Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-07-21
SCHUYLK|LL FLOOD |
WARNINGS SENT OUT.
River Is Rising Rapidly at Read.
ing, Menacing Mill Prop
critics on Banks
CLEARING OUT EASEMENTS

"Warn mill owners along the lower
Schuylkill river in Philadelphia to
guard against food
This was the message received by
the police here today from the au-
thorities at Reading, Pa, who declared
the. Schuylkill river will soon reach the
flood stage. unless the storms abate.
The ReaGing authorities declared the
river there is nearing the food stage
with every indication that it will reach
higher level.
Mill owners Immediately set their en-
ploycs to removing thousands of dollars
worth Of goods stored in the easements
of their plants along the Schuylkill.
The Schuylkill at noon today was
thirty eight inches above normal at Flat
Rock Dam. Lock Tender Winfield
Giles declared the river had reached an
almost unprecedented heighth for this
time of the year. He was inclined to
minimize, however, any impending dan
ger to factories along the river.
II think the lower Schuylkill will
have to rise two feet higher before the
mills will be in peril" he said.
Heavy rains of yesterday and today
did considerable damage throughout the
city.
Many creeks are swollen, thousands
of cellars are flooded, street caveins and
washouts are numerous and in several
sections of the city water mains have
burst.
Automobiles and street cars are hav-
ing all sorts of trouble ploughing
through flooded streets.
Even the wood blocks on Market
At several points the blocks have sunk,
causing huge pools of water to form.
Street cave-ins, flooded cellars, Ge-
laycd trolley cars. broken water pipes
and telephone conduits are few of the
results of the steady rain that has been
falling here since Tuesday, st. Swith-
ms day. The rainfall last night reach
ed the unusual total of 6.37 inches for
the week. within a fraction of the
rainfall for the entire month of July
last year.
Poultry Houses Flooded
Even ducks are victims of the storm.
At one place near the Sixty ninth street
terminal several poultry houses were
flooded and ducks and hens drowned.
An artificial Niagara Falls was Gre
ated by the storm at the art museum
site on the Parkway. Water poured
over the rocky face of the stone bluff
;,l, h.
treasures will appear some day.
Considerable havoc was wrought
along the Main Line towns. The tracks
of the Philadelphia and Western and
the Philadelphia and West Chester
Traction Companies were deluged with
water from six to eighteen inches deep,
and several crews We're engaged in
keeping the rOadways in repair. Train
schedules were affected
Quantities of debris. sand and mud
were washed upon the tracks to a depth
of nearly foot in several places.
Railroad Tracks Inundated
The hollows at Oakmont. South
Ardmore and county line resembled a
vast pond. ~ count% line. directly in
back of the Lower Merton police sta
tion, n lake of several feet in depth
was formed, affording children great
bathing and rafting possibilities.
The country club at Millbourne was
delugcd and the clubhouse was filled
with several feet of water. Railroad
tracks at Sixty ninth Street Terminal
also were flooded Scores of chickens.
ducks and other fowl were drowned
when the water choked the hpnneries.
Serious impairment of telephone serv
ice was reported by the Bell Telephone
Company. Many troleys from Sixty
ninth street were from five minutes to
half an hour late as result of the
washouts and Instructions on the track.