Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1902-03-07
rHR MIGHTY FLOOD.
Waters Rose to a Great Height.
Millions Iof Dollars worth Of
Property Destroyed and
Many Lives Lost.

Property Destroyed and
Many Lives Lost.
Il would be impossible to give in
detail the list Of casualties oceasioned,
and the property damaged and de-
stroyed by the food which occurred
in this and the eastern states last
Friday and Saturday. The rain
which fell coplously, rapidly turned
the deep snow to water and it rushed
down through the creeks and rivers
drowning out the lowlands, tearing
out roads, carrying away bridges and
houses, Illuminating farms, wash
ing out railroad tracks or covering
them with water, flooding mines,
bearing away houses and working
destruction in many ways. Along
the Susquehanna, which has low
banks, the damage. was especially
great. The Lehigh also contributed
its share and many towns along it
were partly submerged. In Phila
adelphia much damage was done by
the Schuylkill which spread over
part of the city. The river here rose
rapidly Saturday morning and by
noon reached its highest level. Vast
quantities of ice from above came
tearing down but the heighth Of
water prevented any gorge here.
Down near Cave bank the ice stopped
for a while and the back water soon
covered the bridge across the Ray
mondskill at Schanno's about four
feet deep. The water in the road
back of Warmers farm was probably
in places 10 feet deep. Across the
river from town the Jersey flats were
covered with ice and water, but no
especial damage was done. In town
the water came down Hartford, Ann,
Catharine and High streets and they
resembled large brooks rather than
village streets. CuIverts were wholly
inadequate to their requirements and
the water sought its own way and
flooded the town. Pedestrianism un-
less with rubber boots was utterly
impossible. Some cellers were par
TALLY filled but little damage was
done in town beyond washing out
few gullies in the streets. The Saw
kill rose very high and carried away
about feet Of the top Of Wells dam.
The hill at Conashaugh, which was
washed out last fall, was again badly
washed and the former filling became
so soft that it was nearly impossible.
Up in Port Jervis the water covered
the part Of the village between the
track and river and also in Sparrow
bush and Tri-States streets and cell
lars were flooded. The electric light
plant, gas works, saw factory and
some Of the coal yards were affected
by the overflow.
Six lives were lost in the Wyoming
valley. AT Wilkesbarre the susque-
hanna was two miles wide and hun
dreds of cattle, horses, sheep and
chickens wereskilled.
A large bridge at Harrisburg was
damaged half a million dollars, Potts
town was under water, Danvillle
was on an island, and at Easton the
highest mark on record was made,
the water being "a feet above low
mark and 6 inches higher than in
1861. The loss in Allegheny will
equal a million and a quarter dollars
and at Philadelphia it will probably
amount to much more. In the Le-
high valley railroad bridges were
wrecked and the roads were tied up
for several days. At Paterson, N.
j., hundreds were made homeless
and there was greater loss to proper
ty than by the reeelt fire.
Cochecton, N. y, was inundated, f,
houses, stores and church torn
away, aud the bridge crossing the
river carried off, Standing on the
bridge across the river here it was a
grand sight to see the seething mass
Of ice and water, in which were logs,
timbers and the wreekage Of houses,
rush madly under and it forcibly con-
veyed an idea Of the irresistible
power Of the elements. The ice from
up the river passed here during the
forenoon OF Saturday and while it
piled high against the Jersey pier
and abutment did not come within
many feet Of the structure which was
not disturbed by even a tremor.