The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-01-19
RIvER TowNs cRIPPLED.
Whole Valley of ohio I'm Grip of
 Flood.

Whole Valley or Unt0 An ursR ~A
 Flood.
 Cincinnati Jan. 1S.-With second rise reported at the headwaters of the Ohio, while the whole valley was still in the grip of the greatest flood 1t has known for more than twenty years. the outlook tonight was indeed gloomy.
 Every town along the river Is suf- fering from crippled communications. limited fuel supply and shortage of food. thousands of families have been rendered homeless and many thousands of men are idle because of the en- forced shutting down of the factories and other establishments that gave thsna senployrneiat The damage likely tes follow the necessary opening of the flood gates at Portsmouth. Ohio, caused almost a panic there. addfng to the suffering resulting from the cutting off of the natural gas supply.
 A number of cities are in darkness tonight. because of broken gas mains or flooded light plants Newport Ky. suffered the cutting on of its gas sup ply during the day and tonight IS threatened with a complete shut down of the electric light plant that sup plies the electric car system in that part of the Kentucky suburbs, while Covtngton Is threatened Wltn AhS cutting off of traffic.
 Every hour added materially to the flooded area and the suffering among the residents of the lower sections of this city and the Kentucky suburbs are great. Street and railroad car service was badly crippled and many electric lines having impossible gaps several blocks long and improvised transfer arrangements were inadequate. There was no indication of relief from up the river, although some of the tributa- ries of the Ohio were reported as fall ing. The colder weather which had been looked for to stop the, rise did not materialize. adding greatly to the discomfort of those who had been drfv- en from their homes and increasing the damage to property in process of re- movai from river front cellars.
 Fire Department Ordered Out.
 Sections of the fire department were ordered out at day light to render as- sIstance in the lower residence sec tions of the city, and have been busy all day removing families from their homes. City amhplances accompanied the arennen and all the invallds were taken to the city hospital.
 River traffic, especially the coal trade. is paralyzed and the business houses along the river front are sui fering heavy losses.
 Traffic on the Prospect line of the interurban company was suspended to- dav beyond Letterle Avenue, owing to the flooded conditions of the tracks. The water from the Ohio has back ed m into Harrods Creek and Goose Creek and has made a lake several miles In length of the Bear Grass val- ley. In this section the water is several feet deep over the interurban company's lines.
 The Parkland branch of the city lines was inc first to feel the effects of the high water, and traffic was suspended over a portion of the line today. Ser vice in other parts of the city is main tained with some difficulty.
 Evansvills reports the Ohio still ris- ing with hard rains there and in pla- ,ces along the Wabash.
 Forecaster Baasler of the weather bu- reau today said that the rise contin- ues from Parkersburg- down, the river being eleven feet above flood line at Point Pleasant and ten feet above at Cincinnati. At all other points in the Cincinnati river district the stages are five feet above flood line. He says the river will probably reach sixty two feet here. by Saturday night, and thata the prospects for more rain adds gloom to the situation.
 One of the most serious phases of the situation today was the prospect of freight embargo, orders to that ef- feet having been issued by several lines. The Baltimore and Ohio South western issued a sweeping order refus- ing to accept any freight for delivery within the city and the Pennsylvania declined to take any for delivery to its West End sheds.
 Traffic with the South is almost at a standstill, largely on account of the freight congestion and danger of in- undation of terminals. A total of twelve hundred men were thrown out of work during the morning today by the rising water. which compelled the shutting down of half dozen or more a..- .lo