The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-12-11
DAMAGES FROM FLOOD
ON BROOKLYN STREET
Negligence on Part of Someone
Causes Serious Results-The City
May Be Called Upon to Pay.

AS a result of negligence of some
one and the heavy rain. t, number Of
cellars and lots We're damaged on
Brooklyn street yesterday. The total
sum Of damages will probably reach
four figures and the city may be called
upon to settle.
The old FallbrOok river. that small
stream of water running along Brook
lyn street. became swollen Monday
night and yesterday morning at 4
o'clock an ice blockade formed at the
small Brooklyn bridge near the gem
eral store of II. j. Gilhool. The block
a,lc extended one hundred yards from
the rear of the Lalkin residence TO Il
point north of the bridge. The cakes
of ice were the largest ever seen in this
city. some ten feet in length and width
and six inches thick. The cakes formed
in Il compact mass and the food over
run the banks on either side. The
banks rise but few feet over the bed
Il the river and the rushing water
found its way over them to the road
Way. On the right bank the water
flooded the road leading to the CAL
lugher residence and road leading to
MurdOcks grove. also on Brooklyn
street Across the street. at the bridge.
the water was seven feet in depth. In
The lot of John McDonough the water
rose to five feet. level with the porch.
flooding the cellar. Here the tide di-
"erged to the store of Mr. Toolan.
where il was reinforced by the large
stream coming over the bridge the
Twin streams flooding the cellar of
Mr.. Toolin. running the foundations
and side of the house. AT Mrs. Gill
martins it made Il course twenty feet
FYrom the river bed to the rear of Mrs.
I.arkin's filling her yard, also the cell
,lar. of Mrs Gilmartin. \ chicken
tseoop and dog shanty We're carried
saway on the tide.
j Water filed the yard OF John Flan-
merry and Mrs. Thomas Harte. and also
their cellars. In the yard of Mr.. Flan-
merry the water diverted from the course
and found egress to the river bed. di-
rectly below the ice blockade. On the
left bank it rushed up Brooklyn street.
filling the yard and cellars of James
Tooan. Mrs. Tucker. and Mrs sullivan.
The water also rushed in the cellar of
Meehan's grocery store. rising to the
ceiling.
In the grocers. Gilhools cellar barrels
containing oil. vinegar. potatoes and
rurnips We're floating around. also Il
number of cabbages. Everything was
destroyed. Those two stores probably
suffered most from the food.
The street department was notified
early, but could do little to stop the
Hood until 13O in the afternoon. Travel
on the bridge was cut off, and a Num-
her of drivers who Went that way
We're forced TO return to this city ana
take another route. Street cars were
unable to run. TO reach the central
city. Brooklyn street residents We're
forced to follow the tracks of the on
lario and Western road.
Street Commissioner John Kiilien. at
40 succeeded in starting the foe and
the huge quantity of ice drfted down
the river Il hundred yards, where it
again became blocked. but "A chance
was afforded the flood to override it,
At o'clock, the foe was still at the
bridge and no efforts were being made
40 disrupt it. The yards and cellars
~ere still filled, and the roadways
covered with large cakes of ice. Huge
cakes We're carried to Murdock's grove
q a.thigher elevation than the river bed
The bridge. which Is not stout, appear
ed-to he doomed, but the eirders stood
firm. s. ~. q. -...' .l
The miniature icebergs form rare
picture, and "A large number viewed
the spectacle late in the afternoon. AS
yet no attempt has been made TO
drain the water out of the cellars. The
lot in which the store of Dennis Too
Ian is situated is covered with ice IT.
solid formation.
The city and the water cOmpuny ap-
pear To be at loggerheads as 10 whose
duty II Is. TO raise the blockade, and
neither have as yet conceded To the
ether. The residents of the street
threateu TO make it hot for some one,
onS old resident of that street pre-
dicted, in talking with The Tribune
man. that il the blockade is not soon
raised dynamite will be utilized to set
the dee foe AT liberty,
The blockade was caused by the viii
low bushes on the banks about one
hundred yards below the bridge. The
branches of the bushes have grown
over the river and became frozen pre-
venting the ice from moving.
Another sufferer from the flood is
"Mike" Connolly, whose residence adj
boins the store of r. j. Gilhool. The
water ruined a new furnace. The iIur-
mace supplies heat TO GilhoolS store,
ss well as to Mr.. Connolly's residence.
The same sufferers from this Hood
have suffered yearly from the same