The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-12-16

places by the overflow. To-day the Juniata
River has risen fourteen feet and the Rays
town branch much higher. The farmers
along these streams have sustained an In
calculable loss to fences. growing grain and
other property. Many farmers were forced
last night TO abandon their homes tempo
rarily.
RIVERS RISE ONE FOOT AN HOUR.
Easton. Pa. Dec 1.-THE freshet in the
Delaware and Lehigh rivers has done sen-
Gus damage all through this section. Rail-
road trafnc is suspended and the water has
risen to Front street in this city. Tele-
graph and telephone communication is in
terrupted. The rivers are still rising at tho
rate OF a foot an hour. and from advtcee re-
ceived from points up the Delaware Valley
the Delaware River will likely continue to
rise until midnight. Thousands OF dollars
damage has already been done to the big
industries at West Easton.
On the Erie Railroad q mile Of track near
OwegO on the SusQuehanna division ana
several hundred feet at ROsa's switch ON
the Delaware division are submerged. TWO
and dining car was sent from ssueQue-
hanna with food for the passengers on q
train which is blocked At Owego.
The SusQueharna and Delaware rtvefs
are full to the banks and the creeks are the
highest in years. Much damage has been
done TO property along the lowlands.
HIGHEST SINCE JOHNSTOWY FLOOD.
Bedford, Pa, Dec. 15.-One OF the heayi-
est winds and transforms In its history
visited Bedford last night. The rain fell in
torrents and a fierce gale shook the build
ings. The Raystown Branch reached its
highest point since the Johnstown nood.
RAII.ROAD TRACKS WASHED OUT.
Bethlehem Pa. Dec. Is. In six hours
this morning the Lehigh River overdowed
the canal and the adjoining railroad tracks
on both sides. Both the Lehigh Valley and
Jersey Central railroads were forced to sus-
, pend traffic. Not since 1sl has the back
water from the river wrought such serious
damage The canal bank bosses say the
damage to the canal Will reach e30OO.
while 30 private residences in the flooded
district suffer to the extent OF nearly 60.-
100. Both the electric and gas companies
are without power, and the churches were
compelled to suspend services tonight.
CRIPPLEs MANY COAL MINES.
Shamohin. Pa. Dec. 15.-Numerous col
liery sidings near here were washed out.
and almost every mine in this region IL
flooded and will not be operated tomorrow
THREE LIVES LOST N WRECK.
Will!amsport. Pa. Dec. L.. A freight
train on the Philadelphia and Erie division
OF the Pennsylvania Railroad went through
the bridge spanning Lycoming Creek be-
tween this city and Newberry. st q o.clock
this morning. Three lives were lost.
The dead:
John Quarts. engineer
Frederick Glass, fireman,
george Harley. brakeman
All resided at Sunbury.
Tne bridge spanning the creek was q two.
span iron structure. the nrst span Of which
gave way beneath the train. The engine
ana nine cars were ingulfed in the icv
~s.ers, The creek was greatly swollen as
result Of the heavy rains. and I, 4. nra'
sumed the middle pier had been veakened
no enorts could be made to reach The
pooies on account Of the height OF fhe
COAL BARGEs SWEPT Awav
fittsbury. Pa. Dec. 15-Pitt,burs.s th,..
rivers at o'clock tonight have pessed ,he
oaneer line. and are still rising. with 70
ports from the headwaters of the Nono,s.
Eeia and Allegheny rivers stating that both
streams were still rising
One Of the incidents of the flood occ,,rr.-5
at O'Clock tonight when seventy-fiye coal
barses of the Monongahela River Consoii-
dated Coal and Coke Company. which were
ted up at Browns Landing between Pitts
bur and Davis Island dam. broke loose and
were whirled away by the current. Ac-
cording TO the operator at Davis Island
Dam, the pieces passed there shortly after
O'Clock There Is considerable alarm in
river circles over the accident