New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-16
FLOODS LEAVE MISERY.
PITTSBURG RECOVERLNG.
Crest of High Water SSceeps Tosc-
ard the Mississippi.
fBy Telegraph 20 The Tribune. J


Plttsburg, March l5.-Pittsburg emerged to-
day from the greatest afliction in its history.
The ice laden waters OF the Allegheny and Mo-
nongahela rivers. which have held the city in
taeir embrace for the last two days have receded
after reaching at o'clock this morning $3.50 feet,
the highest mark on record. The property loss
viii exceed s2O.OOO.OO0 which viii be sweiled TO
s5O.00oOe0 when the loss IN wages 20 three hum
cred thousand men out OF work and the loss
from suspended business IS added
To add 20 the misery and suffering. fire broke
out on Mount Washington early this morning at
a time when the water supply was cut off entire
ly. the flood having forced the pumping stations
20 shut down. Chemical engines and bucket
brigndes were Of no avail. and dynamite was
used as a last resort TO save the district. The
fire was finally extinguished after an entire
square had been destroyed, the fire and dyna-
mite entailing loss Of some 100000
The conditions are appalling in McKeesport
Six persons lost their lives in the flood to-day
ana & is feared that the bodies OF many foreign
-rs will be found when the waters recede. Over
twenty-five thousand homeless persons are be-
Eng cared for by the city government and
bread famine is threatened. Looting began to-
day and Mayor Coleman ordered the police 20
shoot any person caught pillaging.
Mayor Kirschier and the other officials OF
Alles heny were busy ell day with rowboats TAX
who were confined in the upper floors Of their
homes IN the flooded district It was feared for
ie tiIno that the ice gorge rushing down the Ale
ttileny River would carry away the bridges be
tween Allegheny and Pittsburg, but at 4 o'clock
;this morning the gorge started 20 pass through
slowly without doing any damage.
The traction lines are GlnlOSt completely tleo
I'D, ana Pitfsburg is without electric light and
telephone service All seven newspapers are Pc
.ing printed in two plants outside the flood dis
frict.
james Greeneway ferryman at Sewickley
and four unknown passengers are reported 70
have lost their lives in trying 20 cross the OHIO
River IN yawl late last nisaG
fsltteburg, March 15-With the rapid receding
OF the waters in the NEonongahela. Allegheny and
Ohio rivers, which Is taking place here tonight
conditions are fast assuming normal proper
lions AZ nighrfal. the approaches TO the bridges
were clear OF water. and several hours later
streetcar service in the flood district was re-
sumed. Thousands Of suburbanites who have
been stranded IN this city since early yesteroay
were able 10 reach their homes, while the down
town district, which has been crowded Win
ssRhfseerS since the sudden rise OF water, is al
most deserted. The only apparent indications OF
The food downtown tonight are the many pipes
across the sidewalks, through which water Is
being pumped from submerged Easements. IN
several districts power plants have been re-
pasred and candles used for the last thirty-six
hours have been replaced with electric lights.
At 0 O'Clock tonight the rivers had fallen al
most eight feet. At that hour the stage was
2s feet and dropping a half foot an hour.
Reports from an parts OF Western Pennsyl-
vania tonight are TO the efIect that the uooo
has subsidized, and efforts now being made to
clear up the wreckage.
Two foreigners were drowned tonight when
fhev attempted TO cross a submerged bridge
spanning Pigeon Creek al Stockdale' near MO-
nongahela.