The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1901-04-25
DANGEROUS FLOODS
Thousands Are Driven From Their
Homes at PittSburg, Pa.
GREAT INDUSTRIES ARE SUSPENDED
Mills in Pennsylvania and West Vir.
ginia Forced to Close-flany People
Forced Into IdleneSS.

PittSburg, Speclal.-ThlS city IS
centre of widespread and disastrous
storm. For a radius Of $50 miles in
western Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio
and Western Virginia, rain or snow
has been falling almost withou. in
termission for three days. Mountain
streams nave become torrents, creeks
are swollen and out of their banks and
the big rivers are oceans Of turOld
water. Flood records. it IS expected
will be broken before the water sub
sides. The financial loss cannot be es-
timated. In addition to the hundreds
of thousands and perhaps millions OF
dollars it will cost to put large manu-
featuring plants in commission again,
tens of thousands of skilled workmen
are thrown out of employment and
lose their wages just at time when
all the iron and steel mills arc rushed
with orders.
While few unauthenticated reports
OF statistics have been made, disease
and death will follow in the wake OF
the flood. Thousands Of people are ly-
ing in the upper rooms Of their water
soaked houses without heat, light or
fuel. Where gas fuel is used the pipes
are flooded and cut of, and what coal
there may be is under five to ten feet
OF water. At Schoenville, the home Oh
the Pressed Steel Car company, the lit
tie town Is completely surrounded by
water. The workers and their famll-
les constitute a community Of several
thousand persons. If the food does
not quickly subside the company store
will be unable to meet the demand for
food of a multitude beleaguered by
food.
wheeling. w. Va, fears the most
disastrous flood in its history. Inc
weather-wise say the river will MAKE
q new high record at that point Inc
mountain streams are gushing down
the hillside with resistless force. Be-
hind this comes the foodtide Of the
Ohio. fed by the Monongahela, Allie
sheny. Beaver and other tributaries.
From 45 to 50 feet Of water is feared
at Wheeling. which means an immense
loss of property, followed by destltu-
tion and sickness for those least able
to bear 1t.
In many parts Of Pennsylvania and
Ohio probably the heaviest snowstorm
ever known at this season Of the year
has been raging for two days. At vi
City the oil exchange went out OF ousi-
ness Temporarily because it was impos-
sible to secure quotations from New
York, Pittsburg and other points. Re-
ports from Ohio towns are to the ef-
feet that church services may have 10
be abandoned and in hustling con-
mupities where gas is the regular fuei,
dealers are making arrangements 10
deliver coal. On one railroad in ONO
passenger trains are stalled, engines
sent to their rescue become buried IN
the snow. and all must wait with
hope for milder weather. In the mean
time the passengers must depend upon
nearby farm houses for sufficient :ood
to keep them from starvation.
Business, religion. domestic comfors
and health are all at the mercy Of the
storm.
To estimate the financial loss at this
time is simply impossible and what
aprears a reasonable guess is appall-
ing in its immensity. Steam and steel
railroad tracks are buried under thor-
sands of tons OF earth. washed down
from the hillsides and in some cases
the tracks have been moved. Where
the snow and sleet prevailed, telegraph
wires and poles went down under the
burden. and costly railroad and other
bridges have been washed away and
their piers were weakened. The big
manufacturing plants in this, the in
dustrial center Of the world, have SUI
fered severely. The cost Of repairs IL
but a small item in comparison to the
delay in filling the orders with which
all the plants are crowded. The work
ers will lose their wages for two DAYS
to a week or more, and many OF tn m
can lily afford the loss. Many mer-
chants in the submerged districts are
losers on sock in cellars and thou
sands have spent money to pay for heiP
to remove their goods