Omaha daily bee., 1907-01-19
THOUSANDS OF FAMILIES HOMELESS


In Upper valley.
CINCINNATI, Jan. 1s.-with a second
rise reported at the headquarters OF the
OHIO the flood outlook tonight is gloomy.
Towns along the river are suffering from
crippled communications, limited fuel sup
ply and a shortage Of food; thousands OF
families have been rendered homeless and
many thousand men are idle because OF
the enforced shutting down of the fac
tories A number of cities are in darkness
tonight because of broken gas mains,
flooded light plants, etc. Railroads, trac-
ton and city electric lines were generally
crippled along the river. At Ironton more
than 100 refugees are in the school house
and other vacant buildings at Newport,
KY 800 families have had to be cared for.
In response to request from the mayor
of Manchester, o., Governor Harris late
today ordered out one company of the Sew
onth regiment, stationed at Manchester, to
guard the property Of the flood sufferers.
one of the most serious phases of the
food is the prospect of a freight embargo
The Baltimore & Ohio Southwestern is
sued sweeping order refusing to accept
any freight for delivery within or via Gin
cinnati regardless OF destination. The Big
Four refused to accept any freight for de-
livery within the city and the Pennsyl-
vania declines to take for delivery for its
West End sheds.
sIIAwNEETOWN, ILL.,, Jan. 1S-The flood
situation is not so alarming tonight, al
though a river stage of fifty feet is ex-
pected. The levee is pronounced by ex-
perts as in excellent shape and able to
withstand the strain of the rise.
Shawneetown lies in an elbow OF the Ohio
river and is protected by a dyke on the
cast and south. When the river is In flood
the surface of the water Is six to eight
feet above the street level in the lower
part of the town. In April. 1898, the city
was inundated by the river. which broke
through the dixie on the northeastern side
and twenty-nine people lost their lives
The dikes were repaired after this cslam-
ity, and 1t was believed they could with
stand any stage of water
AIIeGbeny il Failing.
PITTsBURG, Jan 1s.-A gradual fall in
the Allegheny river during the last twenty
, four hours has greatly improved the situa-
tion at Springdale. The water has ceased
to flow over the dam and is now passing
down at either end of 1t.
The Allegheny river is falling at the
head waters, but the Monongahela is still
rising at all points. Brownsville has thirty
four feet of water on the marks and It is
rising two inches an hour. Half the houses
in West Brownsville are said to be sub
merged.
Conditions along the Monongahela valley
were reported much worse at noon
At McKeesport high water has forced
suspension of operations a the tin plate
works and other plants. r,aking several
thousand men idle. II the rise continues
a number of the mills of the National Tube
works will have TO close down.
Fayette City is surrounded by water and
many people have removed from their resi-
dences.
Nearly every house In Black Diamond is
flooded and all the residents are living in
the upper stories. Along the Pittsburg,
Virginia & Charleston division of the
Pennsylvania railroad the Monongahela
food has risen 80 high that tracks are in
danger and traffic may be suspended to-
night
All the coal mines in the valley have shut
down and 1000 miners are temporarily out
OF employment.
River Trafic ParaIyzed.
LOUISVILLE. Ky. Jan. 1s-There has
been a rise of from three to four feet dur
ing the last twenty-four hours in the Ohio
river from Pittsburg 10 Louisville Condi-
tions indicate a stage Of S6 feet, II not more,
at louisville and "a feet at Madison, Ind D.,
by Saturday night The river rose nearly
two feet last night and is coming up stead
fly. Many mercantile houses have been
compelled TO remove stocks. City firemen
have been busy all day removing families
from their homes In lower residence sec
tons. All invalds were taken to the city
hospital In ambulances.
River traffic is paralyzed and the bust
ness houses along the river front are suffer
ing heavy loss.
Trafic on the Prospect interurban line
was suspended owing to the flooded tracks
The water from the Ohio has backed up
into Harris creek and Goose creek and has
made a lake several miles In length from
the Bear Grass valley. Tranic was sus-
pended over a portion of the Parkland car
line today.
Evansville reports the Ohio stin rising
with hard rains there and in places along
the Wabash.
A dispatch from Jackson. KY. says the
Kentucky river has risen eighteen feet
there IN the last two days. This stream
passes through Frankfort and empties into
the Ohio at Carrolton, KY, nifty miles
above Louisville
Flood at Portsmouth.
PORTSMOUTH, o.. Jan. l6-The river
has exceeded 81 feet here and Is now rising
two inches per hour. The water is en-
croaching on portions of the business and
residence districts and hundreds are pre-.
pairing to move In anticipation OF several
feet Of water Nearly 100 people have
been driven TO shelter In schools and
vacant buildings.
WOOL GROWERS TALK SHOP