Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-01-08
THREATENED BY FLOODS
Pennsylvania Cities and Towns
 Menaced by Rising Rivers.
MUCH DAMAGE HAS BEEN DONE

The MononEaheIa. the AIleghany and Other
 Streams Are Roaring Torrents. Filled
 With Ice and Wreckage-One Life Lost.
 Two Government Coferdams Swept Away.
 PITTsBURG. Jan. S.-River men arc thoroughly alarmed over the probability of big flood at this point The Monon- gahela came out with a rush, and with the breaking of ice in the upper pools the damage to boats began. Immense coal fleets were threatened with total destruc- tion.
 The Alleghany is also full of ice and is running like torrent. A great amount of wreckage is coming down, indicating damage at points above. River men say that they expect stage of 80 feet with a prospect of going still higher. In the memorable flood of 1881 the Alleghany rose to 33 feet, and great damage was done.
 There was intense excitement along the Monongahela wharf all day. The boats in the harbor had steam up and were do ing what they could to protect themselves from the rapidly rising water The docks at MoKeesport and the boat bottoms tied up at the river gave way The ferryboat H. P. Sinclair broke away from her moor 4u8S anu uOdleu uOWn Un0 stream. Sl6 was caught in the harbor here and lowed safely ashore.
 The report of 25 feet at lock No and 2S feet at Morgantown caused a general panic among the coal operators, and most of the clerks and employees were ordered out of the offices and stationed along the river at different points to look after the safety of their craft. There were several million bushels of coal on flats in the har- Dor here, and every effort was put forth to keep the fleets from being wrecked Sev- eral coal barges, a houseboat and a swing ing ferryboat broke from their moorings and went down with the current.
 Cofferdams In Danger.
 The most serious damage in the Ale ghany will be done to the government work at Herr's island, where the new dam is now in course of construction. The water is now over the cofferdams, and it is likely that all of the work will be de stroyed.
 The latest news Is encouraging and in dicatcs 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
 The Monongahela here registered 23 feet and is rising very slowly. The best river authorities agree in placing the high esG s6ARe aG 20 1eeG. AdVlccS from all Of the up river points show that tho water Is either receding or about stationary.
 Kittanning. on the Alleghany, reports II foot stage, rising very slowly. The rainfall has stopped, and a freeze is ex- pected tonight.
 The heaviest individual loss so far re ported was at Mckeesport, where 50 coal barges were carried from the docks and down the river, entailing loss of between SS5, 900 and s4O,OOO
 Beaver. Pa, reports that,two cofferdams at the new government dam just below Van Port have been swept away. with a considerable money damage and the loss of one life. John McSweency a stone mason, who had gone on the dam to get his tools, was caught in the crash and his body was swept away. Joseph Ledlic was rescued with much difficulty
 Now that the danger here seems to be avertcd, coal men are making preparations to get large quantity of coal to southern ports as soon as the ice has thinned suffi- ciently, which will probably be about Thursday.