Evening star., 1920-03-06
Snow, Rain, Wind and Floods
Inflict Great
Damage.
FLOOD IN PENNSYLVANIA
SWEEPS AWAY HOUSES
Many Persons Rescued From Sec
ond Stories-Railroad Tracks and
Bridges Carried of.

Wnlle the storm which swept
out Of the northwest two DAYS ago
was passing slowly out to sea to-
day, high winds continued along
the Atlantic coast and severely
cold weather prevailed over the
entire country east OF the Rocky
mountains.
Weather bureau officials said the
cold wave probably would con-
tinue for several days. diminish
ing gradually after Monday.
The full force of the storm was
being felt today in New England, A
cold wave being forecast for to-
night in Rhode Island. the main
land or eastern Massachusetts
eastern New Hampshire and Maine.
Snow also was expected in north
ern New England.
storm warnings still were dis
played along the coast from the
Delaware breakwater to Eastport.
Me-. with northwest gales forecast
Tor this afternoon and tonight. The
storm center was Off the Massa-
chusetts coast today and was ex-
pected to pass far enough to sea
to result in diminishing winds ON
the seaboard tomorrow.
By the Associated Press.
PHILADELPHIA. Pa, March g.
Freezing temperatures, which came
on the heels of a raging snow, wind
and rain storm, were expected today
to check the floods, which last night
broke over eastern Pennsylvania and
Delaware. causing heavy damage and
driving many persons from their
homes.
The storm. which ragged from 3
O'Clock last night until shortly before
daylight. was one OF the most severe
OF the winter. Driven by q strong
northwest gale. the snow piled up in
Dig drifts and bought the trolley oerv-
ice in this city to a standstill. After
midnight the Market street elevated
was the only line operated. Hundreds
Of night workers living in outlying
sections were forced to spend the
night ae hotels. Shipping on the Della
ware river was also impeded.
Bridges anA Heuses Swept AW1v.
Virtually every stream in this sec
ton of the state overfiowed its banks
Saturday and gorges broken by the
high water<swept away bridges and
railroad tracks. Telegraph and tele-
phone service was put out of commie
sion in places and a number of towns
due to the flooding of power plants.
Trolley service was badly crippled and
several lines were forced to cease
operations entirely because of wash
outs. Scores of houses along the
banks of the swollen streams were
washed away and many mills and fac
tories had to shut down because OF
flooded boiler rooms. Men. women and
children. marooned in their homes.
were rescued in boats, some of them
being taken from second-story win
dows.
Towns along the schuylkill and
Susquehann rivers appeared to be
caster. Harrisburg. Williamsport and
Wilk esbarre reported heavy damage.
Parts Of all these towns were inun-
dated and much Of the surrounding
lowland was under water Most OF
them were without suburban trolley
service. The breaking of two ice
gorges in the Schuylkill river above
Reading caused all Of the industries
in that city using electric power to
close down. Bridges and houses were
city's filtration plant was threatened.
All the streams in the Wyoming val
ley overfowed, and low-lying sec
tions of Wilkesbarre and suburban
towns were under water. At South
all traffic except by
were maronned in their
homes. The pumping station at AL
lentown was flooded and the city was
without water for several hours. The
Lehigh river was packed with ice
brought down from the up-valley
dams and the bridges at Bethlehem
were closed throughout the night.
Entire Blocks Inundated.
Entire blocks were inundated to the
second story at Wilmington when the
overfiowed it's banks
Occupants of the houses We're rescued
by the police. fire department and
volunteer workers The refugees
spent the night at the firehouses and
police stations. The power plant was
under water and the city was in dark
ness.
Nearly all the mills in the north
west section OF Philadelphia had their
easements or lower floors flooded.
and many Of them were forced to
close. Parts Of the driveways in Fair
mont Park were also under water.
The Schuylkill river rose q foot an
hour and early today was twenty
two feet above normal In the Mana
yunk section. Fifty feet of a new
bridge that spans the river at Con-
shohocken, Pa, was torn away by
the food.