The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-10-11
BIC FLOOD At JERMYN
RushbrOok Greek Invaded The Town and
Did Much Damage
MADE The STREETS IMPASSABLE
Bells Mill Was Ruined by the Water
Which Undermined the Founda-
ton Walls and Injured the Machin-
ery-Houses That We're Flooded.
Damage Done in This City by the
Water.

sheets until noon, caused more damage
at Jermyn, which had been selected as
the place Of the annual parade Of the
Father Mathew societies of Lackawan.
ma county, than any other place heard
from.
About daylight the people of the
town began to get uneasy at the swell
ing volume of water that swept down
Rushbrook creek. which runs through
the center Of the place. Between 8
and o'clock the weeping skies let
loose their flood gates. and the creek
began to overspread its banks at the
stone culvert on First avenue. A
patch Of woods on the hillside, above
the town. owned by John B Smith, that
contained an immense quantity OF
logs and loose underbrush, fed the
freshet with drittwood, that blocked
up the creek and sent the scattered
waters on mad course through sur
rounding lots, tearing deep gullies
and flowing into neighboring cellars.
filling them and destroying the con-
tents before the owners had time to
remove them to place Of safety.
In some houses that are built in low
places the flood entered the rooms on
the first floor and did considerable
damage to household effects.
BELLS MILL ASSAULTED.
Bells planning mill, between First
and Second avenues, is built on the
edge of the creek and against the build
ing the logs and driftwood foated
blocking up the stream. a hundred
feet below, the mouth of the First
avenue culvert was choked up and
denied an outlet to the angry torrent.
The immense volume thus damned up
furiously broke loose and submerged
over two acres in the upper end of the
borough.
Main street was totally impossible,
the water reaching a level with the
door steps of the houses. Bells planning
mill suffered the greatest loss. The
foundation walls on one side were
washed out and ithe yard and mill ru-
ined. The machinery was loosened and
partially destroyed The cellars of DR..
Shields, D. LaRue. Mrs. Henry Davis,
A. F. Battenberg, Thomas Walker, W.
o. Hill. Nicholas Clark, J. D. Pritch-
ard. and many others were soaked and
their contents destroyed,
Foot bridges, planks. uprooted trees,
and stumps and logs came down the
creek and assisted in the destruction of
property BY blocking up the stream,
The force of the water rushed with
such effect that 200 feet OF the Ontario
and Western railroad tracks were
washed out. A long line of track was
in danger Of going into the river, but
train OF cars was run on 1t and with
stood the attack of the water. When
the flood had subsided the train OF cars
had settled down two feet lower than
grade.
PRESIDENTS CAR DELAYED.
Ats o'clock the Ontario and Western
passenger train to which was attached
the private car of the president Of the
road, in which were General Manager
Childs, General Superintendent Brad
field and other officials on tour of in
spection. was stalled by the food above
Jermyn, while traffic was interrupted
on the road for two hours.
The scope Of the food extended from
Bells mill down Main street to Bat.
tenberg's furniture store, then in the
rear of Stocker & Co. 8 aud Winter g.
Co. q stores to the river. cutting off all
communication with the Ontario and
Western depot.
A large force of men set to work and
attacked the debris in the creek with
axes aud pixies, and about 1 o'clock in
the afternoon the water resumed Its
natural course, and the streets were put
in passable condition. The damage in
Jermyn alone il estimated at between
So. 900 and $4,000
No. 2 limited express on the Della
ware, Lsckawanna 81 Western. which
leaves Scranton for New York at 8 90
a. m, was delayed TWO hours by q
washout at No. 9, near Dunmore. The
north bound milk trains were also @
few hours late.
Points in the city that felt the effecl
of the ipcessant downpour are the
Diamond Flats and houses along the
Fourth district main sewer. In the
latter place numerous cellars were
flooded. The river had backed up near
the Carbon street bridge to the power
house of the Scranton Traction com.
pany, and destroyed late crops on the
lowiands extending back to Albright
avenue.
DAMAGE ON THE SOUTH SIDE,
Every street in the city bore traces
OF damage from the profundity o.
water that passed over them. Th,
sewers had to be watched during th,
morning, some Of them being in dan
ger Of choking up. The South Sid,
was likewise flooded. Street car traffi
was interrupted the greater part Of th,
morning In many places the track
were buried under foot's thickness o
mud.
From other towns up the VALLEY
come stories Of much damage done BY
yesterdays rains.