The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1895-01-08
THE JANUARY THAW.
1t Has Caused Much Damage in
the Vicinity Of Pittsburg.
MANY RIVER MINES FLOODED.

But One Fatality Reported Thus Far, q
Stone Mason Being Swept Away Below
Van Port-It IL Now Believed That the
Worst l. Over.
PrrTsBuRe, jan. 8. = River mon are
thoroughly alarmed over the probability
of big Hood at this point. The .Monon-
gaheln came out with rush yesterday,
and with the breaking of ice In the upper
pools the damage to boats began. I'M
menss coal fleets were threatened with
total destruction. The Allegheny is also
full Of ice, and Ia running like torrent.
A great amount of wreckage is coming
down, indicating damage at points above.
River men said today that they expected
stage of thirty feet with prospect Of
going still higher.
In the memorable flood Of 1884 the AL
1egheny rose to thirty three feet, and great
damage was done. There hns been intense
excitement along the Monongahela river
wharves all day. The boats in the harbor
had steam up and were doing what they
could to protect themselves from the rap
idly rising water. The docks Mt McKees-
port and the boats tied up at tho river
gave way. The ferry boat II. p. Sinclair
broke away from her moorings and fioated
down the stream. She was caught in the
harbor and towed safely ashore.
The report Of twenty-five feet at Lock
No. and twenty-th rec feetI at Nor
gantown caused = general panic among
the coal operators, aud most of the clerks
and employees were ordered out Of tho Of
fees and stationed along the river at diff
ferent points TO look after the safety Of
their craft. There were several million
bushels Of coal on fats In the harbor here,
and every effort was put forth to keep the
fleets from being wrecked Several coal
barges, house boat and swinging ferry
boat broke from their moorings and went
down with the current.
The most serious damage In the Allie
gheny will be done TO the governments
work ut Hers Island. where the new dam
is now In course Of construction. The
water is now over the Golfer dams, and it
is likely that all of the work will be de-
stroyed.
The residents of Etna and Sharpsburg,
suburbs along the Allegheny, are alarmed
over the prospects of big flood. The low
ground in both towns is submerged and
the water rising. At Mcdonald, on the
Pan Handle railroad, the Union News
coinpany's stand was washed away.
The latest news indicates that the flood
has done its worst as far as Pittsburg and
points above on both rivers are concerned.
What further damage may be done will be
below. Advices from all of the up river
points show that the water is either reced-
ing or.about stationary.
The heaviest individual loss SO far re-
ported was that at McKeesport, where
fifty coal barges were carried from the
docks and down the river, entailing a loss
Of between SIS, 900 and $4,000.
Beaver, Pa., reports that the Golfer
dam at the new government dam, just
below Van Port, has been swept away,
with considerable money damage and the
loss OF one life. John McSweeney, stone
mason, who had gone out ON tho dam to
get his tools, was caught In the crash and
his body swept away. Joseph Leddie was
rescued with much difficulty.