Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1897-03-01
WATERS ARE RECEDING.
Damage Already Done, However,
Runs Far Into the
Millions.

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 Of the flood and the reports
from all points between Pittsburg and
the headwaters this morning indicate
that all danger has passed. The rivers
in this vicinity reached a higher stage
than at any time since 1884. The Mo
nongahela registered % feet 6 inches
and the Allegheny 80 feet inches about
midnight, and after remaining stationary
for several hours began slowly to recede.
At 10 o'clock this morning the water
had fallen one foot and from now on it
will subside almost as rapidly as it rose.
Hardly q point in the Monongahela val
ley from Fairmont to Pittsburg escaped
damage by the flood and in many places
the high water mark was covered. Mills
built supposedly out of harms way were
inundated. Works along the river were
shut down and Workmen forced to flee
from the rising tide. The damage can
only be approximated, but it is not less
than $1,500,0C0 in the Monongahela val
ley From the head waters of the Youghio-
gheny also came torrent that brought
with it destruction to valuable property.
Railroads were unable to move trains,
in some places the tracks being so far be-
low the surface that the tops of gondola
cars were only visible. The Pittsburg,
McKeesport & Youghiogheny was entire
ly disabled, while, the trolley lines along
the river banks were SO badly wrecked
that it will be several days before opera
lions can be resumed Beneath several
feet of muddy water and debris there
are millions of dollars worth of valuable
machinery What ruin has been wrought
cannot be told until the waters recede.
priv 10 hY1il% @hn low lor dc in
the suburbs have been flooded, some in
stances within a foot of the second-story
windows, and are in danger of being
twisted from their foundations.
The poorer classes, who lived in small
houses and shanties along the river bank,
some Of them only a few feet above low
water mark. have been made utterly
homeless, while the truck gardeners hav-
ing lctbeds in the bottom lands with ear
ly vegetables about ready for the market
have been ruined.
IN McKeesport the damage. will exceed
mer high waters has been harmless
stream, rose to an unprecedented height,
causing destruction to meadow lands for
three miles back in the country.
In this city the steamboats, were
moored but a few feet from the entrance
buildings were completely surrounded by
water. On the north side Allegheny
over 1000 people were cooped up in the
second stories of their homes all night,
prisoners, their only means of escape be-
ing by boat. Without fire or food they
received chunks Of bread and coffee and
coal handed through their second-story
windows by policemen in patrol boats
instead of wagons. On Craig, Robin
son, School. Rebecca, Lacook, Ann, Cor
~, Kilbuck and Darragh streets and
South avenue, the water stood as high as
the knobs on the doors
Railroads Bothered at Cincinnati.
Cincinnati, O., Feb. 24.-The presence
of destructive flood is felt here very
positively today. While estimates have
heretofore limited the flood to 60 feet,
the developments of today begin to make
it appear that that figure will be exceed
ed. One of the evidences of the foods
presence is the effect upon the railroads.
The incoming passengers on roads that
use the Grand Central depot were COM
PEELED to debark at the Eighth street
electric street car line made the change
less troublesome. The G. & O., how
ever, has it's Fourth street station, which
is far above any possible Hood. The G..
II. & D. and Pennsylvania tracks are
not likely to be involved.
Up the Mill Greek valley one of the
saddest sights is the utter destruction of
the vast areas Of hotbeds where innu-
merable vegetable gardeners earn their
living All the labor of weeks and
months is destroyed and after the waters
subside long time will ensue before
their slender income can be re-estab
lishcd. Many gardeners view the desc
lation from their houses, which are ac-
cessible now only by boats.
At IL o'clock the stage was 80 feet
II inches and in the next half hour it
had risen TO 81 feet Over in Newport,
Ky. the food has stopped many mann
featuring establishments and has flooded
the houses OF numerous families. Street
car communication between it and Belle
yue and Dayton has been stopped and
passengers are transferred in fiat boats.
In Covington the low-lying houses are
being deserted.
Great anxiety has been felt and still
continues at Lawrenceburg, Ind, where
during the food of 1884 the water ran
through the Main street and carried
away many houses. Since then big
levee has been built for the protection of
the city. Fears that the levee will break
last nights wind kept half the town
awake. A force of men patrolled the
levee all night No break occurred.
Portsmouth, O., Feb 24.-It is expect
ed that by noon half of the city will b.
under water. The river is So feet 5
inches and rising, one and half inches
per hour. About 1000 families have been
compelled to move. Many houses are
completely covered and have foated
Ashland, Ky, Feb. 24.-James Nor
gan. wife and child are reported drowned
in the overflow Of Beaver creek in Floyd
county.
GAMO GETS HIS DIVORCE.