Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1903-10-16
IT ashin9tuu Standard
OLYMPIA, WASH.
FRIDAY MORNING, OCTOBER 16, l9O3.,,
Unparalleled Floods.

The prediction OF the crank month
or six weeks ago, that on or about the
llth inst, a great flood would devas-
tate large portion Of the country, be-
ginning as far north and east as New
York and the New England States,
aud extending westward in a broad
strip across the continent, must have
been brought forcibly to mind, when
the flood gates of heaven appeared to
open on the 9th and 10th inst. and
the unparalleled record of 1914 inches
of rain falling in twenty-four hours
in New York city and corresponding
precipitation throughout that and con-
tiguous States was experienced. Nor
is it probable that the fog-brained
prophecy was entirely forgotten all
along the line embraced in his ex-
tended scope of the tempest-scourge
predicted for the 11th, when the big
storm began here. and at many other
places he declared would be in the
route or contiguous to it. Enough
rain fell and the wind was fierce
enough to leave now, after it has
passed, q wholesome respect for
prophecy which based its claim upon
holy writ. and doubtless the popular
mind would be more than ever ready
to favor ascension robes should some
Miller suggest the propriety of pre-.
pairing for an end of all things mum
dane.
In New York, Saturday, car lines
were blocked, streets under water, ves-
sells held in port, cellars flooded and
houses deserted, as a result OF the
tremendous storm. In some of the
streets the water was two feet deep.
The loss is estimated at several million
dollars.
At Patterson, New Jersey, this ex-
perience was practically repeated. Six
bridges were washed away on the Pas
siac river where it passes through the
city, and water stood ten feet deep in
the lower streets near the river. The
loss to property runs up into the mil.
lions OF dollars in both cities, and the
loss to property throughout the. country
will be appalling when it becomes
fully known.
At Newton, N. j., at least six bridges
have been carried away and 200 houses
are under water. At Burlington, N.
j., 80 per cent of the houses were in.
undated and many families are now
in want.
In Pennsylvania reports are to the
effect that the flood that swept the
Wyoming valley is the worst for many
years and that many mines have been
flooded.
In Philadelphia cellars and some
streets were inundated, and much
damage was done all along the river
banks to Delaware Bay. The food
did some damage to the League Island
Navy Yard.
The reports on . wide district OF
country read like this: twenty-five
bridges are down in Passiac and Sussex
counties on the Susquehanna Railroad
twenty mills in Passiac alone, are
under water, and 5000 employees out
Of work; ten thousand people have
left their homes; eight hundred houses
are flooded 10 their caves, and 1000
acres are covered with water from q
depth Of . few inches to Is feet; sew.
eral million feet Of lumber have been
carried down Newark Bay; twenty
three-story frame houses have foated
down the Passisc river; loss to city
100000, and same to property in
surrounding country.
One surprise of this great disaster ID
that very few lives have been lost, re.
ports 20 far covering less than half q
dozen. 1t may be, however, that this
will be increased by reports that have
been inaccessible from interruption oil
all means of communication, which
has been quite common.
Let US rejoice that We live in dis.
trict that can truly DO said to be
Goods country" in which No are
protected from many Of the dangers
which prevail all over tho Earth, dur.
what seems TO be . malign period.