New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-15
THE FRESHET AT ALBANY.
CAPITAL. CITY IS sUBMERGED-W0RST
FLOOD SINCE 1s57-DISTRESS
AMONG THE POOR.
~ rELranApn Id - rnIBryE. ]

Albany. Feb. 1.-THE inhabitants Of Albany
to-day looked upon the greatest freshet which
has taken place in the valley OF the Hudson
River since 1857. steady rain for forty-eight
hours melted the deep SHOWS in the Adirondack
Mountains and along the valley Of the Mohawk,
and there has followed mighty freshet which
fills all the Iowlands OF the Hudson River from
Troy southwark to Hudson.
A large part of the cities OF Albany, Rensse-
Iaer and Troy are submerged. In Albany many
business houses and residences in the lower half
Of the city were flooded with water.
The power house Of the street railway company
was filed with seven feet of water. and cleo
trical power thus was shut off from the street
car lines Not a streetcar in the city was run
ming to-day.
At o'clock this morning the official measure
ment taken by the weather forecaster showed
that the water OF the Hudson had risen twenty
feet above the ordinary level. The water then
began TO recede and had dropped four feet al
II o'clock. when 1t began TO rise again. The
rise has continued ever since that hour. The
rise was due to the fact that a jam had occurred
al the Abbey. The gorge at Coeymans is for
midabe in size and strength and shows no signs
of breaking. To make the situation worse cold
CT weather is predicted for tonight The fol-
lowing is the flood table in the office Of the
Weather Bureau:
January. 1899 ITS feet: March 1876, 1927
feet: February, 1891 - - feet; October; 1869
1893 1912 feet: April. 1895. 1854 feet. March,
1896 1T-1S feet; February. 1900 - feet.
RAILROAD TRAFFIC DELAYED.
The Network Central Railway was so badly
flooded between here and Hudson that the rail-
way officials were forced to run trains around
TO Albany by way Of Chatham The Empire
State Express which was two hours late, after
arriving at the Union Station this afternoon
remained only three minutes and then pulled
out for the West leaving many disappointed
would-be passengers who had been waiting for
the train over three hours. All trains of the
Hudson River Railroad came over the Harlem
and then over the Boston and Albany.
The Maiden Lane Bridge Of the New-Torl
Central across the Hudson River was also
harmed. massive new bridge is now being
constructed, although parts If the old bridge
strength given the false work of the bridge early
yesterday morning. il swept down the river
just as soon as the ice above gave way me
ca les fastened from the abutmenJs TO the false
work snapped like strings. releasing the wood
work, 10 sail with mad rush toward the
metropolis No remnant Of the east side Of the
draw can be seen to-day, and IL will be week
at least before trains can be run over the
bridge
Another idea may he gained Of the unusual
size Of the fresheU from the following facts.
The water came up on Maiden Lane when al its
nelEnL 10 q point ABOUT uIIsen IeHL west bA
Keeier's corner, where il just Tapped the curb
stone. Il also reached the top Of the curb IN
front Of the Hudson Valley Paper Company, and
Nusbaum & LivingstOn's. opposite II also
barred the entrance 70 Brumaghim's drug store.
on the corner Of Cireen-st- and Madison-ave.
The horses Of the Standard Oil Company were
compelled TO walk through five feet Of freezing
water when they started out this morning
PROCLAMATION ISSUED
Looking out from the windows Of the Capitol
the Hudson River IS n majestic flood filing the
entire space Of its valley. surrounding hundreds
Of houses. covering miles OF fields usually Wis
lille 70 the eye. and invading a large portion Of
the streets of Albany along the waterfront
Mayor Blessing visited the submerged south end
Of Albany in a boat and discovered that hun
dreds Of poor families were confined TO their
homes by the freshet.
Later in the day the following proclamation
was made:
To the Citizens Of Albany; The high water
having flooded a large area in the lower part Of
the city near the river. driving many persons
| from their homes and preventing many others
/ from leaving their homes and attending TO their
usual vacations. causing extreme want and sUf-
/ ferug ii is earnestly desired that contributions
. Of money provisions and fuel be rendered by
. the citizens Of Albany for the relief OF the de-
I serving poor All contributions should be sent 70
the Office of the Commissioner of Charities and
Correction in the CITY Building from which
place they viii be distributed by the Department
/ officials and police
Rowboats and RATS were in constant use all
day in the lower part OF Albanys territory and
the public schools Of the South End held no ses-
SONS.