Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-21
DROUGHT MENAcEs INDUSTRIES
Remarkable Effects Of Long Drought
to Mills, Mines and Railroads.

Unless rain falls within ten days western
Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio and West Vir-
ginia will have to close mills. shops, mines
and railroads and start bursting balloons
and sending prayers heavenward for water.
Gradually from the top of the Allegheny
mountains downward, the drought has
caused cessation in work, and misery to
man and beast Within the history of the
United States weather bureau and the men,
DRY Of the oldest inhabitant such dry
weather has not before been experienced,
and there are streams in western Pennsyl
vania dry that were never known to be
dry before
There is no relief in sight. Since 1871.
the date of the birth of the local weather
department, this is the dryest year, and
three and one-half inches less rain fell this
year than in any previous recorded year.
The Pittsburg mills will gradually have
to shut down. The Edgar Thomson plant
of the United States Steel Corporation at
Braddock was the first Of the industrial
plants in the Pittsburg district to feel the
effects of the water famine. The big plant
has been working under rush orders for
some weeks, and it was intended that the
men should work through the holidays with
only days lay off at Christmas and one
at New Year.
Two of the largest blast furnaces were
banked and the standard steel rail mill
was closed. The blast furnaces were
banked because it was found impossible,
owing to the drought in the coke regions.
to get a sufficient amount of water to keep
them running.
Workmen in the vast plants along the
Monongahela river tell stories of crippled
boilers, leaky pipes and broken down plants
because OF the sulphur in the water which
is eating the steel plates AS a result or
ders are expected for the closing down OF
all the plants Of the United States Steel
Corporation along the Mor,ongahela river
until rain falls or a thaw sets in. There Is
only half foot Of snow on the level, equal
to fve-tenths Of an inch Of rain The rail-
roads are also being crippled.
1T Is only question Of time when all of
our engines will be put out Of use." said
Pennsylvania railroad official yesterday
II understand that the Baltimore and Ohio
people are equal sufferers with u.s. Trains
will be kept running, however. just as long
as possible, and only the continuance of
the present trouble for several weeks more
would lead to curtailment of the service"
Farmers throughout western Pennsylva-
MA are melting snow and ice for domestic
use and to keep cattle alive The water
works in all small towns along the Penn
sylvania railroad are doing out the water
and have forbidden the use of bath tubs
and other luxuries. featuring plants
not having their own supply have closed
down.
There is practically no water available
IN the Connellsv1lle region, and next week
Will witness the closing down Of thousands
Of ovens.
Never in the history of the oil business
for the last twenty-five years have opera-
tlons IN pennsylvania, Ohio and West Vir-
g1n1a been SO crippled on account of the
short water supply at present
Owing to low water in the Nashua river
caused by the most serious drought I'm
soutnern New Hampshire for ten years, the
cotton mills were forced to curtail 10 the
extent of 1900 spindles, 800 looms and the
supplying carders and pickers About 1 OO0
operatives are made idle