The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-03-06
UNDER WATER.
Capital of West Virginia Is
Nearly Submerged.
Flood Dashes Against the Walls
of the Capitol.
CITY IN DARKNESS.
Fires of Electric Light and Gas
Plants Extinguished.
WaterwOrks ParalyZed and
Great Distress Prevails.

Charleston, w. Va, March 6.-The
Kanawha valley has been visited by one
of the worst floods in local history
After several days of heavy rainfall
the Kanawha river in an unprecedent-
edly short time has covered almost the
entire valley. Charleston is almost en-
tfrely under water. Four feet surround
the state capitol. The mayor and lead
ing citizens have opened a relief sta
tion and are distributing provisions and
clothing among the sufferers.
Considerable damage has been caused
to the coal property along the kanawha
river. The Winifred coap tipple, dry
docks and dozen bargeS were swept
away about ten miles above Charles
ton. The Black Cat coal tippie, near
the east bank, was destroyed. Last
night the Waterworks, both gas plants.
electric light works were shut down,
and the city was left in darkness. Hun
dredS Of families are quartered in the
city building, capitol, court house and
other buildings. Much distress pre-
walls.
Considera BILE distance of the Kanawha
& Michigan railway between here and
Point Pleasant is under water, and it
will be four or five days before traffic
is resumed. The indications, however,
are that the flood has reached its
height.
EXTENSIVE RAINS.
Cincinnati, March 6.-During the last
two days there has been a heavy rain
fall, principally south and east of the
Ohio river, extending from below the
Kentucky river up to Morgantown, w.
Va. Two-thirds of Charleston, w. Va,
is under water. The river at that point
at this writing is forty-one feet, which
equals the highest previous record. The
United States engineer says it will like
ly reach one foot higher, making forty
two feet. On the north side of the Ohio
the streams are full, but not dangerous.
Above Parkersburg to the source of the
river the streams are high, but not at
all dangerous to the extent of those in
West Virginia and Kentucky.
The weather bureau at this point has
sent out danger signals to Point Pleas
ant, Catlettsburg and Portsmouth. The
heaviest rise is in the Great Kanawha,
but the Little Kanawha, the Big Sandy,
the Licking and the Kentucky rivers
are pouring in tremendous foods.
Nothing has yet been heard from the
Tennessee and Cumberland, but from
reports Of rainfall in the watershed of
these rivers it is presumed that they
are keeping pace with the rivers above
them on the left bank of the Ohio. A
saving clause in the situation is the fact
that everywhere south and east of the
Ohio river the weather is windy, clear
and cold. Still another condition favor
able to a comparatively slight flood in
the Ohio is the fact that the warm
weather of the ten days preceding this
storm melted all the snow in the noun
tains and the floods, therefore, have
been carried well down the river.
At all points on the Ohio river from
Gallipolis down to the Kentucky river
the Ohio is rising. At Catlettsburg,
where the Big Sandy comes in, it is
highest, forty-nine feet, and rising six
inches an hour. At Point Pleasant at
the south of the Kanawha, it is forty
one feet and rising six inches hourly.
At Portsmouth it is forty-eight feet and
rising rapidly.
There seems to have been a trough of
inf in mi
between the base of the Al1eghenies and
the Ohio river.
At Cincinnati the river is forty-eight
feet, and has been rising three inches
per hour for the last fifteen hours By
s o'clock tomorrow morning it is likely
to be fifty feet. Unless the floods in the
Tennessee and Cumberland rivers
should prove much greater than antici-
pated, and thus cause some back
water, the maximum stage here at Gin
cinnati will probably not exceed fifty
six feet. Should it reach that stage it
will stop cars from running into the
union central station, which will be a
comparatively slight embarrassment.
No other roads here will be affected the
slightest by that stage of the river.
This prediction is based on the pre-
sumption that the weather will remain
fair for four or five days.
FLEEING TO HIGH GROUND.
Portsmouth, O., March 6.-The river
has swept over the lower part of the
city and residents have fled to higher
ground. The rise last night was rapid
and business on Front street was
alarmed at the prospect of the invas-
ion of the cellars. Heavy rains above
are sending down an unusual flood.
COLD MAY CHECK IT.
Pittsburg, Pa, March 6-The Monon-
gahela and Allegheny rivers were still
rising at 9 o'clock this morning. The
marks show 1919 feet of water and the
lowIands were submerged. No serious
damage has resulted or is expected,
however, as the cold wave will check
the flood
HOPE IN COLD WEATHER.
Cincinnati March 6.-The Ohio river
here at a. m. has reached sos, a rise of
two feet in the preceding seven hours.
The Licking river is pouring in it's flood
which increases the rise here. The cold
weather of last night has done much
to decrease the danger of disastrous
flood here, but it is quite probable that
the lower points in the city will be
flooded and possibly the water may
reach a height which will shut trains
out of the central passenger station.