The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-05-21
A DELUGE OF RAIN.
Has Caused Pennsylvania Rivers to
Rise Above the Danger Line.
Damage VIII BE Widespread-No
Fatalities Have Been Reported Thus
Far.
By The Associated Press.

w NILLlAMbPoltI, Ia, May Sis- w i1h 'ho
horrors of the disastrous food of 1889,
which spread death and destruction
through this valley, brought back to
memory by the threatened danger OF
sweep OF water that promises to be as
great as that of five years ago, the people
of this city and all through the west
branch valley are in state of panic.
Since Friday night steady and almost
continuous downpour of rain has been
swelling all of the streams and numerous
cloudbursts along the Pine creek and
other tributaries of the west branch OF
the Susquehanna have made 1t impossi-
BILE to confine the water within the banks
of the streams. 1t has therefore spread
ont oyer the county and at every point Is
pouring into the main river.
Advices all points up the river say
the same conditions exist. A cloudburst
at Heating raised the river there 20 feet,
and the river at Remove Is reported higher
than in the flood of 1889, when half the
town was under water. Above there and
extending to the head waters at Clear
field every town and hamlet has been re-
duced by the water TO the conditions that
prevailed in 1882
The Susquehanna here flows to the
south of the city, and while IL has not
reached the point of danger, 1t Is crawl
ing up at the rate OF foot an hour
Graffus Run, a tributary which empties
into the river below the city, flows north
OF Williamsport 1t overfowed its banks
aud spread over considerable portion OF
the city, flooding many houses and drfv-
ing the occupants from their homes. All
OF the houses were occupied by poor peo-
-. - -. hat a
sufferers lost much OF their personal
property.
The boom at Lockhaven has broken
and IS, 600, 900 feet of logs have been lost.
The Upper Linden boom also broke. II
contained 10, OO0, 900 feet Of logs. and they
have gone down. There are about 150,-
oOo. 900 feet OF logs In the main boom. and
half as many more in the city ponds that
may go.
The rain Is coming down in heavy
sheets: the wind is blowing furiously, and
the river is now % feet above low water
mark. The lower part of the country is
flooded, the water has overtiowed the
banks In the central part Of the city and
the streets in the upper end are under
water. People in the lowlands are rap
idly moving to places Of safety.
Bradford Flooded.
BRADFORD, Pa, May 2l.-The worst
flood in Bradford's history is rushing
through Tuna valley. Twenty streets
contiguous to the creek are inundated,
and hundreds of families are driven from
their homes For four days and four
nights rain has been falling here almost
incessantly. and the mountain streams
have been swollen to raging torrents The
- No.. ...ls s.l
join their forces here, are both trans
formed into good sized rivers Their
waters overflow the banks and on the low
lands cover a wide area.
Below Foreman street, at the confu-
ence of the two streams, the food Is n
quarter OF a mile wide The Douglas dam
is partly torn away. The North street
bridge is gone and several railroad and
street bridges are in danger. The rail.
road people are holding down their
bridges with heavily loaded cars.
In the sixth ward 20 families were taken
out OF their houses in boats during the
night, and on Clarence and Hilton streets
rescue corps with skiffs rescued as
many more. Luckily there were no IA
| talities
Webster street is navigable by boat.
Across Corridor 20 Newell avenue TO
! Main, and then down Davis street. there
! is rushing body Of deep water, and
skiffs are plying from the Riddell House
up aud down the street Goods I'm 20
business houses on Main street have been
badly damaged. and the loss will aggre-
gate q large sum.
In the Juniata Valley.
HUNTINGTON. Pa, May 81. - The almost
continuous rainfall during the past four
days has flooded the rivers and streams
IN the Juniata valley. The Juniats river
and the Raystone branch have risen -
feet. flooding the low lying farms aud i'm
prisoniug entire families in their homes.
The gas company's works here have
bees Temporarily abandoned TO the rising
waters, and many residences and bust
ness houses are flooded 70 the second floor.
The new iFea ees44ty bridges At Maple
ton, Mil Greek aud Trexlers have been
swept away.
The country approaches to Huntingdon
have been closed 20 travel by the destruc-
tion of bridges and wsshouts.
Al Stoyerstown, Bedford county, Mrs.
Jacob Miller. while trying TO save some
personal belongings was drowned.
Whole farms on the Rsystewn branch
have been practically ruined buildinGs