The Bessemer indicator., 1893-05-20
BAD FLOODS IN OHIO.
FOURTEEN PERSONS DROWNED
The Country In the vIcinity OF Cleveland
visited by Violent storms of
Wind and Rnia.

A storm OF rain and wind which began at
noon Monday and continued almost without
| cessation until Wednesday evening produced
flood unprecedented In the history OF North
eastern Ohio and Northwestern Pennsylvania.
| Thus far fourteen lives are reported lostgreat
damage has been done TO shipping and the
loss to other property will amount into the
hundreds OF thousands OF dollars. By Tues
day evening more than two and half incbe,
OF water had fallen, and 1t was still coming
| down in torrents. Then 1t was that fears OF
Hood began to be realized.
| In Cleveland every sewer was pouring tor
rent into the usually sluggish Cuyahoga
which came down from the hills OF summit
county, swollen 10 more than twice It, normal
size, The river runs through the manufactur-
ing and lumber districts OF the city by a tor
tuous channel about five miles in length.
Along its banks are the Valley X Cleveland,
Canton X Southern railways. This morning
the water was away over the river banks.
The torrent was seeking the nearest way TO
tho lake and a half dozen lumber yards in is'
course could not bar the way. Whole piles
OF lumber were carried along in tho streets
and swept out Into the lake or lodged against
the nhutments Of bridges further down.
wednesday afternoon while great crowds
were watching the flood, the hrst disaster
happened, Captain Stanley Flanagan and
Michael Lehlonde were going down the river
ia a row-boat used TO pedile milk along the
docks, When near the mouth OF the raging
stream one of Leblonde's os.s broke and the
TWO men were quickly carried out into the
lake by The rushing stream, and as IT was
evident that the frali craft could not live In
the angry sea that was coming 'r from the
north, preparations -rre quickly begun for
their rescue
Seven men manned the life boat and pulled
away toward the east pier OF the hreskwatcr,
toward which point the boat eonit.alng Flsn-
nigen and Lcblonde had Dr. f.ed. When the
lifc-savers were well out n dc mouth OF the
river an car broke, ard IN m instant the
ccrk-llsu vessel swung abou', The men in
the llfe-boat we're totally helpless and before
assistance Of any kind could be rendered their
boat was overturned and all the men were
thrown Into the water -Four of them sue
ceeded in catching hold Of the overturned life
boat, where they hung on Until they we're
rescued Ii aierribiy exhausted condition.
-Four of their fellow life-sayers were tossed
about so mcrcilcsslY by the wild waves that
thcy were unable 10 swim back to The life
boat. and after yalnly bnttllnS for few mo-
mrnts with the elements they we're overcome
aud the battle cf He hst IS be given up.
The names " the heroes who lost thclr
lives In attempting 10 snye others were ches-
ter S!mons, John johnson, Nicholas scrvas
and Alber, Currlcr
Flanagan and Leblondc were, q course,
drowaed almost before the life,boat caps!zed
Five men were washed from drcdgc and
and drowned.
At Ashtabula barhor the schooner Pelican.
ore-laden. from Escanaba ,ouniercd 81, she
was entering the hnrbor md sank In forty
feet OF water. Three cf bet cgew-peter Mel.
son, 'ohr Frlsfsoa and John E1knish,, all
o. Cleveland, were drowned Tie other mem,
hers Of the crew were rescued by the tug
sunol after a hard and desperate battle with
the sea.
AZ WDloughby, Ohio. the Chasrln river
wa- out Of is backs EARLY this morning the
grisJ MIN Of Joseph Bayce was swept from It's
foundations, hurled agaiu't TIE abutment OF
il bridge and crushed lat9 wreckage which
fosted away To the lake
Reports f-,r g.. sections OF Northeastern
Ohio tell uf Swollen streams sud oyeraowcl
farmland. tut it /, impossible 10 make an es-
innate Of the damage.