The Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1893-1901, 1894-05-23
TOWN UNDER WATER
Williamsport, Pa, in Imminent
Danger of Being Swept
Away.
Heavy Rains Cover "a Wide Territory and
All the streams Are High and
Overlooking.

WTLLIsMsPoRT. Pa. May 2l.-As night
approached and darkness settled down
the terrors Of the flood increased. The
yellow torrent, rushing down the hill
sides, fed by thousand mountain
streams, and growing each passing min
ute. assumed new terrors. and stricken
people looked forward with dread to the
ordeal through which they must pass
before morning. Cut OIL from the rest
Of the world. no railroad communication
and with no avenue Of telegraph or tele-
graph or telephone communication. save
the wire over which this message is
speeding. surrounded on every hand by
a slowly rising destroyer which has al
ready swept away million dollars worth
Of property. aud may sweep away
million more. the condition Of Williams
port is indeed pitIable.
With thirty-three feet more water in
! its channel than its normal heighth. the
north branch Of the Susquehanna tries
/ to enguh the town. Every foot Of
ground is under four feet Of water. and
4 most Of il is fifteen feet beneath the
stream. Many families are homeless.
/ Hundreds more expect to Toe driven from
| their homes, in the second stories Of
I which they have found refuge. before
morning. and unless the food ceases no
/ power on earth can avert a greater dis
I aster than has already come upon this
4 helpless city. The gas and electric light
/ plants are under water and the city is
without lights. Every one is desperate.
terror stricken and discouraged.
just before midnight bIg log boom
gave way with a crash. and went rolling
and tunbling down stream. Is it passed
the four bridges below the city the logs
crashed and banged against the piers
with roar that could be heard miles
away The Market street bridge was
carried away and three or four spans OF
the magnificent structure succumbed.
As the day grew old. and when light was
dim. dozens of boats and hundreds Of
wagons were brought into requisition.
and merchants began to move their
goods to places of safety. Ii was seen
that every store was In danger. and ef-
forts were made to save all possible.
Household goods were moved 10 the sec
ond. and sometimes TO the third stories
Of residences. and hasty preparations
were made for prolonged stay. and at
this writing the entire population Of
Williamsport is in 4 condition Of excite
ment and anxiety over the encroach
ments Of water.
Not train has entered or lef the city
for twenty four hours. and every wire is
down. The telegraph office is four feet
under water. and the telephone exchange
Is nearly as bad. The only means Of
reaching the outside world is one tele-
phone wire. The water now seems to be
at a standstill. but there are grave fears
that the end is not yet in sight.
JoHSsTowS. Pa, May 2l.-Johnstow n
is experiencing the most distrous food
since the big flood Of May 81, 1889. The
damage will amount to at least $500 600
The Pennsylvania railroad is the heavi-
est loser. 1t has been raining for three
days, and the last cloudburst occurred
near Ellensburg.. swelling the Cone.
maugh to many times its natural size.
CHICAGO, May u. Reports from many
points in Pennsylvania. Ohio, Virginia
and New York tell Of rising streams and
floods. The Mississippi is rising rapidly
at St. Paul.