St. Paul daily globe., 1893-12-18
IN THE RELENTLESS FLOOD
FIVE HUNDRED HOUSES PARTLY SUB
MERGED AT SOUTH BUFFALO.
AND $500 PEOPLE HOMELESS.
Lake Waters Driven Inland by
the Gale Over a Territory 33
Miles Square - Occupants Of
Houses Have Narrow Escapes
RAILROAD Tracks in a Wreck
Losses Over 100000. 'l<
[Fom the SUNDAY G1oBE.l l

from the SUNDAY GLOBE. vsv.p
BUFFALO, N. Y, Dec. 16.-The mag
nitude of the flood disaster reparted at
South Buffalo is very much greater than
at first reported. 1t is part of the city
that is not thickly settled. but it is est-
mated that at least 500 houses are sur
rounded with water of depth ranging
from three to five feet, and that fully
1850 people have been driven from their
homes. About thirty miles of streets
and all the adjacent land, except the
embankments thrown up for railroads,
are under water. The submerged sec
ton, ii squared. would extend about
thirty-three miles each way. Buffalo
river and CaZenovia creek are lost in
the flood. The whole section is
VAST SEA OF WATER.
The wind has been blowing a gale off
the lake all day, driving the water back
and preventing 1t from seeking its nat
ural outleti in the lake. When the wind
goes down the flood will gradually re
cede.
Many miles of sidewalks have f1oated
away, along with few small houses
and many outbuildings. Much damage
has been done by the water undermin-
ing the foundations of asphast pave
ments. 1t cannot be learned that any
lives were lost, but there were many
narrow escapes. Dan Donohue and his
wife, who live in house located near
the Delaware, LackaWanna & Western
tracks at Abbott Road. came near find
ing a watery grave. The water was
fast arising around their house, and
they attempted to escape through the
window. They were rescued with much
difficulty.
Police Sergeant Pritchard and Patrol
man Crehau were engaged in rescuipg
people with boat on Elk street and
Bailey avenue about 10:3O this morning,
when one of their oars snapped and the
two men were left at the mercy of the
waves. The boat began drifting to-
wards Buffalo river. where it would
certainly have been captured by the
driftwood and ice; but the two officers
jumped out of the boat into the water,
which was five feet deep. They
plunged through the muddy sea. drag
ging their boat behind for 200 feet to
dry land. Sergeant Pritchard had just
arisen from sick bed.
HUNDREDS OF RESCUES
were made by officers and citizens at
considerable personal risk. William j.
Wiler, resident of the flooded district,
said: II tell you, people got scared out
for while. The water rose four and a
half inches in an hour and a half, but
there it stopped. don't believe it has
risen any since noon, not more than an
inch anyway. The rapid rise came be-
tween 10 and 11:30. We helped great
many people to pull up carpets and
store their furniture on the upper floors,
and then we took the people themselves
to places of safety. l carried one man
wade out from Dyer street with two
children in her arms. She fell with
them into the water. which was about
three feet deep and flowing swiftly, and
she and her children were nearly
drowned. Teams from the street car
barns were attached to heavy wagons
and driven from house to house to res
cue the inmates. Postmaster Gentsch
was
HENINfED IN BY THE FLOOD
and could not get into the town.
The main tracks of the Lake Shore,
Nickel Plate, Buffalo & Rochester,
Pittsburg & Western and New York
& Pennsylvania railroads at left street
are completely under water and trains
are being run with danger. If the flood
keeps on the tracks will be washed
away. 1t is impossible to accurately
estimate the loss done to property and
streets, but it will certainly exceed
100000. Every family in the district
Will suffer loss.
One curious result of the flood is that
it caused water famine. The flooded
section is newly settled, and many of
the streets are without city water.
Drinking water in many scores of the
inundated streets is taken from wells.
Now these wells are filled with muddy
water wholly unfit for use, and there is
great discomfort on account of the diff
| ficultv of getting pure water. There
may yet be serious suffering from this
cause,