Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-15
FLOOD WORKS HAVOC
Western Freshet Leaves Dev-
astation in Its Path.
SUBSIDlNG AT PITTSBURG
Crest Of the Wave Continues Down.
stream.
OUTLYING TOWNS ISOLATED
Enormous Damage Has Been Done
and 100000 People Are Tenn
porarily Out Of Work.
OUTLYING TOWNS ISOLATED
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star
PITTSBURG, Pa, March 15.-The great
flood which has held Pittsburg and sur
rounding territory in its grasp for thirty
six hours reached its crest at o'clock this
morning. when a stage of SO feet . inches
short distance below this city. The other
gauges were under water, SO that it is inn
possible to give exactly the depth at Mar
ket street, Pittsburg, where the stage is
usually taken, 1t is estimated. Showever,
that there was a stage of almost 1914 feet
at Market street at o'clock this morning.
After that hour the three rivers, the Ale
gheny, Monongahela and Ohio. began to
fall at the rate of an inch an hour, and it
was said at the local weather bureau office
that this fall would be increased to six
inches an hour by this afternoon. The ice.
which started out of the headwaters of the
Allegheny about o'clock this morning.
was expected to do considerable damage,
but the foe was pretty well broken up be-
fore it reached Pittsburg and passed out
without harm, although a warning was is
sued that the Union bridge here was in dam
ger and no traffic was allowed on it.
The flood to date has cost more than a
score of lives and has damaged property
to the amount of more than SJ,cO0OOO.
This amount will be increased later. for
the scores of mills that have been shut
down since Wednesday will not be able to
resume for days and thousands of working
men are idle. There is great suffering
among the poorer classes, and SYSTEM
affixed effort is to be made to afford relief,
with the chamber of commerce at the head
of the movement.
Thousands of persons are homeless in
Pittsburg and in towns along the Ale-
gheny and Monongahela rivers. Nearly all
! of these have lost all of their belongings.
and increased suffering is sure to result
after the immediate results of the flood
have passed away. In the downtown dis
trict here business is practically at
standstill. No street running
owing to the damage done at the power
plants.
The Pittsburg and Lake Erie, Western
Pennsylvania. Fort Wayne, Pittsburg and
Western and other railroads have prac-
ticalry annulled all of their trains. and
thousands of suburbanites who came to
their work in this city yesterday morning
were compelled to remain here all night,
not being able to get home. Many of the
city's biggest department stores are stu
ated in the flooded districts and have been
closed since yesterday morning.
PITTSBURG, March 15.-Pittsburgers to-
day are amazed at the immensely of the
flood in the Monongahela, Allegheny and
Ohio rivers which has submerged ten
square miles in the downtown section Of
the city. After reaching the highest stage
ever known, which thirty-seven feet
at Market street, the water is now slowly
receding. Enormous damage to industries
has been caused; over 100000 persons have
been temporarily thrown out of employ
ment: every transportation company in the
city is crippled; skffs are carrying hum
dreds of people to their places of business;
the utilization of wagons and horses as
| conveyances, which did inestimabie service
yesterday, were discontinued owing to
strenuous protests by the Humane Society;
| twenty fatalities have occurred in Allie
gheny county directly due to high water
and the most unique sights ever seen here
are apparent today.
Four massive bridges the 10Th. 9th 7th
and 9th street structures, were threatened
with destruction owing to heavy ice gorges
which came down the Allegheny river.
That the bridges were not swept away is
considered marvellous by rivermen today
and it is said that these structures will be
found to have been greatly weakened when
the water subsidies.
Frightened feminine guests in the Lin
coin. Colonial, Annex and Anderson hotels.
| located in the midst of the flood zone, are
marooned and are watching the high water
| from the windows.
Four theaters, the Gayety, Alvin, Belasco
| and Bijou are flooded and will be dark for
several days.
Most of the fire engines in the downtown
district are pumping water from buildings
along 9Th avenue. At the First National
Bank building. 9Th avenue and Wood
street, the basement is submerged to
are being made to protect the dynamos.
which generate power to the Western
| Union Telegraph Company The office OF
| the Associated Press is loca ted in this
| throughout the night that the wires Of
| these organizations would fail. Strenuous
! efforts Of a force OF men, assisted by Il fire
| engine saved the dynamos. but shortly be-
fore o'clock the electric light dynamo
| suecumbed to the effect of the waters.
Fires Complicate Trouble.
The situation outside of Pittsburg is seri.
| GUS Damage running into millions of doll
| lars has been done; many towns are en-
tirely cut OF from this city; upward OF
| thousands of families have been forced
| from their homes and these conditions, 1t
| lis expected. will prevail for several days.
At Wheeling, w. Va, great damage has
| been done. Train and Geographic service is
out of commission and the residents
panic stricken. The crest of the flood has
/ not reached that point and the fool. situa-
ton still grows serious.
To add to the confusion In Pittsburg two
early morning fires broke out The firemen
experienced difficulty in fighting the flames
| owing to a shortage of water in the mains.
| The crest of the flood passed Pittsburg
this morning at 8 o'clock. At that hour
thirty-seven feet were recorded at the Mar
ket street wharf. The authenticity of this
stage however, is not known, as the gauge
at Market street was buried under water
last night long before midnight, shortly af-
ter a thirty-four foot stage and been an
nounced
At 3 o'clock the weather bureau announce
ed that the rivers had begun to fall. al
III L.. az IA l.I,.l