New-York tribune., 1908-02-16
RIVERS ON A RAMPAGE
FLOODS IN MANY ST4TES.
Danger Point Passed IN Pittsb0rg-
Much Damage Reported

Pittsburg Feb 1J-Spreading ruin and disae~
ter in its path the annual food of the rivers
and small streams of this section holds Pitts-
burg in its grasp tonight
At 10 o'clock the water had reached stage %
twenty-six feet and was rising half foot an
hour. The weather bureau predicts thirty feet
by TOMORROW morning. and possibly a foor
higher when the crest Of the food arrives iafe
Sunday afternoon
While the weather conditions tonight are
much colder and Snow furrfes are experienced at
intervals, the changed conditions viii have aoso-
uteiy no effect on the high water
At the headwaters the rivers continue TO rise
and scores of cities and towns in Western Penn
syiyania. Eastern Ohio and West Virginia are
partially inundated.
= In the Pittsburg district alone the damage. it
is expected. will amount to several million dol
lars The record food of last year. when tia
water reached a stage of thirty-six and one
half feet caused damage estimated Sf0GJ0,-
600 but sufficient warming given this year
to save much property
conservative estimate places the number OF
men thrown out of work By the food here at
2OoOO This great increase to the army of
employed is expected to result in much suffer-
ing The employed in the mills MANS
featuring plants. business houses and coal mines
located in the flood zone. For weeks charitabis
organizations have been soliciting funds for the
unemployed, and to-day additional appeals wsre
made for contributions to assist the food VIC
tins.
The high water has been responsible for
merous narrow escapes and thrilling rescues.
but up to late tonight fatalities have been
reported. During the flood last year score Of
persons met death directly indirectly
count Of the high water
All the Iowlands of greater Pittsburg are sub
of tho ehrIro Wez- tern
Railroad Bessemer & Lake Erie. Baltimore &
Ohio Pittsburg Virginia & Charleston and sew
eraI other roads under water at a number
of points Along the latter line heavy land
slides have occurred. making transportation both
slow and dangerous. Trolley lines in the food
districts are crippled. several lines SER
vice has been entirely abandoned
A number of street pavements collapsed IN
this city to- day. and thousands of cellars ars
filed with water. causing considerable dan1asa
to foundations.
A great number of families have been COM
PEELED to move their household goods to upper
stories. They go 10 and fro in skiffs
Several heavy Iandslides took place along the
Pittsburg Virginia & Charleston Railroad to-
day. delaying trains and making transportation
dangerous. On the north side the rolling stock
of the Pfttsburg & Western division of the Bal
ttmore & Ohio Railroad was moved out of tha
danger zone. The tracks, freight houses and
station of this road have been abandoned
The Saturday afternoon concert of the Pitts
burg Orchestra I'm the hail of the Pittsburg Ex-
position Duauesne Way, called off and all
traffic in the neighborhood of the building halted
In Allegheny a squad of picked patrolmen- or
the "skfr PATROL guarding the inundated
territory in boats.
Wheeling W. Va. Feb. 1J-Wlth the river
rising at the rate of nine inches an hour to-
night and stage around the 2I-foot marks
the Wheeling district is the verge OF a de-
structive flood that will bring more suffering
among the poor than any similar visitation for
MANY years Forecaster Pennyvitt. of Pitts
burg tonight predicts forty-fve feet on Nom
day. and preparations are being made all along
the line. Forty-fve feet will flood much OF
Wheeling Island, South Side, Benwood. Martins
Ferry BelIare Bridgeport and the lower lying
sections of the city proper. causing more than
one thousand families to flee from their homes.
Relief work will be begun tomorrow. I'M
mense quantities of bacon, rice and other food
stuffs will be put up In small packages and dis
tributed to the sufferers.