Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-09
River at Wilkesbarre Almost
Thirty-0ne Feet.
VAST SHEET OF WATER
FLOOD CONDITIONS ABOUT THE
SAME FOR MANY MILES.
Many Merchants Sustain Losses by In
undation-Villages Surrounded by
Water-Business Suspended.

Hood situation here is more serious than
that of Yesterday At o'clock today the
river was 30 feet and inches above low
water mark This is within nine inches OF
the high mark in the great flood of 1907.
The river is clear of ice in this vicinity, but
the big gorge at Nanticoke remains intact.
The temperature has fallen 20 degrees with
In the last five hours and this should bring
some relief
Looking west from River street, all the
eye can see is one vast sheet of water re-
sembling d lake, stretched over the low
lands After the ice at Pittston broke at
midnight and began to move the river rose
rapidly. River street, the main residential
thoroughfare of the city, Is under three
feet of water and the residents greatly
alarmed.
Mine Pumps Utilized.
The backwater has made its way up into
the business section of the city. The press
rooms of the newspapers are flooded, and
1t was with difficulty that today's editions
could be issued, there being several feet OF
water in the press rooms. Wherever it is
possible, mine pumps are being utilized to
keep the water from rising in the Easements
of business houses.
The people living in the lowands who re-
manned in their homes thinking the worst
was over, had to be rescued by the police
in boats early this morning. The water en-
tirely surrounded their houses and as there
was danger that they might topple over the
authorities insisted that they be vacated.
Practically the same conditions prevail all
along the river as far as Danville, fifty
miles below here and the loss to property
will be greater than that sustained in any
previous flood. No town along the river
front has escaped.
Leave Their Homes.
At Shickshinny, eighteen miles east of
this city the people living in the lower por-
ton of the town had to leave their homes
early today. taking nothing with them but
their wearing apparel.
At Plymouth the greatest damage was
done. Hundreds of houses in the southern
part Of the town have had their foundation
walls weakened and it is feared that the
high water will carry the superstructures
away. Main street the principal business
thoroughfare of the town. is small river,
and all traffic is conducted by boats
Every merchant in the town has sustained
heavy loss. Although notice had been
given them. many of the merchants did not
heed the warning They removed perish
able goods from the Easements to the first
floor, but now the first floor of every mer-
camille house is covered with water, and
goods In a great many cases are floating
about the stores.
At Nescopeck thirty families had to leave
their homes.
Surrounded by Water.
The village of Espy, near Bloomsbury, is
completely surrounded by water and the
residents are imprisoned in their homes.
The ice gorge at Clark's Island, below the
town of Catawissa has forced the water
into Front and Water streets, and scores
of families have been compelled to take
refuge with their neighbors who live on
higher ground.
At West Catawissa the employees of the
Delaware, Lackawanna and Western rail-
road station We're compelled to leave the
building because of the high water.
The water at Bloomsbury now extends up
Leonard street as far Sd street. Many
OF the industries Of the town are located in
that section. and today it was found that
the boiler rooms were flooded putting out
the fires and rendering it impossible to
start the machinery. AS a result hundreds
of persons are idle. The cellars and first
floors of hundreds of dwelling houses are
under water. The damage to property will
be heavy.
There is almost a complete suspension of
mining throughout the valley. The water
is flowing into the collieiies faster than it
can be pumped out. AS result fully S 600
miners are idle today.
Railway Traffic Suspended.
The Lehigh Valley railroad between this
city and Towanda is in better condition
than yesterday, but there is a total suspen-
sion of traffic on the Pennsylvania and
The officials of the latter road say that it
will take week after the flood subsidies
before they can get their roadbed in shape
for the resumption of traffic
The ice which was carried down the river
late last night has formed a gorge near
Plymouth which throws the backwater into
lower parts of Wilkesbarre. In consequence
there are five feet of water in the streets
and 1t is slowly rising. People who re-
manned In their homes have moved to the
stories 10 haJr
pletely covered with water.
Entirely Under Water.
The entire southern section of the city is
now under water Firwood a suburb of
this city, has been entirely deserted by the
residents Owing to the continued rise the
residents concluded not TO take any chances
and made their escape in boats
The ice is banked thir,y-ive feet high at
the Port Bowkley bridge of the Lehigh Val
ley railroad. Having no other outlet the
water has spread over the little town of
Forty Fork, which is now almost complete
ly under water. There is five feet of water
In the cemetery at that place. and only
the tallest monuments are visible The
cemetery resembles a Iarge reservoir
Thus far there has been no loss of life
At noon the gauge in the river here
showed 30 feet inches above low water
mark. The gorges in the river at Port
Bowkley, Nanticoke and Bloomsbury re-
throughout the valley is badly crippled
The street car traitlc is at a standstill.
In nearly every town there are one
more postponed funerals In many in
stances the burials were to have taken
place yesterday but the cemeteries could
not be reached.
Conditions at Lancaster.
LANCASTER. Pa. March 9-The Sus-
quehanna river is well within its banks to-
day and all of the towns flooded yesterday
are again clear of water Yesterdays
high-water mark at Washington borough
exceeded all records The breaking of the
gorge last evening left from 10 to - feet
of Ice on the tracks of the Columbia and
Port Deposit railroad from Turkey Hill
20 Safe Harbor, a distance of five miles
The railway tracks at Turkey Hill are
about twenty feet above low water and at
the height of the flood yesterday there was
thirty feet of water the road REPORTS
from the lower section of the river state
that the tracks of the railway are buried
beneath great masses of ice.
nwa1Iincrc