The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-02-28
Reports from Up Stream, Where Much
Damage Has Been Done, Say the
Situation Is Alarming.
FLOODS IN THE SOUTHLAND
RAIN FELL IN TORRENTS WEDNEs-
DAY NIGHT AND YESTERDAY.
Rivers Raging and Railway Traffic
observation-disclosures PeriIing
Life i'm and About Florida.

PITTSBURG. Feb. 27.-At midnight the
Allegheny river ice at this point had not
moved to any great degree, and Pittsburg
and Allegheny are still menaced with flood
and great damage otherwise. The govern
ment forecaster considers the situation
critical, but cannot foretel1 when the ice
will move or what it will do. River men
are on the alert. but still hope the ice will
go out without causing much damage. The
dsquieting feature of a slight movement
above here to-day is the fact shat the gorge
moved in a solid mass, and should it con-
tinue in this way until it reaches here great
damage will result, as the Fort Wayne
Railroad bridge at Eleventh street will
surely stop it and back the water over the
river banks Should this occur the lower
parts of both cities will be badly flooded.
Reports from up-river points tonight are
alarming. At Kittaning. where the river
has been frozen from shore to shore two
feet thick a break occurred and the swol-
len current rended the heavy ice and
crushed it under the main foe. As yet no
damage has been done, but the danger will
remain until the whole mass has gone out.
At midnight the flood situation at Oak
mont and other points above is very seri-
ous Boathouses have been swept away,
boats crushed and all descriptions of river
craft destroyed. The ice began to move
this evening shortly after o'clock. 1t
moved in solid mass from Logan eddy to
Oakmont, distance of five miles. 1t then
stopped and began to gorge at Blacks run.
al which place the ice began to roll and
toss until ii was at least 100 feet high. The
river at that point is rising rapidly and
shows no signs of receding, but rather of
an increased rise, as the gorge above is
holding back large volumes of water.
The handsome boathouse of L. NJ. Morris
at Oakmont was destroyed, entailing a loss
of several thousand dollars. 1t was caught
between the ice and crushed like an egg
she'll dozen other people in the vicinity
of Oakmont and Verona lost pleasure
boats
The ferry at Verona is in great danger
and may be destroyed at any minute. At
Nine-miIe island the ice is gorging and
threatens the small hamlet of Sylvan with
a disastrous flood. Plum creek, near Oak
mont. is rising rapidly and is putting out
some very heavy ice. At Hutton Station
this ice is gorged TO a height of fifty feet
above the water Several RATS. a boat
mouse and the chain ferry have been swept
away. The steamer ID. T. Watson is at
Sandy creek. hemmed in by the ice. There
is a gorge above and below Sandy creek.
Steam has been kept UP all night in readi-
ness for run out with the ice. if possible.
Reports from headwater points tell of
rain tonight but not very heavy. The
ice in oil creek broke shortly after mid
nisht and gorged at the railroad bridge
The ice in the Allegheny had not moved
nj l a. m. Friday.
The coal companies of Pittsburg took ad-
vantage of the twelve-foot stage of water
in the Ohio to-day and started nearly 2,OOO,-
600 bushels of coal southwark.