Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-03-26
THE MAXIMUM REACHED.
River Is Slowly Receding at Sisters
vile, Marietta and ParkerShurg.
The Losses Will Reach Millions Of
Dollars When Business Delays
and the Closing Of Factories and
Other Enterprises Are Consider
ed-Many Houses Completely De-
Observation-Disclosures Caught in
Cars and Destroyed Not a Train
From Parkersbnrg Yesterday.
Special 10 the Register.

Special 10 the fteSlSter.
Parkersburg, w. Va, March Is
The great flood, which has lost to Par
kersburg hundreds of thousands of dol
lars, reached its highest point tonight
at 1880, AZ feet inches.
Not train has arrived or departed
from the city to-day. All trains from
the east are delayed at Kanawha Sta
ton on account of the washing cut Of
a fill. The track is covered with water
and work of repairing is almost impos-
sibie until the river falls.
A large frame house, evidently a
new one, passed down floating on the
Ohio. 1t is not known where it came
from. There were no signs of life
about it. A number of smaller build
ings also passed down during the day.
Fifteen car loads of merchandise
were caught in the Ohio River rail-
road yards and are lost. Cars and
houses have piled up against the Balti-
more & Ohio bridge and Ohio River
shops in one confused mass, and the
suburb of Riverside above here is al
most swept clear of residences. L
More than 1,C00 families are home
less and many have lost all their earth
ly possessions.
The Daily Morning News Office. in
the basement of the city building, is
partly submerged, the water being
nearly a foot deep on the floor, and
the street in front Of the Hotel jack
son and Blennerhassett are covered
with water.
At many points between this city
and Grafton the Baltimore G Ohio is
submerged, and the engine and pay car
in attempting to get through to-day
left the track near Walker Station.
The car broke loose from the engine,
but the engine overturned and is ia
several feet OF water. All the crew
escaped.
The flood has caused a great deal Of
damage at Wtlliamstown. A large por-
ton OF the town is submerged. The
big trestle on the Ohio River railroad
between the shops and this city gave
way to-day.
1t is difficult to estimate the loss by
the flood. The loss Of time and stop
page Of business, damage to goods and
other matters enter in the aggregate.
Those upon whom the loss falls heav-
lest are the poor people of the sub
merged districts.
The churches and all public build
ings are filled with unfortunates and
the suffering when the waters recede
will be terrible, as hundreds Of the
homes of the unfortunates have been
entirely destroyed, and on account Of
the scarcity of homes, many will be
unable to obtain places Of shelter at
any price.
A large section of track of the Bal
timore & Ohio at hanawha Station
has been washed away. and the mills
and factories on the kanawha are
heavy losers.
The Kanawha rushed out to-day and
was full of timber and debris. The re-
port from headwaters is to the effect
that that stream is receding
Belpre, O., opposite here, is almost
entirely submerged and the loss to the
town is enormous.
Nears Island is completely flooded
The several families living on Sthe
Island have moved their furniture into
the second stories Of their dwellings.
Their horses, cattle and stock have
been placed upon barge and are liv-