The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-03-09
CITY IS A LAKE.
Flood Situation at WiIkesbarre
Grows Worse
River Within Nine Inches Of
High Mark in 1909.
WATER 3 FEET DEEP
In the Residence Streets of the
Town.
Press Rooms Of the Newspapers
Are Flooded.
WATER 3 FEET DEEP

WilkeSbarre, Pa, March 9.-The mood
situation here is more serious than
that of yesterday. Today the river is
30 feet and inches above low water
mark. This is within 9 inches of the
high water mark in the great flood OF
1902 The temperature has fallen 20
degrees within 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, resembling a lake. stretched
over. the lowlands.
After the ice at Pittston broke at
midnight and began to move the river
rose rapidly. River street, the main
under water three feet deep and the
residents are greatly alarmed The
back water has made its way up into
the business section of the city. Press
rooms of the newspapers are flooded,
and it was with difficulty that today s
editions could be issued, there being
several feet Of water in the press
rooms.
The people living in the lowlands who
remained in their homes thinking the
worst was over had to be rescued to
day by the police in boats. The water
entirely surrounded their houses and
as there was danger that they might
topple over the authorities insisted that
they be vacated. Practically the same
conditions here prevail all along the
river as far as Danville, fifty miles be-
low here and the loss to property will
be greater than that sustained in any
previous flood. No town along the
river front has escaped. At Shickshinny
the people living in the lower portion of
the town were forced today to leave
their houses.
At Plymouth the greatest damage was
done. Hundreds of houses in the south
ern part of the town have had their
foundation walls weakened and 1t is
feared that the high water will carry
the superstructures away. Main street,
the principal business thoroughfare of the
town, is a small river and all traffic is
conducted by boats. Every merchant in
the town has sustained heavy loss.
At NescoDeck thirty families had to
leave their homes.
The village Of Espy, near Bloomsbury,
is completely surrounded by water and
the residents are imprisoned in their
homes.
The ice gorge at EClarks island, be-
the water into Front and Water streets
and scores of families have been COM
PEELED to leave their homes
At Bloonburg many of the industries
are flooded rendering hundreds of per-
sons idle and cellars and first floors of
hundreds of dwelling houses are under
water. The damage to property will be
heavy. There is almost a complete sus-
ley. Eight thousand miners are idle.
WATER TO SECOND STORIES.
Port Jervis, N. 2, March 9.-More
than one hundred homes in the lower
part of town have been flooded to the
second story and 300 families have
been made temporarily homeless by a
sudden rise in the Delaware river
caused by an ice gorge. The electric
light plant was flooded and the town
IS in darkness.
All day the river had been rising
Just before dark the ice started NOV
ing. It stopped at a big gorge three
miles down the river and a large body
of water Immediately backed over the
town. So sudden was it that many
people standing on the banks were
obliged to wade shoulder-deep in the
streets and hundreds were imprisoned
in their houses.
Boats were put in commission to rescu'
the inmates. The water subsidized for {
while but soon began to go up agail
at the rate of four feet an hour.
The Port Jervis division of the Ontario
e Western railroad is blocked with ic'
and the Erie tracks and shops are un
der several feet of water. The fioot
has extended to the principal bushes
streets.
section of the iron bridge of tn
AIatamoras & Milford railroad ha
been carried out, destroying communi
cation with Matamoras and other near
by towns.