The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-02-27
RIVERS FLOOD VICTIMS
Rising Of the Ohio Causes Great
Devastation.
THE WATERS NOW sUBsIDINa.

About Cincinnati Thousands of worlsmeu
Have Been Driven from Their Labors
and Many Families Imprisoned In the
Upper Stories of Their Homes.
Cincinnati, Feb. 27.-What seems un.
precedented in the present Ohio river
aood is it's persistence at certain stages.
1t became stationary at s o'clock yes
terday morning, 81 feet Q inches, and
at 8 o'clock last night was unchanged.
having remained 13 hours at that
stage.
At present the condition of the peo-
pie driven from home by the foods is
pitiable. With the mercury at 25. and
steadily falling, their suffering in
creases. Outside of the regular charity
organization. and the police force.
there has been no provision for the as
sistance of those sufferers except such
as is rendered by their immediate
neighbors.
Beginning up the river, the village of
California Is flooded. Its houses look
like so many islands rising from out Of
a sea. From Fort Thomas a grand
view Of this flood can be had. and II
looks. appalling in extent, with farms
flooded and farmhouses peering above
the water Coming down to the east
corporation line of Cincinnati the first
submergency is at Columbia. Here
many families are driven to the upper
stories, and many are driven clear out
of their homes. At Pendleton, next
below Columbia, the situation is still
worse, owing to the great extent OF
the submerged district. In both these
suburban wards the flood invaded
many factories and stopped work.
over in Newport the seven inch rise
since dark Thursday night very great
ly increased the suffering. Not only
the upper part of Newport, but that
portion lying between the Ohio and
Licking rivers, is seriously affected.
Water from few inches to six feet
deep covers this region to within two
squares of the court house. Grounds
occupied by the old Newport barracks
are deep under water. In Covlngton.
along the immediate river front houses
are submerged. while farther up town
cellars are filled with water. Most of
these houses are business, ware or
storehouses, or factories. This oondl-
tion exists along the whole river front
of Covington, while at West Covington
a number Of families are driven from
dwelling houses.
Ludlow, KY, and Bromley are In
much worse condition than they were
Thursday night. Water covers the
great dam at Ludlow Lagoon, and the
surface Of the lake and that of the
river are united. How a break in this
dam can be prevented when the waters
subside is puzzling those who have
large amount of capital invested in
that resort. At the western extremity
of the city. beginning with North
Bend and coming up through Coal
City, Fern Bank, Riverside, Delphi,
Sedamsvile and Storrs township, at
the mouth Of Mill creek, there is an
unbroken scene of desolation and dis
tress, homes vacated. people fed from
boats in upper stories Of houses shops
and factories silenced, row boats car
rying provisions and moving goods and
families, and wagons with horses neck
deep In water.
All along the river front of Gincin-
natl, from Mill Lock to the little Miami
railroad depot, the water extends in
most places to second stories, and In
some places nearly to Pearl street,
while 1t floods nearly all Pearl street
cellars. This district includes nearly
all the commission houses, the coal
elevators, except one, and many factor
les. But the greatest damage and in
convenience in Cincinnati were in Mill
Creek valley, from the Ohio river to
Cumminsville. a distance Of six miles.
Some fear is felt for the safety of ]
houses on the river front, against |
which steamers and every description
of river craft are humping with each |
Of the waves. Organlza-
ton for the relief of suffering, which, |
owing to the cold weather, is intense,
will probably be made in Cincinnati to-
day.
All points above here report the river |
falling fast. Immediately below Gin |
it is either stationary or reced- |
ing slowly. At Cincinnati last night, |
from s to o'clock, the river fell |
quarter of an inch, making a Begin
ming of Subsdence, |