The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1905-03-22
THE GREAT FLOOD OF 1905.
Lacks Little of Reaching the Record
Of Forty Years Ago.

Lacks Little of Reaching the Record
Of Forty Years Ago.
Forty years ago this month, and almost
on this very date, occurred The greatest
flood in the Allegheny river that has ever
been known. st. Patrck's Day, March
IL, 1865, will long live in the memory of
the inhabitants of this valley, especially
those who witnessed that great natural
flood. There have been many floods in
the river since then, but none that have
approached within two feet of the stage
of water attained at that time. In June,
1892, there was great flood in the Alle-
gheny, but it lacked considerable of
reaching the '65 high water mark. The
present natural rise has perhaps come as
near equalling that great stage of water
as any, although opinions differ on that
point. At any rate the water, which
reached its maximum height about seven
o'clock on Monday morning, still lacked
fully two feet of the high water mark Of
1865. But it was high enough for natural
water.
Sunday morning shortly after one
o'clock the great body of ice in the river
at this point began to move, and for a
time seemed as though it would pass out
without much trouble, but after running
an hour or so began to show signs of
gorging, and shortly afterward stopped
below town, and in less time than it tax es
to tell it, almost, property in the lower
portion of the town was practically inun-
dated, and many people left their homes
for safer attitudes. None, except S. S.
Canfield's dwelling, we're flooded, how
ever, and at about daylight the gorge
broke and the waters began to recede
rapidly, doing no particular damage at
this place, barring the flooding of some
cellars.
At East Hickory the breakup flooded
the town, but did little real damage. A
gorge at West Hickory crowded the ice
around the Forest Barge company's yard
on the opposite side of the river, but none
of the property was carried away so far
as could be ascertaIned at last accounts.
At Eagle Rock the Grandin numbering
plant was considerably shaken up, but
aside from tearing their dam out and dis
arranging the runways and topping over
sustained. Most of the dwelling houses
were filled with water to the depth of one
to three feet, leaving bad state of affairs
in the way OF mud and slime to clean up,
but there were no casualties, which was
fortunate considering the suddenness
with which the inhabitants were over
taken in the night.
Kellettvllle, on Tionesta creek, so far
as can be learned, experienced the most
distressing state of affairs as far as heard
from. There the flat ground on the west
feet of water from back water caused by
the gorging of the ice. DR.. Detar's son
lost pretty Shetland pony by drowning,
and one of the doctors horses is seriously
injured by exposure for several hours in
the water. No property losses of conse-
quence other than these are reported from
there at this writing.
At Nebraska the losses reported are
small, and this is strange. too, for there
were several coal flats and barges moored
along the shores both above and below
the dam, all excepting one flat being held,
and this one is said TO have safely run
ashore a short distance below where it
broke loose.
No damage of consequence is reported
from the upper end of the creek.
Thad. Booher, of near Hunter Station,
and Samuel Snyder, at tho mouth of lit
tie Tionesta, each lost COW by drowning.
VIM. Lawrence's swinging foot bridge
at the mouth of the creek was put out of
commission, but was not carried away,
aud can be repaired when the water re-
cedes sufficiently.
j. j. Landers' saw mill, short distance
above the Tionesta creek bridge, was
badly wrecked by the ice and will need
to be rebuilt. A part of his stock of saw
logs was also swept away.
All things considered, the break up
and flood was not bad one in this sec
tion when viewed by the comparatively
small amount of damage wrought.
The railroads were perhaps the worst
sufferers by the floods and breakup, and
train schedules were practically annulled
during Sunday and Monday, but are get
ting back to business again. The chief
causes of thetrouble on the river division
of the p. II. II. were an ice gorge over the
tracks at the Hickory flats, bad wash
out at Dawson, and land slide at Car
rollton, N. Y, which southbound freight
ran into, dilching the engine and six cars.
The line was opened for trains Monday
afternoon, although the tracks were yet
covered by water in many places.