Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-03-10
MORE SERIOUS.
Pennsylvania Floods Reaching
Enormous Proportions.
Many of Streets in WiIkesbarre Are
Submerged.
Great Property Loss Along the Sus.
quehanna River.

Wilkesbarre, Pa, March 9.-The city
of Wilkesbarre and the Wyoming val
ley was in a turmoil, today. The mighty
flow of water spread out north and
south, east and west, making the north
branch of the Susquehanna river vast
lake, sweeping in its path whatever
there was to invade, the scene was even
more terrifying than on Tuesday.
Industries all along the entire stream
from Pittston to Nanticoke are closed
down on account of the water invading
many places and in many places water
is flowing into the mines. In the cent
trail portion of Wilkesbarre, today, bus
mess was crippled on account of base
ments being filed with water. Late
tonight, the water at the bridge here
YVES 2S.2 feet above low water mark,
but much higher in the lower section Of
the town.
Over million dollars worth of prop
erty has been destroyed in the Wyo-
ming valley and over two thousand
families rendered homeless.
Though the river is falling at Wilkes
barre, tonight, towns in the vicinity
Of bloomsbury are experiencing the
worst flood in their history.
Three spans OF the great steel bridge
erected by TIE state at Catawissl we've
swept from their piers, early i'll the af
tcrnoon, and carried four hundred
yards by the ice and. this evening. the
two remaining spans collapsed.
The Pennsylvania railroad bridge
over Catawissa creek went out, this
afternoon, with four large steel cars.
The Second street wagon bridge was
also swept away.
The waterworks at Danvillc are I'M
Ger water and the city is without cleo
| trio light and gas.
Two hundred families have been
forced to leave their homes. The great
gorge at Bloomsbury has not moved
and the water is rapidly rising. Every
industry i'll Bloomsbury is flooded as
are also between 800 and 400 houses.
At Espey. the water mas covered ev-
cry street in the village.
The river is falling at Nanitoks, to-
night, though the ice above the dam
has not moved.
At Shickshinny the ice moved. today.
The canal bridge was washed out and
two houses We're carried away.
At 10 o'clock, tonight. Il report comes
from Sayre, Pa, that the ice broke
there at o'clock and that 9G-mile
gorge was on its way down the stream.
Wilkesbarre. Pa, March 2.-The food
situation here is more serious than that
Of Tuesday. At 9 o'clock. Wednesday,
the river was 30 feet and 6 inches above
low water mark. This is within nine
inches of no ioh nrI- in,
flood of 1902. The temperature has fall
len 20 degrees within the last five hours
and this should bring some relief.
Looking west from River street as far
as 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 arpidly. River street. the
main residential thoroughfare of the
city is under three feet of water. The
press rooms of the newspapers are
flooded and it was with difficulty that
Wednesdays editions could be issued
Mine pumps are being utilized to keep
the water from rising in the Easements
of business houses. The people living
in the lowlands had to be rescued by
the police in boats, early Wednesday.
The water entirely surrounded their
houses and as there was danger that
they might topple over the authorities
insisted that they be vacated. Prac:i-
cally the same conditions prevail all
along the river for SO miles and the loss
TO property will be greater than that
sustained in any previous flood. No
town along the river front has escaped.
At Plymouth hundreds Of homes in
the southern part OF the town have had
their foundations weakened and it is
feared that the high water will carry
them away. Main street. the principal
business thcroughfare of the town. is
a 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 head the warning.
They removed perishable goods from
the eomcnts to the first floor. but now
the first floor of every mercantile house
is covered with water and goods in a
great many cases are floating about
the stores.
The village of Espy. near Blooms
burg, is completely surrounded by wa
ter and the residents are imprisoned in
lnclr MONIES.
At Clark's island scores Of families
hive taken refuge with their neighbCrs
on higher ground. At West Catawis-
sd the employees of the Delaware.
Lackawanna and Western railroad sta
ton were compelled to leave the build
ing.
At bloomsbury many of the indus
tries of the town are shut down be-
cause the boiler rooms are flooded as
result of the condition causing many to
be idle.
Hundreds Of dwelling houses are I'M
der 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 collieries fast
err than it can be pumped out. Fully
5000 miners are idle.
Traffic is suspended on the Pennsyl-
vania and Delaware. Lackawanna and
Western roads. The officials of the lat
ter road say it will take week after
the flood subsidies before they can get
their road bed in shape for the resump-
ton of traffic.