The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1894-05-22
Sufferers Making Recapitula-
tions of Their Losses.
DAMAGED PARTS VISITED
Il sidents of the First Ward Obliged to
Flee to the Second Stories of Their
Homes snd Cook Meals in the Houses of
Nelghburs.

The rayages of the storm are felt in all
parts of town, but the people who suffer
the most are those who reside in the First
ward and whose houses are located near
the Shenandoah creek. The condition of
many of the people residing east of the
Reading railroad south of Centre street
and west of Bridge street, was deplorable
yesterday
The area described is triangular in
shape and so situated that two sides of it
are at the mercy of the creek and it has
received its full quota of the freshets
From the creek half way to Centre street
on Bridge street and all along the alley
to the Reading railroad the rushing
waters covered the roadways and pave
ments to a depth of from one to four feet.
OF course the water rushed into the
houses and in half dozen of them
covered the floors of the rooms to depth
of three and four feet, causing the furni-
ture to float about and eXtinguished the
fires in the stoves and ranges. The women
and children fled to upper stories and
stood at the windows, watching the men
building breast works and digging
trenches to turn the course of the freshets
to the proper channel. Yesterday after
noon the first floors of all the houses were
deserted. The families were huddled in
the bedrooms above. Those who could
make arrangements to cook their meals
in the houses Of more fortunate neighbors
waded through the streams in gum boots
to and from the temporary culinary
quarters
The water marks on some of the out
houses in this territory are six feet above
the ground.
On the embankment of the Reading
railroad about 300 yards from Bridge
street is an large Clubhouse which was
carried 200 yards from its proper location.
All along the creek are pieces of gates. a
large, heavy gate was carried down the
creek below the Office of the Shenandoah
City colliery.
The Reading railroad was badly
damaged below this colliery. The greatest
damage was done in the vicinity of the
Pennsylvania railroad bridge and the
lime kiln. At the former place the tracks
were completely covered by rushing water
which had the appearance of a cataract.
In many places the rails and sills were COM
pletely undermined for a distance of from
fifteen to twenty-five feet, the gullies in
some places being five and six feet deep
The damage to the tracks made travel
exceedingly disagreeable for patrons of
the road. The trains could not get east of
the highway at the lime kiln and the
passengers were obliged to trudge through
the mud, slush and driving rain into
town. Many people yesterday had occas-
ion to realize the true value of steam and
electric railroads to travellers.
The stone walls at the foot of the Penn
sylvania bridge abutmeut and at the foot
OF the large Shenandoah City culm bank
were badly wrecked. The wall at the
latter place was washed out to length
of twenty feet in several places and there
Is danger of the bank blocki1g the creek
If the wall is not replaced soon.
Charles Girvin, Levi Refowich, John A.
Reilly and the other business people on
the west side of Main street, between
Centre and Oak who suffered losses yes
terday by the rain which beat its way into
their show windows, are waiting for the
storm to pass entirely away before at
TO redress the windows. The
losses run from $50 to $3.50 The front of
Mr. Reilly's place presents very weather.
beaten appearance. The woodwork is
streaked with all the colors OF a rainbow.