The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-03-24
OHIO VALLEY OVERLOOKED
DISASTROUS FLOODS THE RE-
suit OF RECENT RAINS
Damage to a Total of Many Hun
Ohio, PennsyIvania and Indiana
People Homeless at Various
moralized or Handicapped.


Points and Railway Traffic Is De-
mOralized or Handicapped.
DELAWARE, O., March 23-It is re-
ported that the village Of Waldo, north
OF here, has been washed out of exist
ence, but the report cannot be con-
firmed as all communications with
Waldo is cut off,
GAINESVILLE O., March 23-The
number of lives lost here by the flood
Is still matter Of conjecture, although
1t Will not reach the original estimate
when 1T was reported that fifty people
were missing. The only bodies so far
and John Leach, drowned in their
homes before being rescued. The work
or rescue Is going on all night.
CINCINNATI, o., March ga re-
markable flood is filing the Ohio river
1t is peculiar in that from Wheeling to
Cairo no tributary on the left bank
OF the river makes the slightest con-
trlbut1on to this great freshet Had the
1npour of waters from streams on the
left bank been equal to that Of those
on the right the flood would have
equalled that Of 1884, perhaps surpass-
ed 1t. The stage of water at Pittsburg
is phenomenal
There has been steady rain here
since last Saturday, during which tlme
246 inches have fallen a, this point. Of
which four fifths of an inch fell within
the last thirty-siX hours. News from
central points in Indiana and from
Springfield. Troy, Urbana and Zanes-
vile. indicate fall Of from three and
a half to four and a half inches at
these places with one-half the precip1-
tation within the last thirty-six hours
Nearly all railroads in central and
southern Ohio are either crippled or
totally disabled for the present. All
over Ohio and Indiana, except perhaps
IN the extreme northern parts, railroad
traffic is demoralized
The Muskingum, the Licking, the
Scloto and the two Miami rivers in
Ohio seem likely to break their record
from source to mouth for high stages
OF water, and for damage and destruc-
ton.
Reports from Indiana indicate that
the same may be said Of rivers and
streams in that state.
Tonight at Cincinnati with the mer-
curry at 40 degrees, driZZling rain Is
falling and the clouds are threatening
The stage Of the river at 9 o'clock to-
night was forty-seven feet and six
inches, rise of nine inches in the
last three hours. 1t will be over fifty
feet by day light and without further
rain will probably reach f1fty-five feet.
GAINESVILLE, O., March 23-Since
midnight Muskingum and Licking rlv-
ers have risen fifteen feet, and all the
Eighth ward and parts of four other
wards are submerged. -Four thousand
people have been driven from their
homes and very few Of them have
saved any of their household effects.
There have hppr q nf
escapes, and more than fifty persons
are missing. .ls~s
COLUMBUS. O.. March 23.-The
Cleveland division Of the Big -Four rail-
way and the south line of the Colum-
bus, Sandusky & Hooking were the
only two of fifteen railroads here that
could move trains out Of the city to-
day.
1t seems to be settled that the sys-
tenn of levees which protected the West
side Of the city against ordinary floods
are gone. People were slow in moving
out or up stairs. There are 1,500 or
1000 Of them on upper floors of dwell
ines situated in an artificial lake
AT 10 o'clock tonight the danger from
the flood in this city and vicinity had
passed, the water in the Scioto river
having fallen about three feet.
STEUBENVILLE, o., March 2o.-The
Ohio river has reached a higher stage
here tonight than at any time since
1884. The mark shows forty feet, five
more feet is expected. Fully thirty
families have abandoned their homes.
Delaware, O., March 23.-The flood
which began last night contiued to-
day, torrents Of water pouring through
the business streets. Four squares of
business houses are under water and
stock is either damaged or completely
ruined.