Evening journal., 1901-12-16
EARLY WINTER
STORM SEVERE
Much Damage Done by Wind
and Flood
Loss in Pennsylvania Coal Regions Is
Great-Shipping Fared Badly.
Rivers Unusually High

Philadelphia. Dec. ia storm
which for severity and destuctiveness
has not been equalled in this section
for 25 years, visited eastern and cen.
tral Pennsylvania on Saturday night
causing almost unprecedented dam.
age. The havoc in the coal regions is
enormous and the loss to railroads
and mining companies will amount to
millions of dollars. The Schuylkill
Lehlgh. Susquehanna and Juniata riv.
ers have risen as high as Is feet above
their level, and all of their tributaries
have overfowed. inundating the sur.
rounding country in more than dozen
counties.
Wilkesoarre, Pa, Dec. 16.-The
heavy rains of Saturday night caused
the SusQuehanna river to rise rapidly.
AT o'clock last night it was 20 feet
above low water mark and still rising.
All the lowlands on the west side of
the river opposite Wilkesbarre are
covered with water from two TO five
feet deep. The town of Westmore is
entirely surrounded by water, and
many of the inhabitants are leaving
their homes in boats fearing that if
the river should continue to rise dur
ing the night the city dwellings may
be swept away.
All railroad traffic east and west is
suspended A big washout occurred
on the Lehigh Valley railroad at Vos-
burg tunnel, and the water is running
over the tracks a depth of several
! feet. A bridge for crossing the creek,
in close proximity TO the Susquehanna
river, in the northern part of this
city, was greatly weakened by the
food and no attempt will be made to
run trains over it until It is put in
condition. A washout occurred on
the Central Railroad of New Jersey
at White Haven, which completely
crippled that road.
In the rural districts the wind blew
down small buildings and fences and
uprooted trees. After the wind ceased
early Saturday night the rain came
down in torrents and continued until
, yesterday morning. Yesterday there
was sudden change in the weather,
the temperature falling rapidly. and
last night the residents of the Wyom-
ing valley were experiencing a touch
of the western blizzard.
Pottsville, Pa Dec. 16-The great.
, est food Schuylldn county has ex'
3 perienced in 25 years occurred on
e Saturday night resulting from a con
tinuous rain of several days, which
caused the Schuylldll river to over
flow it's banks The total loss Is esti-
mated at over million of dollars.
, Fortyteight collieries of the Philadel
phia and Reading Coal and Iron com.
pany and other corporations are flood
ed and will be idle for at least a
week In the Bast colliery. at Ash
land, 80 mules were drowned. A score
OF township AMI railroad bridges were
washed away. including three in New
castle township BELONGING. to the
j Pennsylvania Railroad company. Sew
r eral destructive landslides occurred
1 along the Pennsylvania railroad and
5 the Philadelphia and Reading railway
7 Traffic north of Pottsville is at q
; standstill. At Schuylldn Haven the
3 water reached the second stories oI
! residences.
Allentown. Pa. Dec. 16-Tho mos
destructive food in the Lehigh valley
9 since 1862 started yesterday morning
at o'clock. following a two-days
drenching rain, which melted the snow
in the mountains causing the Lehigl
river to become a raging torrent. Th'
= traction companys power houses were
, flooded with seven feet of water
= which drowned thehres under the boil
q ers. The Adelaids silk mill sustained
c n loss of over $4,000 by the flood
b Eight feet of muddy water is on thu
r first floor. completely covering tn
,. warping and winding machines ant
a running all the silk on the machines
L No through trains are running nortl
l. of Allentown. and communication b.
d wire is completely cut on
HaNeton. Pa. Dec. 1G.-Great havo
was wrought in the Lehigh ragion b
the storm. John Burns a miner, c
ne Oneida. near here, was washed from
"a bridge and drowned. over 100 min
re mules were drowned in the variou
= colliories In this vicinity, and the ms
!, jority of the mines are flooded Tn
'' damage in this section is estimate
at 100000. Both tracks Of the Lehig
r. Valley railroad between Weather.
N and Black creek. east of this city, wer
washed away, ana the Pennsylvani
as railroad lines south of here were 81
a. verely damaged Not a train arrive
M, here yesterday.
~ Bethlehem. Pa, Dec. 16.-ln 81
ba hours the Lehigh river overlooked n
"a canal and the adjoining railroad tract
,e- on both sides. Not since lSil has II
an back water from the river wrougl
ar- such serious damage. The canal bar
he bosses say the damage to the can
nd will reach $4,000, while 200 priya
1S residences in the flooded district 81
la fer TO the extent of nearly $4,000
lo- Both the electric and gas compani
on were without power, and the church
Sc were compelled to suspend servic
e last night.
So Harrisburg, Pa, Dec. 16.-The ST
an. quehanna river has been rising at q
~. as rate of nine inches an hour since "
terday morning. with indications IN
a. mill .,,ffnua 20 rfqp all nfuhf The