The Bessemer indicator., 1894-05-26
TERRIBLE FLOOD IN THE EAST.
Many Towns N Western New Ysrk aaA
PsnnsyIvania Under water.

Western New York and Pennsyl-
vania were visited by heavy rains on
the 18th and goth that resulted in dis
astrous foods. Rivers were swollen
far above their normal volume and As
result many towns and cities were
inundated.
The situation at Williamsport, Penn
sylvania, was perhaps worse than else
where and for a time it looked as
though the whole town might be
swept away. The food became serious
Sunday. As night approached and
darkness settled down, the terrors of
the food increased. The yellow tor
rent rushing down from the hillsides,
fed by thousand mountain streams
and growing with each passing minute,
assumed new terrors and the stricken
people looked forward with dread to
the ordeal through which they must
pass before morning. Just after mid
night the big log boom gave way with
crash and went rolling and tumbling
down the stream. AS it passed the
four bridges below the city the logs
crashed and banged against the piers
with roar that could be heard miles.
Tho Market street bridge was carried
away and three of the four spans Of
the magnificent structure succumbed.
lion Monday dozens of boats and hun
drsds of wagons were brought into
requisition and merchants began to
move their goods to places of safety.
1t was seen that every store was in
danger and efforts were made to save
all possible. Household goods were
moved to second and sometimes third
stories of residences, and hasty pre-
parations were lmade for prolonged
stay.
All the business portion of the city
is submerged to an average depth of
six feet and in many places the water
was fifteen feet deep. Not train has
entered or left the city for twenty-four
hours and every telegraph wire is
down. The telegraph Office is four
feet under water and the telephone
exchange is almost as bad.
The food reached its maximum at Z
o'clock in the evening when it was 35
feet above low water mark on the
river register and was eight feet deep
on the pavement of the court house in
the center of the city. For an hour
the water hung at that point and then
to the intense relief of thousands Of
anxious hearts, it began slowly to re-
cede. At o'clock it had fallen foot
and was still going down, slowly to be
sure, but surely enough to lift terri
BILE load from multitude of hearts.
All now feel that the worst has come
and gone. The river has made new
record-35 feet above low water mark.
A million and half in property has
been destroyed, but so far as can be
learned, no lives have been lost.
The flood at Johnstown was more
disastrous than any since 1889. The
losses to the Pennsylvania road in this
vicinity was great. 1t was unable to
run trains east of Pittsburg.
Dispatches from many points along
the Allegheny river report great dam
age from the high water. At Etna
and Sharpsburg the streets are sub
merged, and thousands of dollars
worth of garden truck has been ruined.
Many narrow escapes from death are
reported and two men are known to
have been drowned.
Owing to the foods in the Schuyl-
kill considerable damage was done to
shipping in Philadelphia.
The water which covered twenty Of
Bradford's streets to the depth of sew
eral feet was rcceding Monday morn
ing, and it was believed that the flood
had spent its force. There was no
loss Of life, but numerous narrow es-
capes occurred.
Adispatch from Danville, New York,
says: The flood now being experienced
is the worst that has occurred in the
Genessee valley for years. The water
is two feet above the high water mark
fthe great frcshet of two years ago. As
far as the eye can see down the valley
is q vast expansc Of water, timbcrs and
wreckage. The destruction of crops is
complete and farmers will lose hun
dreds of thousands. The Bradner
creek at Cummingsville has swept
acres of rich farming lands. The Can
azeraga valley has suffered terribly
with bridges carried away and the
main roads cut and washed for miles
in places, rendering them impossible.
Great damage has been done in Stony
Brook glen and the gorge is damned
to great height with trees and food
wood. The Danville and Mount Nor
ris road is under water for miles and
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