The herald., 1893-05-18
A TREMENDOUS DELUGE,
Unprecedented Floods in the
Western Reserve.
An Incessant Storm of Many
Hours Duration.
Fourteen Lives Lost at CLEVELAND
and Vicinity.
Immense Damage TO Property In North
ern Ohio and Western Pennsyt-
vania = Business Paralyxed
and Traffic Suspended.


and wind that began at noon Monday
and continued almost without cessation
until this evening produced a food uri-
precedented in the history OF North
eastern Ohio and Northwestern Penn
sylvania. Thus far IA lives are known
to have been lost, great damage has
been done to shipping and the loss Of
other property will amount into hun
dreds OF thousands of dollars. It rained
Saturday and Sunday, but these were
light showers. Monday steady down
pour began. Roofs let the water through
like sieves and the rain was driven be-
tween window sashes until the people
despaired of being able to keep
it out. By Tuesday evening there
were warnings of trouble and
everybody began to wonder when it
would stop. In this city every sewer
was pouring a torrent into the usually
sluggish Cuyahoga, swollen to more
than twice its normal size. Whole piles
OF lumber were carried along the streets
and swept out into the lake or lodged
against the abutments of bridges fur
ther down, and more is still coming
down the river. Railroad tracks are
submerged to depth of 10 feet and all
traffic is suspended, as is also work in a
score of factories in the flooded district.
Owing to shaky bridges, traffic is sus-
pended on all railroads running east.
THE FIRST DISASTER.
This afternoon, while great crowds
were watching the flood, the first dieas-
ter happened here. Captain Stanley
Flanagan and Michael Le Blonde were
going down the river in a row
boat when one of Le Blondes oars
broke. The two men were quickly car
ried out into the lake by the rushing
stream, and as it was evident that their
frail craft could not live, preparations
were quickly begun for their reacne.
Seven men manned lie boat and pnilt d
away toward the boat containing Fian-
nigan and lie Blonde When the life
savers were we'll out of the mouth of the
river, an oar broke and in an instant the
cork life vessel swung about. the men
in the boat were totally helpless, AID
before assistance of any kind could be
rendered their boat overturned and ell
the men were thrown into the water.
Three succeeded in catching hold of the
lie boat, where they hung until they
were rescued in a terribly exhausted
condition. Four of their fellow life
savers were tossed about so mercilesely
by the wild waves that they were una
BILE to swim back to the life boat, and
after vainly battling for few minutes
with the elements they were overcome
and the battle OF life had to bo given up.
Their names follow: Chester Simons,
John Johnson, Nicholas Servas, Albert
Currier. Flanagan and LIE Blonde were
drowned almost before the life-boat cap
sized.
A DISTRESSING ACCIDENT.
A distressing accident occurred at
Conneaut, about so miles east Of Cleve-
land. The tug Walter Richardson, the
dredge Continental and scow were an
chored at Conneaut harbor. This mcrn-
ing the scow was carried out into the
lake with the tug. In cutting away
from the scow the tugs wheel was dis
abled and the tug washed ashore. The
crew were saved. The dredge was swept
into the lake and Immediately capaized.
Seven persons were on board; two of
them were washed ashore, the five 9TH
ers perished, as follows: Arthur Wilson,
captain, aged 80, Philadelphia; George
O'Rourke, 27, Detroit; Joseph Fife, 25,
Connesut; Meggie White, cook, 40,
Cleveland; o watchman, name un-
known.
The sea is running heavily and no
bodies have been recovered. The dredge
was valued at $780, 600, and is total loss.
ANOTHER FATAL DISASTER.
At Ashtabula harhor, the schooner
Pelican, ore laden from Escanaba,
fouled as she was entering and sank in
40 feet OF water. Three OF the crew,
Peter Nelson, John Erickson and John
Ecknight, all of Cleveland, were
drowned. The other members of the
crew were rescued after hard and deH-
perate battle with terrific sea.
At Willoughby, the Chsgrin river is
out of banks. Early this morning the
grist mill of Joseph Boyce was swept
from its foundations, hurled against the
abutment of bridge and crushed into
wreckage, which foated away to the
lake.
DAMAGE IN MANY SECTIONS.
Reports from all sections OF North
eastern Ohio tell of swollen streams aid
overfowed farm lands, but it is impos-
sible to make an estimate of the dam
age; neither i5 it possible to tell what
the property loss in Cleveland will be.
It is possible one or more costly swing
bridges along the river will be swept
away before morning, as it seems impos-
sible they can all Withstand the terrible
strain now being put upon them.
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