The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-12-16
SAVED BY COLD.
Great Disaster From Flood at
Pittsburg, Pa.
Is Averted by Sudden and Ex-
treme Drop in Temperature.

flood and the lowest point touched this
winter by the mercury We're 10th regis
tered at the same hour, a. M, when
the Smithfield street bridge marks
showed rs feet 8 inches of water in the
Monongahela river, and the govern
ment ther-n ometer indicated five de-
grees above zero.
The rivers are now falling here and
at the headwaters and the temperature
is steadily rising.
A flood and cold wave at the same
time is almost unprecedented and only
the sudden drop in the temperature
averted one of the greatest floods in the
history of Pittsburg.
AS it was the lower parts of the point
district and DuqueSne way and low
lands along the Monongahela river south
side, were submerged. In Allegheny
the river front was entirely under wa
ter, including Pittsburg and Western
railroad, Lacock, Robinson, Hope, Bal
kan, Walnut, Cherry, Madison and
River avenues. The cellars in many
houses were flooded and people were
compelled to move.
For the river men and dwellerS along
the river banks of Pittsburg and Allie
gheny, it was the most fearful night
experienced in many years: Similar
conditions have been practically un-
known to this generation.
Hundreds of men toiled all night
with the gigantic coal tows tied up to
the landings on both sides of all three
rivers, in the face of a bitterly cold
wind Drenched at times with the
splashes of foam their clothes froze
on them Immediately, and the suffering
was great.
The damage to goods on the wharves,
in warehouses, stores and private houses
in the two cities will probably reach
100000. In addition to this, many mills
and factories along both rivers were
forced to close down temporarily, and
thousands of men and women Will be
out of work from one to three days,
and much damage done to machinery
n along
the rivers reports of damage from the
high water have been received. At
McKee's Rocks, in all the cellars west
of CHARTERS avenue, the water stood
three feet deep.
Heirs island was partly submerged,
but it was not necessary to remove the
cattle from the stock yards. At SharpS-
burg cellars were flooded, and in many
houses the water was on the first floors.
AS result of the flood, several plants
along Penn avenue and in the West end
are closed today, throwing thousands of
employees idle.
Among the more important of these
are the United States Steel plant,
Thirty-third street; Carbon steel plant,
pudding works. Tenth street; American
Steel and Wire plant, Twenty
street; Diamond steel plant and Zugs-
Sable iron works, Thirteenth street
Between Twenty ninth and Thirty
third streets all the cellars of the houses
are flooded, in most instances the water
rising to the height of three feet.
In the West end several departments
of the Singer -Nimick plant of the Cru
chile Steel company were closed, and
Painters No cotton tie mill, of the
American Steel Hoop company, was idle.
WATER IS RECEDING.
Philadelphia, Dec 16.-Reports from
the flooded district in this state are to
the effect that the water is receding
somewhat. Telegraph and telephone
wires are still down in many localities
with the work of restoring the service.
All the railroads report trains very
much delayed.
DAMAGE IS HEAVY.
Reading, Pa, Dec. 16.-At 10 o'clock
this morning, the flood in the SchuyllSin
river had receded five feet, but it is
still ten feet above low water mark
The food left in its wake track of
mud and coal dirt and the damage
along the river front is heavy.
1t was then learned that the trouble
was SO serious and the water so high
that it was impossible to reach the
washouts on the Little Schuyllxiil
branch. The water there is subsiding
however and it is expected the work of
repairing the damage will be commence
ed this afternoon.
DOCKS UNDER WATER
Bordentown, N. j., Dec. 16-The heav-
lest freshet in many years is now run
ming in the Delaware river here. The
docks and piers in the vicinity of the
Delaware and Raritan canals and the
Iowlands of Pennsylvania, opposite this
city are under water. The Pennsyl-
vania railroad tracks between Borden
town and Trenton are covered with wa
ter for a distance of three n lies. Trains
are struggling through, but travel is
much delayed.
FOUR BRIDGES DESTROYED.
Utica, N. Y. Dec 16.-The damage
from the flood in the valley of the West
Canada creek will reach $500, 900. From
900 to 100000 logs were washed away
from Noblesboro, Hinckley and Trenton
Falls. Four expensive railroad bridges
were destroyed. One mill was taken
down stream like paper box and two
others are badly wrecked. The railroad
in that valley cannot be operated for
four or five days The electric power
plant at Trenton Falls was damaged
about $4,000.
HOUSES CARRIED AWAY
ithaca, N Y, Dec. 16.-Business was
practically suspended in Ithaca today
on account of the flood. All street car
lines were tied up, no mail was re-
ceived and none was sent out. 1t was
hoped, however, that the tracks of the
Lehigh Valley railroad to the west
would be repaired sufficiently today to
enable trains to operate between Ithaca
and Buffalo. Every available laboring
men in Ithaca was given work and ef-
Oswego and other nearby towns Brock
ton, five miles east, suffered much by
the flood, several buildings being car
ried away.
"a wASHOUTS.
Malone, N Y, Dec. 16.-The wash
outs on the Adirondack division of the
New York Central nun bered "a and
the wreck train which left here yester-
day morning for Fulton Chain. was
stalled beyond White Lake. Heavy
financial loss was caused in all outlying
districts.
$3.50, 900 DAMAGES.
Cxrr-a c,rco Dee 7e-T6Q QUNr-
flow of Onondaga creek Saturday night
and Sunday did about $150,000 damage
in this city Today the water has re-
ceded from all but the lowest ground
about town.
ROMES LOSS WAS LIGHT