St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-05-21
EARLIER REPORTS.

600.
EARLIER REPORTS.
WLLIAMsPoRT, Pa, May 20.-With
the horrors of the disastrous flood of
1889, which spread death and destruc-
tion throughout this valley, brought
back to memory by the threatened dam
ger of sweep of water that promises
TO ue 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 that has turned the usually quiet
Sunday into one of remarkable excite
ment. Since Friday night a steady and
almost continuous downpour of rain has
been swelling all the streams, and late
last night numerous cloudbursts along
the Pine creek and other tributaries of
the West Branch of the Susquehanna
have made sit impossible to confine the
water within the banks Of the streams.
1t has. therefore, spread out over the
country, and at every point is pouring
into the main river. Throughout the
day the rain has fallen here and contin-
ues to fail tonight. Advice5 from all
points up the river say the same condi-
tions exist. \ cloudburst at Keatiug,
twenty miles above Remove, early this
morning raised the river there twenty
feet, and the river at Remove is
reported higher than in the food of 1889,
when half the town was under water.
Above there and extending to the head
waters at Cleariield. every toan and
hamlet has been reduced by water to
the conditions that prevailed in 1889.
Along the Philadelphia u Erie railroad,
between this point and Emporium, the
traffic has been practically suspended
since last night. Trains are running
between WilliamspOrt and Lockhaven,
but above tie latter point landslides
and track washOuts have practically
swept the tracks away, and the loss will
be very heavy. The Susquehanna flows
to the south of the city, and while it
has not yet reached the point of danger.
it is crawling up OF the rate of foot an
hour. GraffuS run, a tributary which
emptieS into the river below the city,
oyerflOwed its banks and spread over a
considerable portion of the city at about
noon today. flooding many houses and
driving the occupants from their homes
All OF the houses were occupied by
Door people. and the rise was SO sudden
that the sufferers lost much OF their
personal property. The full strength
nf
about y O'Clock tonight, when the
great body Of water from up the river is
due. The fact that the water will rush
down upon the city in the dark hours
of the night adds an additional element
of horror to the situation. In antici-
patton, however, of what is expected.
the fire and church bells of the CITY
were rupg at 10 O'clock this morning to
notify the people of impending danger,
and since that hour the work of prepar-
ing for the worst has been in progress.
In the hundreds of homes that were
submerged five years ago the people
are moving out and storing their goods
IN the houses of those living on the
highlands. The business part of the
city was a complete wreck five years
ago. and hundreds of merchants are
moving their stock to places of safety.
Conveyances OF every description are
hurrying through the streets of the city
loaded with household goods and mer-
chandlse, and the scenes beggar de
scription. The regular church servl-
ces were all suspended today. and in all
houses of worship those who attended
confined their devotion to the Offering
up Of prayers for the assistance of
Providence in the present grave emel-
gency.
ANXIETY INCREASES.
At 10 p. IN. the rain which has been
falling all day is still coming down in
torrents. The river is coming I'D rap
idly, and is now twenty-one feet above
low water mark. 1t will overflow its
banks within an hour, and as the GER
tainty Of great destruction of property
grows more apparent the general inter
est increases. The banks of the river
and bridges are lined with thousands
of people watching the rise of the water,
and those who did not move during the
day are now hurrying their belongings
aud families TO places of safety. -Four
miles of track of the Glenallen Lumber
company have been swept away. The
boom at Lockhaven has broken and
100000 feet of logs have been
lost. The upper Linden boom also
broke at $50 this afternoon. 1t con-
tanned 100000 feet of logs, and they
have gone down. There are about 15o,.
000.OO0 feet of logs in the main boom
and half as many more in the city mill
ponds that may go Oh twenty-five foo1
flood. President E, r. Payne and Boon