairs prevails at Laramie, Irwin.
Manor Penna. Harrison City, Crabtree and other
places Bridges, fences haystacks, etc. in every
direction have been carried away.
FREEPogT, Pa, Feb. l7.--Rain has fallen stead
ily during the last forty hours, and the town
and surrounding country are flooded At noon
the water was two and one-ha.f feet in the
streets, and stin rising.
NEST NEWTON, Pa, Feb 1.-THE Youghiogh-
eny river this afternoon reached the highest
point since August. ISL Much damage has
been done to railroads by landsiides.
HUNTINGTON, Pa-, Feb. i7.-Rain has fallen
here in torrents for fhirty-gix hours, and the
Juniata river is q mile wide. Citizens OF Po is
town and Smithfeld were compelled 10 vacate
their homes, and many bridges are swept away.
The loss is very heavy. At McKeesport the iron
works and mills are submerged Much damage
has been done in the lower portion of the city,
many families being compelled 70 abandon their
homes.
MAssrILos. O.. Feb 1.-THE streams south OF
this city are badly swollen by the heavy rains Of
the past three days All dwellings in the lower
part of the city are surrounded by water. Rail
road trains are badly delayed by washouts. At
steubenville the river is rising st the rate of one
foot per hour, and the railroads have been forced
TO suspend fraaic in many places in the vicinity
on account OF high water
JoHysrowy Feb. 1.-THE water receded some