The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-02-24
HAVOC an PiTTsBURG.
Flood There Expected to Equal the
D.snNfrOuS Overflow Of 1871.

PITTSBURG. Feb. 23.-The flood now
raging here will probably equal the great
flood of 1884. which measured thirty-four
feet. 1t is impossible to estimate the dam
age the present rise is doing but half a mill
lion dollars will be putting it mildly TO
Pittsburg and Allegheny alone All OF the
low lands in the vicinity of either of the
rivers have been submerged since noon, and
it is not expected that the flood will cease
increasing until midnight.
More than ten thousand men have been
made idle by the rise. many of the mills
located on the banks of the streams.
The water has invaded the heart of the city
and flooded cellars and stopped traffic in
many places, notably Sixth and Market
street popular thoroughfares. A large part
of Allegheny has apparently been blotted
out, and the Exposition Park, where the
League bail games are played has van
fshed exposing u slight fence line. Many
people are made homeless along the banks
of the Allegheny river the shore is espe-
cially low along River avenue and Robinson
street Allegheny, and both thoroughfares
are thickly populated.
Beginning at Brownsville, on the Monon-
gahela river. California, Monogahela City
Charleroi. east and west of Elizabeth Port
View, Mckeesport, Turtle Creek, Bessemer
and many smaller hamletS have beer in
undated or partially so. causing much suf-
fering. The distress of the people the night
before was awful, as many fled to the hills
and remained there all night in the rain and
cold rather than trust to their homes.
The coal and coke tipple of Brown & Co.
fell with crash above the bridge of the
Wheeling division of the Baltimore & Ohio
Railroad at o'clock. and a fleet of eighty
coal boats and barges were cut loose from
their moorngs completely blocking the
channel from bank to bank, threatening all
the craft for miles below. About half OF
the fleet were saved. Several of the trac-
tion lines in Allegheny City are tied UP to-
night.
The plants OF the Westinghouse Electric
Companys meter plant and machine shops
at East Pittsburg, covering acres of
ground, are all under water caused by the
backing up of Turtle creek Hundreds of
houses are also under water from this
cause. The Exposition building is COM
pletely surrounded by water. Oliver Wire
and Nall Company's plant Dilworth Spike
Company's works. Finch's distillery, Mo-
nongahela Iron and Steel Company Key
stone rolling mill, part of Jones & Laugh
Inns Howe Iron Company. Schoenberger's
a score of plants up the Monongahela valley
have been compelled to shut down. The
United Coke and Chemical plant, at Glass
| port, just been completely hidden and prob
ably ruined involving $500, ,000 loss.
Later-At 1 o'clock this wednesday,
| morning the river is almost stationary and
the worst is believed to be over The dam
| age along the Monongahela valley is esti-
mated at not less than million and a half
| of dollars. In McKeesport alone the dam
age will exceed 500 O0O The flood there
| rose to "A height that broke all records. pre-
| venting the running OF cars on Fifth ave-
| nue. the main thoroughfare of the city
| whic: at one place i'm the Sixth ward was
under four feet of water. Crooked creek
| empties into the Monongahela near this
point The plant of the Illuminating Gas
! Company. near the foot OF Walnut street.
/ was Hooded ana as Il matter OF safety the
| residences are concerned the town in
/ darkness last night. In the works OF the
! Dewcs- Wood Company. manufacturers of
| sheet iron there was over $500 900 worth of
! finished product i'm the old warehouse.
/ which was partly submerged. The mills
/ were also flooded and great damage done to
+ the machinery. At the Market-street side
Il OF the mill and on Blackberry alley, as well
as on Second avenue. dwelling houses were
Hooded TO above the washboards on the first
| floor. On Third avenue. near the approach
10 the Suspension bridge crossing the