The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-03-04
Threatening ice C0RCES
Flood Surpasses Any Former One in
Allegheny Valley.
GREAT DAMAGE WILL FOLLOW
Water Falling ut Williamsport-philadel.
phia and Eric Railroad Tracks Sub.
mcrged-Turkey Hill Threatened.
Moisture at Wilkes. Barre.
BY the United Press.

BY the United Press.
Pittsburg, Pa, March S.-Reports
from up the Allegheny river tonight
show that the large ice gorges at and
above Kittanning have not yet moved
out, and there does not appear to be
enough water in the river to bulge the
ice. The people at Kittanning and 9TH
er towns above, where the gorges are
expected to break, anXiously patrolled
the streets today waiting for the up
heaval which seems bound to come at
any minute. but all agree tonight that
there is not enough water to move the
large body of ice and this has some
what diminished the strain.
A dispatch from Templeton says that
when the residents there arose this
morning they heard crushing, roar
ing sound and large gorge. ten miles
in length. was moving by. The former
gorge that passed there had become so
deeply imbedded in Pearls Eddy, three
miles below Templeton. that today's
gorge could not force its way through,
but commenced climbing high in the
air and down to the bottom of the
river, almost entirely closing the wa
ter's course. The flood surpasses any
former one in the history of the valley
the water being five feet higher than
the flood of 1865. Several houses are
inundated and the ice is piled up to the
roof in several places.
Nothing has ever equaled the pres
ent gorge. If the present state of af-
fairs continues down the river when the
gorge goes out the towns of Kittanning
and Ford City will surely be swept off
the earth. A Kittanning dispatch says
the ice broke a mile above Ford City
today and passed down the river. No
damage was done except by overflow.
This clears the river from Ford City to
Pittsburg a distance of forty miles,
and is great relief to the people. I'm
less the weather is such that it will
thaw out these large gorges gradually,
great damage will surely follow when
the final break takes place.
Railroad Tracks Submerged.
Williamsport, Pa. March 8. The
gorge which formed in the river west of
here now extends from the head of the
Lock Haven boom to Ferney, and prom
ises to stay there. The gorge at Lin
den remains intact. Reports received
from all points west of here state that
the stream and it's tributaries are prac-
tically clear of ice to the head of the
gorge al Ferney, and the water is fall
ing.
The Philadelphia and Erie railroad
tracks for five miles east of Ferney,
are covered with from ten inches to
three feet Of water A work train is
following the rear of the gorge and
clearing the tracks as fast at the water
recedes. No trains have passed west of
Lock Haven since Friday. 1t is expected
the road will be clear tomorrow
Wilkes-Barre, Pa, March 3.-The Sus-
quehanna river in this city is bank full
and still rising. The ice began to move
this morning and at o'clock this after
noon gorged near Nanticoke. One span
of the traction company's new bridge
crossing the river at Buttonwood was
carried away.
At o'clock tonight the flats on the
west side of the river are inundated
and traffic between here and Kingston
Is cut off. The water Is twenty feet
above low water mark.
Harrisburg Pa, March 3.-The ice on
the Susquehanna river broke up yester-
day morning. 1t gorged above Colum-
bia and commenced to raise at the rate
of five inches a minute, but broke after
awhile and flowed on down below
Columbia, between Turkey Hill and
Marietta, where 1t gorged in a small
channel. Turkey Hill is threatened with
inundation. The river here is rising
slightly.
Columbia, Pa, March 3.-The Susaue-
hanna at this place is free of ice, but
the river below is still jammed solid
At Washington borough the lower part
of the town Is threatened with inunda-
tion and the tracks of the Columbia
and Port Deposit railroad are covered
with great masses of ice.
Four trains are blocked at Safe Har-
Dor, unable to move either way. Ad.
vices from further down the river show
no change in the situation.
Port Deposit Flooded.
Port Deposit, Md, March 3.-The ic,
gorge in the Susquehanna Just abov,
this town broke at noon today and tn,
idhioau anu streets along
river front were flooded to depth OF
several feet. The congregations in al
the churches were dismissed, many o.
the worshipers in the Presbyterian
church being compelled to make thei
exit through the windows. Another
gorge soon formed and the backwatel
ran off. AT o'clock the second breal
came. 1t proved more disastrous tina,
the first. The water rose four feet II
five minutes. Several houses wer,
moved from their foundations, fences
and outbuildings we're carried away
and many person took their household
goods out of the upper windows ant
moved them to higher ground. Tele
graph lines have been broken down
and the Port Deposit and Columbii
railroad tracks month of the town ar
covered with ice and debris to a deptl
of from five to fifteen feet. The peopl
are fearful of much higher stage o
water, and are moving their effect
to places of safety.