New-York tribune., 1908-09-20


To prevent an epidemic of disease the heaitn
authorities are flushing several streams In the
Pittsburg district and then coating the bed ana
hanks with lime.
Philadelphia. Sept 19.-Practicany the entire
State of Pennsylvania east of the Allegheny
Mountains is suffering from one of the worst
1rouths in years In some parts or the state
no rain has fallen in more than two months. and
rivers and streams are so low that many indus
tries have been interfered with and i'm some in
stances plants have been shut down for the lack
| of water Forest fires are burning in several
! districts and some localities report that crops
will be entirely ruined unless rain comes soon
At Shenandoah in the anthracite coal region,
the water supply is so low that farmers are
bringing water to the residents In the town In
stead of vegetables as there is more profit in
hauling water than in peddling produce. Water
sells at eight cents gallon. and many are COM
PEELED to walk three and four miles to get sup
ply even at that price. Several coal mines in
/ that region have been closed because of lack of
water the power plants.
At Duncannon. near Harrisburg. the Susque
hanna River is lower than it has been in more
than hundred years. In September, 1874,
the river was lower than it had been since 1909.
and stone in the Susquehanna opposite Dun
cannon was marked and dated. Yesterday the
stone showed tnat tue river is 10" ten lhChe9
below the mark placed there in 1874
In Philadelphia the Schuylkill River is lower
than it has been at any time since 1869. and
canalboats are stranded at different points in
the river between here and the coal regions.
Forest fires which have spread from the rail-
road tracks the timber lands are causing
much excitement and considerable apprehension
about Tobyhanna ard other places on the Po-
! como Mountains, at the eastern edge of the state
A careful estimate places the area already COW
cred by the flames thirty thousand acres. The
loss thus far sustained by various property own
ers is great.
There fires of large proportions at Cresco,
| Moscow Gouldsboro and near Tobyhanna and
! an almost perfect string of fires along what is
| known as Trout Creek. In much of the region
swept there is no valuable timber, but there are
| some areas where a considerable number OF
| good trees have been damaged
| SUFFERING AT wILKEs-BARRE.
| At Wilkes Barre the Susquehanna River is
three inches lower than it ever was known to
| be before. The reservoirs of the water COM
panies are rapidly being depleted, and are get
| ting no fresh supply, most of the streams on
| the mountains are dried up. The hill sections
| of the city of Wilkes Barre supplied with
water only twelve hours day. while on the
| outskirts much suffering and Inconvenience are
caused by wells and springs going dry.
| Conditions are so serious in the neighborhood
| of Pottsve that the trolley plant of the Potts
! VILE Union Traction Company may at any mo-
| ment lose It's supply from the Pottsville Water
Compapy which is outstanding its stored water
| at every point. The trolley plant will then de-
, pend for it's sole supply artesian wells and
the thin stream of the Schuylkill River, which
| must be pumped and purified before using. The
| Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Com
| panv has for some time been pumping water
| from the Schuylk River. which is very low
Reports from the foothills the eastern side
Iof the Allegheny Mountains say the drouth Is
| the severest in twenty years. No rain has fall
! len for ten weeks. swamps, streams and springs
are dried up, and many of the larger streams
| have become mere rivuiets. Trout ana other
fish have pershed by the thousands.
The water supply Of Hollidaysburg has been
greatly decrea sed and all use of water except
| for domestic purposes has been prohibited. The
| drouth has bghted every growing thing, not
only the products of the fields and gardens. but
also those of the forests. and there will be
scarcely any chestnuts or hickory nuts the
! leaves are falling from the trees and the nuts
| have shrivelled up
| There will not be one third potato crop. and
| unless rain comes soon the corn will be only
! half A crop The Pennsylvania Railroad is
| pumping water from the Juniata River for its
| locomotives and men have been warned not to
| drink from the engine tanks, as the Juniata
| water is impure.
| FARMERS GIVE Up SOWING.
Practically all the rural sections of the state
| are suffering result Of the dry weather
| Wells and streams never before known to have
! become exhausted have dried up Farmers in
| some places have virtually given UP ploughing.
because the soil is as fine as powder. and
| not sowing seed as the top soil is unable TO
sprout the grain. There is also much incon-
venience in providing water for livestock, some
farmers being compelled to haul water for miles.
Reading reports the Schuylkill River at that
point lower than it has been in fifty years, and
the Lehigh River is also very low. Prayers for
rain will be offered in hundreds of churches
throughout the state to- morrow. and It is feared
that If the dry season continues much sickness
will develop in localities where water is badly
needed for flushing purposes.
The State Water Supply Commission is close
" observing the drouth, and data are row being
compiled of the dry period, the rainfall this
year and in previous years. together with studies
i of the watersheds of various streams and the
extent of forest land they drain.
Wiliamsport. Penn, Sept 19.-New forest
fires are burning west and north of this city.
The flames which threatened to do damage tc,
logs belonging to the Central Pennsylvania
Lumber Company, near Laquin now under
control and though the fires continue to burn
in the slashings there is little danger of imme-