The age-herald., 1901-04-24
IN CINCINNATI SUFFERING IS
 NOW GREATEST Fify-eight Foot Rise of the Ohio isExpected Dur-
 ing Today lHUUSAhDS Ant HUM[LtSA While Others Suffer West Virginia People Go Boating in Flooded Dis trlcts With Fancy, Decorated
 Boats and Music.
THOUSANDS ARE HOMELESS

Cincinnati April 23.-while the Ohio river is reported tonight as falling from Pittsburg to the mouth of the Big Kama wha almost 300 miles, there is still much distress from that point to Cincinnati, about POO miles. The weather bureau still predicts that the limit will be reached here tomorrow and that there will be still less trouble below this city. While alarming inquiries come from Ironton, Portsmouth, Huntington, Catlettsburg and intermediate points tonight the weather bureau says the outlook is really encouraging and that the beginning of the fall will reach Cincinnati tomorrow when the stage will not exceed 5s feet. The Big Sandy and other lower tributar- ies are falling as we'll as the headwaters The heavy snow in the mountains at the headwaters of the Kentucky river, fol- lowed by rains, have not checked the rapid flow in the lower Ohio river as was feared. The most encouraging news to- day came from Point Pleasant. where the river became stationary and later ra1 ports show that it is falling as far - as Marietta and Parkersburg.-' In sol
 the smaller places bells were runi
 cannons fired and publication meetiifl were held when the stationary stage was | reached. ~N-re-- H4't
 Great Rejoicing. Preparations are being made for demon- onstrations of rejoicing throughout the i Pomeroy bend tomorrow Pomeroy, Mid dleport, Point Pleasant and other places in that district have been badly inundated. with hundreds of families driven from their homes. The depots at these places were under water and the telegraph of- fees moved to higher ground as early Us
 
 has passed the Pomeroy bend there is great alarm tonight at Catlettsburg, Ash- land Ironton. Huntington, Portsmouth and other low points where the crest of the flood is now passing and where false reports have been circulated about an- other rise. One of these reports was that there had been a coudburst up the Big Sandy, seriously affecting Catlettsburg, Ashland and other places. It turned out that the flood had caused the natural gas pipe line supplying these places to burst, and they were left without light and fuel for that reason. The large roll ing mills and factories at these places were compelled to shut down for the same reason. From that point to Cincinnati the rise fiuctuates from one-tenth of an inch in some hours to almost three-tenths in other hours, and when 1t increased .o- night there was renewed alarm at Lon don and Portsmouth and points opposite them The weather bureau here. how eyer, reports tonight that there was no change in the situation and that the flood continued to pass from the Ohio valley more rapidly the further 1t got down stream. All these reports about a second rise were due to these fiuctua- tions and to such false rumors as were circulated below Catlettsburg about water spout. The weather bureau here is confident that Cincinnati and all points above 1t will have their highest water to- morrow, and at no place will 1t reach such a stage as three years ago.
 Ohio Is Rising.
 At 6 o'clock tonight the stage of the Ohio River was 55.1 feet and rising at the rate of two-tenths of a foot per hour. This is five feet above the danger line, and within 3 feet of the limit expected during this flood. The weather bureau announces tonight that the river will be- come stationary some time tomorrow and that it will not exceed 5 feet, or s feet above what is known as the danger line. The water reaches the first floor of ten- ement houses along the river front at & feet. but 1t does not reach any of the business houses below 50 feet. The water in the tenement houses along the river front known as sausage row. rat row., etc., is now over ten feet deep from the first floors, and will likely be over 13 feet on the first hoors tomor- row. These tenements are so densely packed that there is no room in the up- per stories for extra lodgers The people were removed from the first floors yes terday and second floors today. The coal and lumber yards along the river in the lower part of the city are submerged, but will suffer comparatively little loss be- cause of the warning they have constant ly been receiving since last Saturday from the weather bureau. Notwithstanding these warnings many barges have been sunk. and there. has been some damage to other craft. Judging from the rafts of logs and the drift in the river many along the tributaries did not get the weather bureau reports and were surprised.
 In the flooded districts in the southern. eastern and western parts of the city to- day the trimmers of the street electric lights made their rounds in boats instead of wagons. and had no trouble in reaching the lamps.
 Ball Park Under Water.
 The Cincinnati ball park located in the Mil Creek bottoms on the West Side. is under water tonight. The Reds opened the season by postponing seven games out of the first eight consecutive dates
 At some places the conditions d, nn't- bad, on the Kentucky side. notably around Newport. Bellevue and Dayton. Ky These suburbs have arranged for light and water and there will be no sui fering with the flood reaching Is limit to- morrow. The Newport Water Works are unable to pump today. The large rolling mills and steel works in Newport were compelled to close down today. The num- Der of people who have been driven from their homes on the Kentucky side as well as on the Ohio side of the river is not
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