The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-04-21
All tributaries Pouring n Flood Into
the OhiO-SituatiOn at Cincin-
nati and i'm the south.

CINCINNATI, April 20.-Peculiar weather
conditions during the week have culmin-
Hted in rain and snowstOrm of almost I'M
precedented dimensions, so distributed that
q tremendous flood in the Chic river is inn
pending. It is too early yet TO predict with
accuracy the extent of the coming food
but all the signs point to a stage Of water
that must bring devastation of a most
serious nature all along the Ohio river and
IT'S tributaries in Ohio, West Virginia and
kentucky. The condition is something Of
surprise at Cincinnati. because, while there
has been rain almost every day ira the
week it was not heavy enough to create
apprehension. But above Cincinnati in
Kentucky and West Virginia, flood rains
were falling as early as Wednesday. and
over vast extent of the Ohio-river valley
watershed it was continuous This heavy
rain served to cause a rise in the Ohio riv-
or. until this morning it was rising all the
way from Pittsburg 10 Louisville. Follow
Ing these rains came the tremendous snow
fall Of last night. which reached from Can
ada TO Atlanta, with its western border less
than a hundred miles from Cincinnati BY
Its mere weight and by the force Of the
wind in many places there was almost
cation across this snow belt to-day. From
twelve to fifteen inches of snow lies over
eastern Ohio and over the greater part of
West Virginia and eastern Kentucky. This
S supplemented by heavy rain in the region
Of the headwaters of the Ohio to-day.
The Weather Bureau official is confident
that the rain must cease to-day, but with
warm weather tomorrow the vast snow
area will melt and add TO the great volume
of water. 1t IS. therefore, easily possible
for flood of disastrous proportions to
sweep down the Ohio valley within the
next few days 1t is estimated that a stage
OF forty-two feet at Cincinnati will be
reached by tomorrow. All agree that fifty
feet will surely come. How much more
cannot well be conjectured until further de-
velopments
Ielegraphic communication to-day with
New York was almost entirely cut off.
Points in Ohio not fifty miles apart COM
municated over lines stretching over sew
eral hundred miles. \ few points in north
ern Ohio were wholly cut off from teIe-
graphic reports.
Specials from the upper Ohio valley to-
night Indicate great alarm among the in
haoitants of towns along the Ohio river
anu ttADUldilSS. Inc MOOD mas aiready
reached many places. Although the rise
was more sudden than ever before, yet all
points received more timely notice than in
former years, on account of the extra vigil
lance of the weather bureau. As a rule
all those located in the lower districts
are tonight moving on TO higher ground
This precautiOn is being taken along the
river front of Cincinnati although the rise
cannot reach this city for a couple of days
The situation IN northern and eastern
Ohio tonight is reported worse than ever
Many places have been cut off all day and
are still isolated. The Associated Press
has been unable to get its report to the
papers to-day at Canton, Akron and Mas
sion and those points cannot be reached
tonight for Sunday issues. Very many
towns in Ohio cannot be reached, and il
IS predicted that there has been loss OF
life in some of them, as we'll a much dam
age 70 property. IL is known at Zanes-
vile and for miles east Of that city thai
the telegraph poles are down. so that II
viii require some time TO open communica-
ton. At Portsmouth. o.. heavy snow i:
reported tonight, and it extends great
distance both east and north of that place
There are very many places in West Vir
ginia from which no word can be had, and
the loss of life and property both is feared
a. that State.