Omaha daily bee., 1907-01-21
GALE INCREASES SUFFERING
Twenty Thousand Persons Driven
from HOnses I'm Vicinity OF
Cincinnati.

CINCINNATI. Jan. 2O.-Colder weather
and a gale today Increased the suffering Of
thousands who had been made homeless by
the Ohio flood. number of buildings,
weakened by the water. went down before
the wind last night and today Several
floors in the buildings occupied by the A.
Janusen Wholesale Grocery company and
the Ohio Butterine company collapsed. Both
building were heavily stored with merchan-
disc in the upper stories. The loss will be
very heavy.
The flooded area increased today. For
several hours the river was stationary at
64s feet. but the weather bureau officials
announced during the afternoon that reports
indicated that the river here would go up
at least to S. and perhaps g., feet within
the next thirty-slx hours.
| The rise of last night and today cut of
approach to the footbridges across the
Ohio. isolating most Of the people on the
Kentucky side OF the river. Ludlow and
| Bromley were suffering from the back
waters. Strenuous efforts we're made to
avoid serious interruption to street railway
traffic, but the isolation of the bridges pre-
vented continuance of the car lines to
| Cincinnati and there were long stretches
along the Kentucky side of the river where
| the cars were unable to pass.
! Systematic efforts to relieve the sufferers,
who are estimated at nearly 10000 in Gin
cinnati and the nearby cities on both sides
of the river, were under way all day, the
appropriation by the city council being sup
! pemented by special funds to which all the
churches contributed today.
! Part of Parkersburg was under water
and the railroads were in trouble. Almost
the entire business sections of Portsmouth
| and part of the residence district was
| flooded, while $1,000 people driven from
their homes were sheltered in schools and
churches. The city was without gas or
water service.
At Madison, Ind, hundreds have been
driven from their homes by water.
While the low-lying sections of Hunt
ington, w. Va are flooded, II is not be-
lieved the damage there will be heavy.
Portsmouth Levee Breaks.
| PORTSMOUTH, o., Jan. 9.-A terrific
storm and the sudden breaking of the
levees caused Portsmouth night of terror
and today found only few scattered por-
tons of the city had escaped the flood
Hundreds of people were asleep when the
rush of the waters of the Scioto came and
scores had remarkable escapes from drown
ing The water rose so rapidly that people
had no time to save anything Few could
render any assistance to the helpless. II
was necessary to chop in roofs to rescue
some imprisoned families Many found
refuge in boxcars and on house tops til
daybreak.
The men in charge of the pumping station
were forced to desert their posts and flee
for their lives. leaving the structure ir
flames.
The river has reached 6i.3 which is the
highest record since the flood of 1884, bu
It is now about stationary. 1t is esti
mated that 1900 people in this city and
suburbs have been driven from theii
homes. bread famine and lack o.
water. gas and Hgiit' supply combine tC
make the situation extremely critical.
Gale sweeps Lake Erie.
BUFFALO, N. Y, Jan. 20.-A terrific gale
which blew ninety miles an hour at times
has swept this city for eighteen hours anC
has done $l,5OOOOO damage to shipping.
Five large lake liners wintering just in
side the breakwater, were driven aground
The gale still RACES and no aid can be giveI
the endangered vessels, the Hurlburt w
Smith, William Nottingham, J. Q. Riddle
Monroe c. Smith and A. G. Brewer.
For hours the gale swept the water front
tearing everything that stood in its path
Docks and wharves were wrecked anC
carried away; craft broken from theii
moorngs smashed against bridges, doinl
serious damage. No casualties have beer
reported. Lake Erie rose three feet in al
many minutes. The inner bre 4twcter walls
have been pounded until portions OF then
have been broken away. Railroad tracks
along the water front are being held dowI
with strings of freight cars. Railroad ser
vice has been badly disarranged. The gal,
brought with 1t binding sLowstorm.
NIAGARA FALLS, N. Y, Jan. 20
Water in the Niagara river gorge is at tn
highest point It has ever been. Nearly twt
miles of roadbed, tracks and trolley wire
OF the electric road which runs along tn
waters edge have been washed away an,
the railroad suffers damage of nearly 500,
600. The Three Sisters islands have beel
submerged all day and fears are fel
, for the safety of the bridges. The rapid
present a wild spectacle.