Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-03-26

places of safety. The only noticeable
losses were out-buildings and fences,
which were upturned or carried away
for short distances. The fact that a
higher stage Of water was expected
than what came was an additional in
fuence for people to get ready Every
person, as far as can be learned, was
prepared for the water when it came
into their houses and places of bust
ness, and some moved who were not
at all reached by the water.
Of course. the flood was loss of
time and business, but very little actual
damage to property was reported on
the South Side or in Benwood. At the
B. & o. station just south of Wheel
ing creek, the water carried away a
small portion of the upper part OF the
platform, which was recovered The
entire platform was lifted up to the
level of the water, but settled back
into it's place as the water left. Both
the B. & o. bridges across the creek
had cars of iron and coal on them,
and were prevented from being lifted
by the upward force of the water.
Loaded cars had also been placed on
the Panhandle bridge running into
the freight depot, but this precautlon
was not taken with the other Pewlky
bridge. and the wooden structure was
torn loose from its moorings and raised
about four feet above the level of the
track. Chief Bridge Inspector Span
gler, of the B. & O., was inspecting
that company's two bridges yesterday
afternoon, and refused to permit any
of the ballast to be removed until the
water was on level with the track.
The superintendent of the Pittsburg
division of the B. & o. was also in
town yesterday inspecting the condi-
ton of the road here.
A force of twenty-five men were at
work cleaning the tracks of debris
and getting them and the station into
condition for service. The highest
point reached by the water in the sta
ton was five inches. At the Wheeling
Stamping Works, just below, the water
invaded the press department on the
first floor to the depth Of Is inches,
but all the ware on this floor had
been moved and the depth of water
was not high enough to injure the
presses and other machinery. The eel
lar of the Warwick pottery was en-
tered but no damage done Both Hoff-
mans and Vogler's tanneries were
flooded On the first floor, but all stun
on the ware floors had been removed,
and beyond entering the watts the
water did no damage. The Belmont
mill was flooded several feet deep and
the blast furnace compelled to shut
down, after a long run. Except some
hands in the clay department OF the
Wheeling pottery, the plant was sus-
pended by the water coming in the
basement and engine room from Chap
line street.
The water, of course, did not reach
the La Belle MILL but it shut down
entirely Wednesday night on account
of the gas giving out The water did
not come in on the first floor of the
Bloch tobacco factory, as the ground
is unusually high around this and the
street car power house, but the
water coming through the under
ground pipes running from the engine
room caused both to shut down. The
water did not enter any of the South
Side churches or school houses except
in the Easements. 1t lacked about five
inches of coming in on the floor OF
the Eighth ward annex. The Wesley
M. E. and Third Presbyterian
churches escaped, as in 1891, with
water in the cellars. At Benwood, as
previously stated, both the Wheeling
iron and steel works and the Riverside
were flooded and every building in
town. Some inconvenience was caused
on the South Side Wednesday night by
the people being deprived of gas and
electric lights after eight O'Clock. AS
the water receded the people COM
menced to clean up and move back
into their homes.