Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-05-22
ABOUT TWENTY EIGHT OR TWENfY-NINE
PElT EXPECTED HERE.
A Moderate But Steady Rise All Day Yesterday
and Last Night - The Rise Peculiar
One, in Some Respects.
AT PITTsBCRG.

Midnight ...................-........... -
The river did not rise as fast yester-
day as the general public expected, but
old river men and those familiar with
the details OF the situation as it has ex-
listed for the past few days, in Western
Pennsylvania, were not surprised at the
leisurely manner in which the food
crawled up.
A study OF the conditions at head
waters makes it probable that the stage
here will not be a great deal higher
that at Pittsburg. This may be ac-
counted for, first, by the absence OF any
considerable output in streams oelo"
Wheeling, leaving the channel free TO
accommodate the rush OF water from
above; and, second, by the fact that In
stead OF the tributaries between Wheel
ing and Pittsburg adding 10 the volume
of the flood, they rather detract from II,
by back water from the Ohio running
up the valleys Of creeks, etc,
and spreading over the low-lands.
Another circumstance. calculated 10
keep the stage of water up for several
DAYS, rather than cause sudden rise,
is the location OF the bulk OF the rain
fall at or near the extreme head waters
of the Allegheny. BY the time the wa
ter from the Warren and Bradford re-
zion reached Pittsburg, the swell be-
tween Pittsburg and, say Oil City,
on the Allegheny, AID Morgantown, on
the Monongahela, had nearly run out,
and with no heavy feeders en- route, as
is usually the case, the highest notch 1t
Pittsburg may not be exceeded by over
two or three feet here. The usual diff
ference between Pittsburg and Wheel
ing is nine 10 ten feet, averaging about
ten TO sixteen feet, but this time even
the minimum difference will not be
touched, owing to the combination OF
favorable circumstances above outlined.
For about the first time IN river his
tory, the marks al Pittsburg and Wheel
ing kept neck and neck for fully TWEEN
ty-four hours.
The announcement in the REGISTER
Of Yesterday morning that twenty-three
feet was expected at Pittsburg, and that,
Judging by the usual rule, there would
be something like thirty-three feet here,
naturally created lively interest among
citizens whose property was liable to be
dampened, and all during the day the
telegraph and newspaper offices and
wharfboat were fairly bombarded with
questions relating TO the present and
probable stage of water. kilograms
from upstream points were in demand,
and the news OF rain, sent from several
towns along head-waters, was not reas-
surfing. Many hundreds OF people Wis
isted the wharf during the day and
evening, and a close watch was kept on
the marks.
AS usual, the news from Pittsburg
was contradictory aud unreliable. NO
one uD there seems able 10 tell just
what the stage of water is 10 times OF
floods, and as a result, no one here can
make an estimate OF what to expect.
For instance, Yesterday a telegram,
dated D. m, said the Allegheny was
nineteen feet nine inches, while the
CbrOnjclC-TclCgrGDh gave the Allegheny
stage as twenty feet ten inches at noon.
Allowing for the difference Of an hour
in the time OF the two reports, here
was a discrepancy OF fully fifteen inches,
equal to nearly two feet here.
There was an unusual amount OF drift
on the river, yesterday, and the current
was very rapid, as was shown by the
operation Of the Island ferry boat. The
ferry ran all day, but some trouble was
experienced on the Island side, where
the rising waters crowded the boat far
up Ohio street. The float was too long
TO lie between the stone wall on the
north side of the Mcclure Park and the
pier Of the steel bridge, and force OF
carpenters were set TO work TO floor the
ends OF the float over, so IL could be run
into the street end-wse. should it be
necessary. Up to late hour last night,
however, thesfloat was lying brOadsde
too, with line around the bridge pier.
At midnight last night 1t looked as
though twenty-eight or thirty feet
would be the limits Of the freshet at
this point. Following are the latest
kilograms from points above:
PIrrsBURG, May 21.-River % feet
snd rising at 1915. Reports from above
indicate that there will be foot or two
more before the rise runs out. ltlooked
to-day as il the rain storm was about
over, but the heavy rain OF tonight will
swell the river more.
MoRGANrowN, w. VA, May 21.-
River 10 feet and rising; weather cloudy
and cool.
WARREN, PA, May 21.-River Is
feet inches and rising; weather cool
and cloudy.
GREENSBORO, PA, May 21.-River
II feet 6 inches and falling; weather
cold and raining.
STEUBENyLLE, o., May 21.-River
"a feet aud rising rapidly; weather cool
with a steady rain falling,
OH CITY, PA, May 21.-River IA feet
Q inches and falling.
PITTsBURG, PA, May 21.-At 6 o'clock
this evening rain began TO fall, and at
midnight was still at 1t. The river now
registers % feet and rising. A IS foot
stage is expected. While business
houses and residences in the lower parts
Of Pittsburg and Allegheny are being
prepared for an extensive food, well
posted river men do not apprehend SER
iouS damage.