The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-02-07
ON LEHIGH AND JUNIATA.
Great Damage to Property at bethlehem
Allentown and Elsewhere


Bethlehem, Pa, Feb. 6.-Monocacy
creek has overhowed it's banks from
the slate regions to it's outlet here and
wrought damage which cannot be esti-
! mated tonight. The wires are down
and all communication with the slate
regions Is cut OF and a report that
there was a cloud burst at Wind Gap,
twenty miles from here. cannot be
verified. The tracks of the Lehigh and
Lackawanna railroad parallel the
creek and have been washed at many
places. Bridges here and at Saylors-
burg and Bath have been torn away.
All traffic has been at a standstill since
10 o'clock this morning. Here. where
the creek empties into the Lehigh,
Vineyard and Canal streets are inun-
dated.
Upwards Of 200 families have either
deserted their homes or have taken
refuge on the second floors. These
thoroughfares were flooded In ten min
utes and nothing could be saved from
cellars or first floors. The occupants
are most all of the poorest class and
the loss will fall heavily on them. So
far as is known no lives have been
lost.
After rising to the height Of twelve
feet above low water mark in four
hours. and backing water into Monoc-
acy creek. the Lehigh river began fall
ing at 3 o'clock tonight and put an
end to all the fears and apprehensOns
of further loss Of property. Both
streams have begun to fall at the rate
of half foot az hour and no further
| damage Is expected. The damage will
amount to many thousands Of dollars.
Al Easton aud Allentown.
Easton. Pa. Feb. Sowing to the
heavy rains the rivers in this vicinity
! are overfiowing their banks and caus-
| ing lots of damage. The Bushkill val
ley Is inundated and several dams
have burst. G. q. Rice's slaughter
house at this place was washed away.
carrying with I quantities of lard and
smoked meats.
At Bangor. this county, Martins
creek. which runs through the town.
has risen and covered the bridges cut
ting off travel in the town. The bridges
are expected to fall. Railroad traffic in
the slate regions has been abandoned
Allentown, Pa. Feb. Grain and
melting ice and snow caused a flood
here today so sudden and strong as to
do considerable damage. A large num-
ber of industries. including a wire mill,
! woolen mill, furniture factories. foiin-
dries. paint mill. SILK mill and bottling
establishment, were compelled TO shut
down this afternoon on account of their
easements and lower floors being flood
ed. Some Of the streets and trolley car
routes are 80 deeply under water as to
be useless. II the water rises much
! higher the city will be without electric
lights and power for the trolley cars
In one foundry all the moulds made for
the afternoons casting were destroyed.
The Lehigh river was rising this
evening at the rate OF foot an hour,
and, as rain is still falling and much
ice coming down stream. the worst is
not yet over.
Along the Juntata.
Newport. Perry County. Pa, Feb. G.
1T has rained heavily for twelve
hours. The Juniata river Is twelve
feet above low water mark and is rfs-
ing at the rate of a foot an hour. Gel
lars that have had no water in them
since the flood OF 1889 are now inun-
dated.
The trestle under the iron bridge. at
Second. street. across Buffalo creek,
has been carried away.