The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-02-25
SUBSIDING AT PITTSBURG.
Damage i'm the MOnOngahela Valley
Will Reach About $1,5OO,OOO.

PITTSBCRG, Feb. 24.-The great flood
has done it's worst in this section and the
waters are now receding. A cold wave,
which came up suddenly, broke the back
bone of the flood and the reports from all
points between Pittsburg and the head
waters this morning indicate that all danger
has passed. The rivers in this vicinity
reached a higher stage than at any time
since 1884. The Monongahela registered 20
feet inches. and the Allegheny 80 feet 8
inches about midnight and, after remaining
stationary for several hours. began slowly
TO recede. The public safety and charity
departments Of the two cities are doing
everything possible TO alleviate suffering
Provisions and coal have already been PIX
vided for many people in the flooded dis-
tricts who are unable to get away from
their homes.
The railroads are but slowly recovering
from the effects of the flood and the ofii-
cials have not yet had an opportunity to
foot up losses as result of the raging
waters and the delay caused Travel is
still badly interrupted and in some Instances
morrow the roads. it is expected, Will be
in fairly good shape again, although it
will require some little time to effaee the
still in badly crippled condition, but with
the aid of the Pennsylvania Railroad, is
fh, 10 3a,a aGe3,nodate IT'S tnave al
ruption. The tracks of the main line in
the vicinity of Cumberland have been
washed away in several places, and the
water is running over the roadbed five or six
feet in depth, although il is rapidly reced-
ing, having been twice that depth last
night. BY Tomorrow. the water will have
gone down so that the tracks can be re-
paired. The Fairmont division is tied up in
very bad shape. washouts being numerous
and the rails under water in many places.
af ffar ha HrSt llqh r N
| TO reach the city from the East since Mon
day morning arrived at the Baltimore &c
way of the Pennsylvania Railroad. by
which route travel has again been eStab-
| lished. although the trains will be from six
| to eight hours late.
Hardly point i'm the Monongahela valley
| from Fairmont 10 Plttsburg escaped dam
age by the Hood and in many places the
| high water mark was covered Mills built
| supposedly out Of harms way. were sub
| merged Works along the river were shut
| down and workmen forced To flee from the
rising tide. The damage only he ap-
proximated but IL is not less than a million
| and a half i'm the Monongahela valley.
| From the headwaters of the Youghiogheny
| also came a torrent that brought with il
| destruction 10 valuable property. Beneath
| several feet of muddy water and debris
there are millions of dollars worth of valu-
able machinery. What ruin has been
wrought cannot be told until the waters
recede. Private houses built In the low
lands in the suburbs have been flooded in
some instances within foot of the second
story windows. The poorer classes, who
| lived in small houses and shanties along
| the rivers bank. some of them only few
| feet above low water mark. have been
made utterly homeless. while the truck gar
| dcners having hot beds in the bottom lands
with early vegetables almost ready FOR the
market. have been ruined. In McKeesport
the damage will exceed 500 0c0 Crooked
creek. which in former high waters has
been a harmless stream. rose To an unpre-
cedented height. causing destruction to
meadow lands for three miles back In the
country.
In this city the water covered Duqueshe
way from Ninth street 10 the Point.
Steamboats, were moored but n few feet
from the entrance 10 the Hotel Boyer. and
| the exposition buildings were completely
surrounded by water. On the North Side
| allegheny over three thousand people
were cooDed up in the second stories OF
/ their homes all last night prisoners their
! only means Of escape being by boat. With