Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-02-18
on THE ISLAND.
A Good Deal of Alarm Among Residents
Newcomers Take Fright Early.

A Good Deal of Alsrm Among Residents
Newcomers Take Fright Early.
Island citizens of whatever degree
always keep at least one eye on the
river, bat old residents, who have the
memory of 1884 before them, generally
manage to conceal their anxiety under
an affected Indifference. They take oE
something OF the spirit OF veIern
soldiers and if they deign 10 lit
carpets or remove household goods
10 the attic, they do so with 4 certain
grace and dignity conspicuous by It's
absence in those "tenderfeet who nave
emirrated across the water during the
pastsix years. During yesterday after.
noon the old timers were disposed 10
make merry over the anxiety oi
certain residents who were YET
to be drowned out, and had
real fun joking gentlemen in gum
boots who were hustling along to be IN
at the carpet-liftng, concerning when
they had notified their better halves by
messenger or otherwise. Last evening,
however. a good many of the old stagerS
had taken the alarm, and by nine or ten
o'clock last night folks who were not
hit afraid at tea-time were down on
their knees getting the reluctant tack
out OF carpets or figuring how they
were going to get the china closet ana
centre table up stairway three ihcheS
too narrow.
At two o'clock yesterday afternoon
the water began to make It's appearance
i'm the Fair Grounds, and Mr.. a. NJ
Hamilton and others interested III the
horse flesh kept there got the animals
ONT of their stalls and sent them To
town. BY dark large portion al the
surface of the Fair Frounds was cover
ed. the Back" river had begun to
crawl up into the old Fair Ground addl-
ton. aud the water at ''Stonetown was
within few inches OF the
ton of the bank. The water
had also made its appearance IN Il
large volume up through the depresSlons
| In the Lilly and Smith farms, next
north of the Fair Grounds, and along
North Front street the river was close
Ia the hack doors Of the residences.
During the latter part Of the afternoon
many families ia the lower parts OF the
Island moved all the lower floor inrni-
ture upstairs, and some few living In
one-story cottages, sent their belong
ipgs TO places of safety in town. a
Great many pianos were brought over,
and preparations made generally Tor
the worst. By daylight this morning a
very considerable proportion OF the sur
face of the Island will be covered.
All last night Island citizens were on
the move, and Il number of families
came over to this side of the river ana
took temporary quarters. The haulers
of pianos were busy all night, and about
So. 600 worth of musical instruments
were rescued and put out oil reach oil
the water.
For the benefit Of Island citizens, the
following table of elevations, compiled
by City Surveyor Hoge, for the city base
marks, is given for reference:
Anay rs and South Front street, curb, Sc 3.
Northwest corner South Front and Fink tor
Northwest corner south Front aud Vermont
NO Sor n corner South Front and Ohio
curb 81 f2 feet
south side west eud suspension bridge TOP
stone pier. 5045 feet.
DR. Best's, top OF stone monument 4o.5S leet
No - North Front, top of basr course ~ "
feet ,
No lC6 North Frodt, tip Of base course 1851
No. l76 North Front top OF base course. 10 Cd
feet
Tcp OF parapei OF stone wall, at southwest
corner OF Capttin Dovener's property ~ ~
feet.
Top OF base course Of house at southwest cor
ner OF New Jersey and North Huron streets
a 10 feet.
/ Top OF curb al northeast corner oil N"rth hu-
ron and Indiana streets, y q leet.
/ Curb al southwest corner Of Zane and North
| Huron sircrst, il.lq feet
Top Of base course Of No. 81 South Huron
strcets i0sl feet
Top OF monument at curb northeast corner oi
Sou.h Huron and Virginia streets, 81 ieet
Topof base course Of house AZ northeast cor
ner OF South Broadway and Virginia .tre"ts'
~ feet.
Top OF base course of house northeast corner
of South Broadway and Ohio streets. u u leet.
! Curb west side South Broadway at base ball
fence. 300 feet.
Ton OF base course % building at northeast
corner Virginia aud South Penn streets 4i.0'
| feet
With these marks qS a basis, Island
citizens can tell approximately how much
! ,vntar IA vyfll take La drown them out.