The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1898-03-26
DISASTROUS FLOODS.
Rivers in the Central West Higher
Than They Have Been for Years.

PITTsBuRG, March 23.-There have been
heavy rains in Western Pennsylvania, in Ohio.
West Virginia, Indiana, Illinois and other
states in the Central West for several days.
and tonight there are thousands Of persons in
danger of life and property by floods
kilograms received here from many points
indicate that the rivers and smaller streams
of these states have gone far beyond their
banks and have done thousands of dollars of
damage, besides causing loss of life and MAX
ing thousands of families homeless. In many
rver-valley towns the floods are reported to
be higher than the disastrous ones of 1891,
and fully as high as the still more disastrous
ones which occurred in the spring of 1884.
There are many cities and towns bordering
the banks Of the Ohio, the Monongahea, the
Miami, the Seioto, the Wabash, the Usage
and other broad streams, and in these popu-
lous centres there is much fear. Low-lying
houses are flooded, levees are breaking, troll
ley lines stopped, electric-light plants and
power houses damaged so that they are not in
operation. factories shut down by the high
waters, telephone and telegraph wires down,
b.idges swept away, and i'll hundreds of other
ways the storm driven waters are manifesting
their terrible power.
The scores of railroad lines linking these
towns are practically at a standstill. Wash.
outs, wrecked bridges and landslides make
progress impossible on many routes, and on
others the few trains that are running are
hours late.
In the farming lowlands the rivers are miles
wide, and the inhabitants, many of whom
have had to flee from their homes, are circling
about in boats, trying to save what they can
from the wreckage that is being swept down
stream. Wheat fields are flooded and rich
farming lands completely submerged
Local Forecaster Frank Rdway today said
"The Monongahela will likely rise to 80 feet
and the Allegheny to 81 feet, which will equal
the flood of 1891. The Ohio river below
Wheeling will reach a stage nearly as high as
the food of 1884,
About o clock this morning there was 4
sudden rise in the Allegany river. and a clean
sweep was made in Allegheny City on the
water front. All coal floats, coal boats,
Sbanty boats, RATS and everything ahoat were
swept away, wrecked or sunk, entailing loss
of many thousands of dollars. There were
many narrow escapes from drowning
AT Carbon, Pa, a Pittsburg and Western
freight train went through bridge weakened
by the food. Engineer Lake was killed and
Fireman Bradley fatally hurt.
At Dubois the water is higher than it has
been since the Johnstown flood Sabula
dam, about four miles above Dubois, is ex-
pected to break If it does many lives will
be lost.
Scores of families in the Turtle Creek Val
ley are leaving their houses. In many cases
the water has reached the second story win
dOws.
ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, March PA regu-
lar blizzard prevailed in st. Louis and vicin-
ity, extending down into Arkansas and part of
Illinois. The temperature shows drop of
forty eight degrees since yesterday. The
ground is covered with heavy. wet snow,
something unprecedented for this season of
the year. The heavy rains of the past few
days have caused all rivers in Missouri to rise
rapidly. The Usage and Gasconade especi-
ally, are pouring floods Of water into the
Missouri, which in turn flows into the Mis-
sissippi. The gauge here is "A feet higher
than yesterday. 1t is expected that by to-
morrow all lowlands on the Mississippi, as
far up as the mouth of the Illinois River, will
be under water AT St. Charles the Missouri
has risen at an alarming rate, threatening to
overflow a large area, covering the best farm
ing lands in the state.
Only few incoming trains reached Union
Station on time today. The delays were
caused by the washouts and landslides.
All the streams about Nashville, H., are
rising, and the Okaw River is on the ram
page. Wheat fields are flooded, and the bot
tom lands north of Covington are submerged,
the Okaw being FIVE miles wide at that point.