Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1894-05-21
DISASTROUS FLOODS.
W indOws of Heaven Opened Over
Pennsylvania and New York
Great Destruction at Johns
town Railroads sub
merged-Cities Tn
der Water.

Williamsport, Pa, May 21.-The river
continued to rise during the night and
this morning nearly the entire business
portion of the city 10 under water. There
has been no telegraphic communication
with Lockhaven since O'Clock yesterday
afternoon, when the telegraph operator
was driven from his Office by the rising
flood.
RAILROADS SUBMERGED.
Pittsburg.-The floods have stopped
traffic completely on the Pennsylvania
railroad, east of Greensbury, which is
about twenty y-eight miles from Pittsburg.
The last through train to arrive was the
Chicago limited, which reached this city
at 10 o'clock last night. Since then no
trains have arrived or departed from the
east. The trouble is between Johnstown
and Altoona. The tracks are submerged
in four feet of water from Conemaugh to
Bennington, distance of eighteen miles,
and 1000 feet of track together with the
Conemaugh bridge have been washed
away.
There was night of great anxiety at
Johnstown and few residents in the low
lands closed their eyes. The business
portion of the city is under the water and
at least 100000 worth of damage has
been done. So far two lives have been
lost, but the names are not known. In
this city the rivers are still rising, but
stage of more than twenty-five feet is
not feared. This will submerge the low
lands and cause suspension of work in
the mills and factories along the banks of
the streams, but will do no other damage.
Unless there is more rain the worst in
this section is believed to be over.
ROW BOATS INSTEAD OF STREET CARS.
Warren, Pa.-Row boats took the place
of street cars here to-day. All the streets
in the lower districts are under water, but
the rise of water was 80 gradual that no
serious damage was done. No trains are
running except between here and Erie.
FLOODED CITIES.
Sunbury, Pa.-The operators in the
Western Union telegraph Office at Will
Transport were forced to abandon their in
struments at IL o'clock this morning. The
water reached the depth of four feet in
the Office. Passenger trains on the Penn
sylvania railroad are only running as far
as Dewart, and no trains running over the
Northern Central railroad between Will
Transport and Elmira. Trains are running
over the Delaware, Lackswanna q
Western road from Elmira to Scranton. No
trains are running on the Pennsylvania
road between Williamsport and Kane. No
Reading trains can enter Williamsport as
the depot in that city is flooded. The
tracks are under five feet of water. There
isa ten foot flood in the city and both
branches of the river are rising. The
food in 1889 reached a depth of fifteen
feet.
CELLARS IN ROCHEsTER FILLING.
Rochester, N. Y.-The Genesee river is
within foot of high water mark. Cellars
in the business portion of the city are
filling with water, and the river is on a
level with the tracks Of the several rail.
roads entering the city. 1t is still rain.
ing, and should it continue freshet is
feared. Towns up the valley are alread '
much damaged from high water and the
rivers are steadily rising.
DOOMED JoHNBTowN.
Johnstown, Pa.--About 8 O'Clock this
morning Johnstown was visited by the
most disastrous flood since the big flood
of May 81, 1889. At present it is hard
matter to estimate the loss, but it is an
assured fact that the damage done to the
city and within five miles of it will
amount from $60,0OO to $4,000. T..
Pennsylvania railroad is the heaviest
looser. Most of the loss is the result of a
bad washout in the track about Cone
maugh. For several days the Conemaugh-
Stony Greek valleys have been visited by
heavy rains of an almost continuous ma
ture until 10 o'clock last night, when a
cloudburst occurred near Edenburg. The
river in the valley through which the vast
volume of water descended and its tribu-
taries were immensely swollen shortly
after the cloudburst.
VAST VOLUMES OF WATER.
The Conemaugh was swollen to many
times its natural size. The volume OF
water reached this vicinity at three o'clock
and was accompanied by Wholesale des-
truction of property. The flood was first
| felt at South Fork, where numerous
buildings were swept away. Further on
in the course of the stream the water
undermined the track of the Pennsyl-
vania road used by the east bound trains.
For two miles the track was rendered i'm
passable for trains and it became neces-
sary for trains going either way to use
one track.
WATER BEAT FURIOUsLY.
At East Conemaugh the water beat fu-
riously against the large Pennsylvania
railroad round house and undermined the
foundations so greatly that it was found
it would be necessary to remove all the
engines to a place of safety.
Several bridges and wooden structures
below Conemaugh are badly damaged,
but the greatest damage was in this city.
The swift water undermined the embank-
ment, and it gave way at 4 O'Clock carrying
into the river 200 feet of track and many
cars. In one of the cars were Ave tramps
who are said to have been members of
Galvin's army. Three of them succeeded
in getting away, but two were drowned.
Their names can not be learned.
CITY UNDER WATER.
Williamsport, Pa.-The water in the
Il 3