Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-02-18

Al Pitisbnrg at midnight on the 9th
-
At midnight Monday night, 1t looked
As though We would not have over 81
feet of wafer in the Ohio at this point.
st midnight last night the probabili-
ties were that there would be - feet.
The difference was caused by the con-
tinued rain which fell around the head
waters all during Monday night and up
to as late as half-paSt three o'clock yes
terday afternoon. Last night at eight
o'clock il again commenced to rain at
Pittsburg and points above, showers con
tinuing for a good portion of the night.
nder such conditions as these 1t took
something Of an artist In floods 10 com
pute the probable height 10 which the
waters would reach here. As usual,
every man undertook to figure it out
for himself from data which, as = mat
ter Of course, admitted Of no question,
aud, as a consequence, every gentle
man Of them arrived AZ u different re-
suit. which was promptly reduced to
writing and placed on exhibition by the
author.
Thus il came about that the air was
filed during the entire day with the
widest Imaginable rumOrS concerning
the rising river, aud much unnecessary
uneaSinesS and alarm was occaSioned
thereby. Talk OF a repetition Of the
flood of 1854, OF iifty-6ye feet OF water by
noon to-day, and all that sort Of rubbish
was heralded around, and about the mid
die OF the afternoon residents OF the
Fifth. Sixth, Seventh aud Eighth wards
were ready 10 believe anything, ana on
the Island folks who could look with
complacency upon a forty-three or
forty-fve foot raise went to wildly TAX
ing no carpets and moving pianos. In
some instances these precautions were
justified, but in many cases they were
not at that time.
Taking che day through, there has
not been such state OF mind among
those exposed 10 the dangers OF Hood
sine, the neVer-tO-be forgotten treShet
of February, lSs4, from n repetition OF
which may Providence defend MS. The
bulletin boards about the telegraph
offices aud the vicinity OF the news
paprrS were crowded from quite an early
hour in the morning until nearly mid
night. thousands viewed the river
from Water street, the bridge, aud the
Island. aud scores of private kilograms
and dozens of telephone messages were
sent and received from Pittsburg by
the anxious ones. There was great
deal Of anxiety during the morning, but
the population did not really take the
alarm until about two o'clock IN the
afternoon, when, with the river at 80 feet
inches here, and reports of - feet
inches at PittSburg, coupled with a /
prediction Of 30 feet at that point, there
came a dawning realization that we
were lin for il" once more. Residents
of the Island began Scurryiug home |
With warnings 10 housewives about |
getting up carppts, aud clearing out T,
cellars, music dealers With pianos at /
stake hitched up their teams and set !
crews of men 10 work rescuing musical |
instruments from possible danger, and |
business men, down along the whole |
sale district. who had been clearing out /
their cellars in "A preiunctOry sort OF
WAY. went 10 work In earnest Snatchlng /
barrels of mOlaSSeS, aud salt, and OIL, |
and sugar, and tobacco, and soap, and /
the innumerable list of periShableS from /
the communicating grasp Of the raging /
drink. Everybody worked with VIII |
until about Supper-time, and then there |
was a pause and a half-doubting fear that /
after all, perhaps it wasn't going TO be
much of A Hood: but glance At lew
Pittsburg kilograms, at the threatening /
sky and the steadily rising river over
balanced these misgiyiDgs OF work Tor
nothing. and the labor peculiar TO Hood
times was resumed with a will. This
work Of rescuiug threatened goods Will
be fully described elsewhere.
The creek ran out quite swift deS-
plte the rising river, until dark last
night, but by eight O'Clock the current
was moving very sluggiShly AT that ,
hour the water was touching the string
ars on the Main street temporary
bridge. and travel over 1t was closed.
of Streets Clark put
rang Of men 70 work loading down the
snds Of the bridge with stones, bricks
and everything heavy he could
get hold of. and this being
lone. portion Of the flooring in
he centre OF the structure was torn mp,
% give free access TO the water and save
he bridge as much OF a strain as posi-
BE. The water was also touching the
bridge across the creek al
his hour. and both structures will be
covered by this morning, and possibly
he b. Il @. bridge as well. The iloor
\ the Market street bridge was very
lose TO the water at midnight.
Ats O'Clock the water began to rise
n a number Of cellars along Water aud
lain streets, and had also spread ont q
Trough the vacant lots by the old Hub I
ard saw mill property. At Twelfth '
treet it was within yard or so Of the I
,Pewikv" track at 10 o'clock, and at q
the track was covered. Trains 3