The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1894-05-26

HoLIDAYsBURGH, Pa. May 2l.-At . O'CLOCK TINS
morning a Pennsylvania Railroad locomotive
brought the warning to Gaysport that the Kilken-
ming Point reservoir the source of Altoona's water
supply, had given way and the valley below would
soon be covered by two hundred million gallons OF
water.
Gaysport telegraph operator later received this
message from Kittanning:-The dam has burst.
For Gods sake tell Gaysport people to fly
The result of these warnings was that the entire
population at Gaysport, DuncansYille, and West
Holidaysburg deserted their homes and spent the
night on the hills.
Many accidents occurred in their flight, and there
are scores of cases of nervous prostration. The
alarm. however, was not followed by the dreaded
disaster The dam was partially broken, four large
crevasses being made, but the water began to sub
side and hard work saved the dam from total de-
struction and prevented great loss of property and
life.
Bellwood citizens, fearing break in Potts Grover
reservoir above their town, cut the embankment IN
an opposite and safe direction last night
LEwIsBURG, Pa, May 2l-The damage along the
LewIsburg and Tyrone Railroad, that runs from
here to Bellefone, is very great. Several bridges
have been carried away. There are extensive wash
outs and it will be weeks before traffic can be re-
sumed. Hundreds of families are homeless and
destitute.
wILKEsBARRE Pa, May 2l-Two children, one
girl of one year, the other boy of seven years OF
age, belonging to John Krusekoski, at Nantieoke.
were drowned this afternoon. Both wentdown and
out of sight before assistance could be rendered
Their bodies were carried down the stream about
500 feet and were found an hour later.
PoTTsyILLE Pa, May 2l.-Throughout this region
the mines are partially flooded and work is sus
pended Loss from 10000 to $4,000. At least
10000 men are out of employment in this and the
Lehigh districts.
The Schuylkill river was never so high as it is
now. John Brown, aged II years, was drowned
this evening while trying to cross creek at Forest
vile. Edward Evans an old man, is reported
drowned near Heckscheryille. A big gypsy camp
near fremont was washed out today and several
members are missing. Among these are woman
and her new born babe. At Mahanoy City, in order
to prevent the blockadng ofthe cuiverts and creeks.
all the bridges were torn down and the distractions
removed so as give free passage to the food This
preeaution was also taken at Girardville. The
Reading railroad has either lost completely or had
badly damaged at least twenty bridges in this one
county, besides much havoc with entertainments.
EAsroN May 2l.-About G O'Clock this evening
the abutment wall of the Lehigh Coal and Naviga-
ton Company basin, opposite the city and right
below the big railroad bridge, gave way, precipi-
tating torrent of water directly against the piers
of the new bridge connecting the Pennsylvania with
the New Jersey Central and Lehigh Valley roads.
The strain was tremendous, for the break was clean
and sudden. fully seventy five feet of wall going
down, releasing body of water twenty-five feet
deep The wall was an average of ten feet in thick
ness and will cost at least $4,000 TO repair the
damage. The bridge stood the strain all right.
The canal banks are washed away in various
places and IL will be several months before naviga
ton can be resumed. The break will seriously
affect business on the Morris Canal as the Lehigh
Canal was u feeder. The Delaware river began
rising this afternoon and is now up to the l7foot
mark.
NoRRIsTowN May 2l-The schuylkill river here
this evening was thirty feet above high water mark
and sill rising and all the mills are stopped
Delaware. New Jersey and New York.
The damage in the above states was mostly caused
by overlooking streams and was of very serious
character, causing the stopping of mills and the
beating down of crops and loss of fruit buds. On
the Atlantic coast the various watering places suf-
fered very much, and many vessels were stranded.
Odds and Ends OF Dispatches.
Snow and ice followed the heavy rains in the
West on Saturday. aud what vegetation was left by
the storm was almost totally destroyed by the reez
ing weather The snow in many places reached a
depth of or inches.
In Texas several houses were struck by lightning
and number Of persons were killed or injured
Additional loss of life is reported from the West
and the loss on Lake Michigan OF life and shipping
is much greater than at first reported.
The great food in the Susquehanna river, with
its freight of $50 600 feet of logs from Lock Haven
and williamsport, reached the Chesapeake Bay
Tuesday morning. Part of Havre de Grace was in
undated. The people there are busily engaged in
catching the logs. party of men left Baltimore
by boat for the bay for the purpose of catching the
logs also.
The southern end of Wilmington, Del, was flooded
Tuesday by the Christiana river and the family OF
George Williams colored. four persons in all, are
missing. 1t is believed they were drowned.
The bodies of three sailors were found in one OF
the pockets of the Government pier at Chicago on
Monday night They were victims of the recent
storm.
The Philadelphia (Pa.) Ledger, of wednesday. in
its summary of the great food says:-"The great
flood has passed its height and the reports yesterday
and last night showed that at nearly all points the
waters were receding. The one exception was on
the lower susquehanna, which was still rising The
city of willamsport was probably the greatest suf-
ferer by the flood, conservative estimate placing
the loss at 4O0O,0 900. The great lumber boom at
that point as well as that at Lock Haven, were
broken, and millions of feet of lumber were swept
down the stream. carrying away bridges and dam
aging other property on either shore. AT Williams
port it was estimated that the homes of 100OO people
were made uninhabitable. The receding waters in
the Schuykill valley enabled the railroads to re-
sumo operations yesterday but in the Conemaugh
the Pennsylvania Railropd line was still broken,
and through trains between Pittsburg and Altoona
had to be sent round by way of the Baltimore and
Ohio and Huntingdon and Broad Top roads. On
the Philadelphia Division trains were sent by way
of the Lebanon Valley and Cornwall and Lebanon
Railroads to Conewago. Heavy rain fell last night
in the Conemaugh Valley. and another disastrous
rise in the waters of that stream is apprehended at
Johnstown and vicinity. The Susquehanna river
oyerflowed its banks at Sunbury yesterday morn.
ing, covering one-third of the town to depth of
from one to five feet. 1t was reported that four
families had persisted on the island at Herndon.