Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-03-21
HAVOC IN -FOUR STATES.
Flood in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indi-
and and West Virginia.

with an estimated property damage
OF S10,O00,000, the enforced idleness of
over 100000 persons, almost the COM
plete suspension of Pittsburg's world
famous manufacturing plants, the sac
rifice of two score lives, which prob
ably will be increased; train service
annulled, trolley service out of commits
sion, telegraph and telephone lines
crippled, between 10000 and 10000
persons homeless, hundreds of homes
undermined and ready to collapse, the
alters closed, guests marooned in hotels,
thousands of families living in the sec
ond stories of their homes and nearly
al; the downtown section of Pittsburg
under water, is the record established
by sudden rise, in the Monongahela,
Allegheny, Ohio. Youghiogheny, ks
kiminetas and Clarion rivers, which
were swollen abnOrmally by the COM
bination of warm weather, melting
SHOWS and general rain throuhout west
ern PENNSYLVANIA and West Virginia.
The record of the greatest flood in
the history of Pittsburg, which was in
1882. was passed, with the rivers still
rapidly rising at a foot an hour All
predictions, prophecies and guesses
have already been shattered and every
stream in western Pennsylvania and
West Virginia is on the rampage.
To add to the confusion in Pittsburg
n,,mnro,1- S-oau freS occurred in the
flooded territory, and the firemen had
great difficulty in reaching them. In
addition to this, most of the fire en-
gines are engaged in different sections
Of the city assisting in keeping electric
plants free from water in order that
lights may not fail.
The town of Majorsville, w. Va,
community of sixty houses, was entire
ly swept away by the waters of Big
Wheeling Creek. all the houses We're
destroyed. but the people had sufficient
time to flee to higher ground. Viola
was partly destroyed. twenty homes
being carried off by the flood, but the
people escaped to the hills.
In Wheeling and the surrounding
towns of Benwood, Martins Ferry.
Bridgeport, Bellaire. McMechen and
Moundsville it is estimated that the
flood has wholly or partially submerged
fully 5000 houses, and that nearly
$4,000 people have been driven from
their homes or to upper floors.
Almost similar conditions are re-
ported throughout western Pennsyl-
vania The losses in the Connellsville
coke region, where mines are flooded
and all industries suspended, are esti-
mated at S2,000,000 Johnstown is re-
ported to be practically a lake, with
the stage of water at eighteen feet, a
foot higher than any known record.
Many points in Ohio are experience
ing the most disastrous floods in sew
eral years. The Miami and Muskingum
valleys so far are the worst sufferers
from the flood At GAINESVILLE three
persons were drowned. In Springfield
and vicinity more than 100000 dam
age has resulted to property and 200
families have been made homeless by
the sudden rise of Mad River and its
tributaries. At Findlay flood condi-
lions have been serious. Lima, Hamil
ton, Dayton and Middleton also report
great damage. Seven business houses
at Gloucester We're swept away and
carried down the river with their con-
tents. All mines in that vicinity are
flooded.