Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1905-03-22
GREAT RIVERS
ON A RAMPAGE.
High Water Cause Heavy Losses at
Pittsburg and Buffalo-People
Driven from Home.

Pittsburg, Pa, March 2O.-Pittsburg
is in the throes Of an annual flood. For
tunately, however, the damage to prop
erty will be minimized, compared with
former years, as the vast river interests,
railroads and other business affected by
floods, had ample warning and prepare
tons were made accordingly.
Factories Forced to Close.
Up to the middle of last week heavy
SHOWS remained in the upper $50 miles
of the Allegheny valley and tributaries
and the high temperature Of the week
melted the snow and warm rain yes
terday caused flood conditions from the
headwaters to this city. Already the
lowlands are submerged and mills and
factories on the river fronts have been
forced to suspend operations. The crest
of the flood is looked for in Pittsburg by
nightfall and a stage Of thirty feet is
expected.
1t was twenty-five feet at 8 o'clock
this morning
The Allegheny is running like a mill
race today and, although practically clear
Of ice, it is carrying a great deal of TIM
Der and debris. The ice for the greater part
ran out during the early hours OF the
morning and as far as can be learned,
no damage resulted from it.
Flood Is Prevented.
Schenectady, n. Y, March 20.-The
sudden drop in the temperature during
the night preventing the breaking up OF
the ice on the Mohawk river. All dan
ger Of a flood and break up is regarded
as past for the present.
Bad Flood at Buffalo.
Buffalo. n. Y, March 2O-A food Of
water and ice came down from the Cat
taraugus hills yesterday into Lake Erie
and the Niagara river, Buffalo river and
CaZenovia creek are miles over their
banks. The whole of South Buffalo and
a great part of North Buffalo are from
one to five feet under water. The flood
is the worst the city has ever expert
enced.
The property loss will be enormous
The homes Of $4,000 people are sur
rounded by water. Two street car lines
have suspended business.
One-third Of the city proper is cut off
from communication except by boat. The
great Lackawanna steel plant is isolated
by usual means of travel.
Buffalo was slumbering when the flood
gates burst. Huge ice cakes were thrown
into the streets. Thousands of Buffalon-
ians are imprisoned in their homes.
Outlook Not Hopeful.
With the heavy rain here last night and
the strong breeze from the lake, it is
feared that conditions will in no way be
ameliorated
Cazenovia creek passes through one of
the finest districts Of the city, and it IS
thought the loss will be heavy
The flood swept away two miles Of
macadamized roads running southerly
from the Buffalo city line, and spread out
over a vast area of farm land.
More than a mile Of track of the Buff
falo & Hamburg Electric railway was
uprooted and torn to wreckage and swept
along on the surface Of the raging waters.
The big steel bridge Of this company
over Cazenovia creek was lifted bodily
from it's foundations, and was i'll the
water only a few minutes when it was in
pieces.
The trolleys of the company were or
dered into the barns and not wheel
moved all day, and it is not proba BILE that
traffic will be resumed for several days.
While no fatalities or serious accidents
have been reported, apprehension is at
high pitch.
Many Families in Need.
Many families are in need Of imme-
date aid. The great Lacka wanna steel
plant, which employs thousands Of men,
was in a sorry plight. For several
hours it's immense furnaces were threat
ened with a deluge. Its workmen, who
depend upon the street car service to go
to and from their homes, were obliged to
stay at the plant all night. The yards Of
the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburg rail
road were under water for a long dis
lance, and traffic was almost at a stand
still.