Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-03-25

Oil iuiAhCl vi utDllS anu lUDGtch.
Mud, Of course, is everywhere, and
the thing to do with it is to get it
out of the houses as the water leaves.
When the water on the first floors drops
to two or three inches little agitation
with broom will remove every trace
of mud when the water goes, and in
cidentally will afford good exercise
after a day or two of rest. There
will be
PLENTY OF WORK
for carpenters on both the Island
and South Side. In the Seventh ward
many fences are out of whack or
down, and probably five hundred out
buildings have been upset or swept
away. The actual damage to building
structures is Insignificant, the only
loss being a porch or pair Of outside
steps here and there, but wherever
water entered houses-and it was in
hundreds-wall paper and painting is.
of course, damaged, and some furni-
ture which could not be or was not
moved has suffered The loss from
this sort of thing will not amount to
great deal in many individual in
stances, but in the aggregate it will be
large-just how large, it is impossible
TO state at this time. The loss to the
business men for the most part CON
sists in the interruption to business
and the expenses of removing goods
and carting them back. The actual
loss of goods and merchandise amounts
to little or nothing for diligent inquiry
yesterday failed to reveal anything of
this sort worth mentioning. in many
cases business men will be enabled to
get goods back on their first floors
by this afternoon and tomorrow
lower Main street and South street will
be in very fair shape again, and by
Monday business will be
PROCEEDING ACTIVELY
on the usual lines
Last evening, Notwithstanding many
people were prisoners in their houses,
thousands were on the streets. and
Main street, as far south as Twelfth,
and Market to Sixteenth were crowded,
About the postoffice there were always
two or three hundred ladies ami
gentlemen, looking aimlessly at
the water Or gossipping with
one another, while other ia
vorite resorts were Main and Twelfth
streets, and Water street north Of the
Windsor Hotel, where a narrow strip
of dry sidewalk afforded a point Of
vantage for view of the raging
river The river bridges were the
great points of interest, however, and
more cash was taken in at the toll
houses than for many a day. AS a
toll-keeper remarked, however there
l.. IN, hn
crowds
By eight o'clock last evening the
water had receded about an inch, and
two hours later had dropped a total
Of three inches, OF to A feet 1 inches.
The recession was observed with
great deal of satisfaction, and people
watched the fall with even more inter
est than they did the rise. BY this
morning at daylight the water should
be off two feet from the high point,
and by this evening the
STREETS WILL BE CLEAR,
and the Island and South Side people
can get to their homes once more
without resorting to skiffs.
One incident of the flood in the bust
ness part of town was the immense
number of rats which were driven
from their homes in sewers and cell
lars by the rising water. All during
Wednesday night the rodents could be
seen swimming about the streets, seek
ing places of safety, and many must
have been drowned and many more
were killed At the Pan Handle
freight Office the men on watch at the
building killed many rat yesterday
1t was understood last ngiht that the
Intelligencer this morning would con-
tain an elaborate argument to the eff
feet that there really was As feet 6
inches of water-this in partial justi-
fication of the break of yesterday
morning. The Intelligencer never did
agree with the City Engineer
THE ONLY HOUSE
known to have been swept away was a
small frame owned by NJ. L. Etzler
and located on South Huron street. 1t
was a one-story structure, and had
been occupied by a colored family be-
fore the water came up. Some Island
houses, situated on exceptionally low
ground. had water clear to the top OF
the first stories, and in one or two IN
stances observed yesterday the build
ings appeared to be somewhat the
worse for the inundation, but slight
repairs will make everything snug
again.
Yesterday Mayor Butts and Chief
Bennett took the precaution to enquire
whether or not public relief measures
we're necessary. Officers made
a careful search Of the entire flooded
district and as a result the conclusion
was reached that there was no pres
ont suffering which could not be met
through the ordinary channels. II the
contrary is ascertained to-day or mere
after, there will be prompt response
TO any appeal made.