The herald., 1898-03-25
CAUSE DAMAGE NEARING THE
! MILLION MARK
THE WATER IS NOW RECEDING
Trafic Il Paralyzed and Railroad
Bridges by the Dozen Washed
Out-No Lives Lost
Associated Press Special Wire


den and decided fall in temperature
checked the rise in the headwater
streams this morning and the effect Of
this was soon apparent in the rivers
here. After reaching 30 feet the waters
began to recede rapidly.
The swell, while not quite eQualing the
flood of 1891, was the most destructive
one since the ever-memorable gale of
February, 1884. The financial loss will
run UP into the hundreds of thousands.
Thousands Of workmen have been tenn
porarily thrown out Of employment, the
aggregate of the wages they lose prob
ably exceeding the direct loss on prop
erty.
All the lowlands of the two cities are
under water and it will be week or more
before business in the sections visited
by the freshet has resumed its normal
conditions.
The major part of the floods devas-
tation is above Pittsburg, on the Allie
cheney river. In Sharpsburg, Millsville
and Aetna there were many bad wash
outs.
All the railroads centering in Pitts
burg and Allegheny were crippled, es-
pecially the Pittsburg and Western, and
West Pennsylvania roads. Operations
on these two roads are practically sus-
pended and may not be resumed for
week.
No loss of life has been reported, but
many narrow escapes from drowning
were experienced by those who live in
the flooded districts.
In Pittsburg the inundated district
includes the lower portions Of Fort,
First, Second Third, Fourth and Fifth
streets and parts of Seventh, Eighth
and Ninth streets.
The deepest water covers that part of
the city at the point where six hundred
families are living. Many of these were
shut in by two and three feet of water.
Every cellar and basement north of
Pennsylvania avenue, from Water street
and along Water street, Is filled with
water.
The Exposition building is submerged
and the damage will be at least $50,000.
On the South Side, the warehouses, fac
tories and mills along the entire river
front were under several feet of water
and operations completely suspended.
On Mexican street, where large num-
ber of Polish families live, the water is
nearly up to the second floors and the
occupants of the houses are going to and
from their houses in boats.
On the Allegheny side the water COW
cred the streets two blocks back and
extended for miles up the river. There
Is a total suspension of work at all the
mills along the Allegheny river.
At most Of the mills the shut down was
caused by the water coming up through
sewers and stopping machines where a
stream of water is kept constantly run
ming for cooling iron. The loss will be
greater to thousands of employees who
are idle, than to the employers as very
little damage will be done to the machin-
cry by the water.
Freight traffic on the roads going west
Is completely paralyZed. Not for twenty
five years has the Allegheny Valley
Road been struck so hard by stress of
weather. Since Tuesday evening no
trains have been run north of Kittan-
ing. The officials expect to have the line
opened throughout this evening. There
are large landsldes and washoutS near
Foxburg and other points near Oil City
The scene along the Pittsburg and
Western Railroad is one Of great devas-
tation. The highways are impossible
for wagon traffic. Railroad bridges are
washed out by the dozen and no trains
were run since Tuesday night George
w. Stillwagon, who has charge of the
wrecking crews, said that he and his
men were never in more dangerous
position than they were in clearing the
track of the piles of debris and getting
a wrecking locomotive and train Of cars
on the tracks.
The roadbed sank in several places. 1t
will take weeks of labor to get the road
in good shape again. 1t will be several
days before temporary bridges can be
built to allow trains to pass over. The
flood and washouts represent a loss of
thousands of dollars The bridges at De
Haven and Glenshaw were rushed down
Pine Creek and tossed about like feath-
ers. Steel rails, pig iron and all the
available material along the road, were
snapped up to weigh down the bridges,
which are still standing
The streets of Glenshaw and Wittmer
are completely submerged, and the fami-
lies living in the valley are in a state of
terror. Many were trying to get to the
hills in boats and RATS, taking what fur
niture they could with them. Everybody
feared that the catastrophe of last year
would be repeated, when several lives
were lost. Cattle and horses were
floundering about in the stables and in
the streets, sending forth plaintive cries
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