Evening star., 1936-03-19

warehouses and three dwellings. then
damaged railroad trestle-sole means
Of public transportation to populous
suburbs. Nearly so were injured in
other fires and explosions.
Flames Add to Danger.
Fire sirens shrieked through the
night. Bells changed. Flames cast
reddish glows in the sky. Thousands
on thousands Of dollars damage was
estimated by fremen.
One of the biggest blazes, starting
at a gasoline storage plant, enveloped
an entire block. Three businesses were
destroyed.
Another fire in a refinery brought
injury to seven firemen; 80 persons
were hurt in an explosion of undeter-
mined origin in a brick house.
Boats piled through the streets nor
mally choked with heavy automobile
traffic Most were manned by police
and other rescue crews carrying ma
rooned persons from homes and busi-
ness buildings.
Police ordered evacuation of sew
eral structures, including one big down.
town Office building
City Street Is Shore.
The food waters reached a peak Of
45.95 feet before starting a recession
which gradually speeded to inches
an hour. The crest was feet above
the legendary high of a great food
in 1853.
At the crest Smithfield street, six
blocks from the rivers bank. was the
shore" Water flowed into the second
stories Of buildings on Liberty avenue,
three blocks from the water front.
Hundreds Of volunteers Joined police
and Red Cross representatives in the
work Of aiding families to shelter.
One rescue boat capsized In several
feet Of water on Penn avenue, nor
mally one of the busiest downtown
thoroughfares. Five men fell into the
icy water. Another police skiff sped
to their rescue.
From McKeesport came an offer Of
q reward Of 500 for the recovery Of
Patrolman John Spilman's body. The
officer was swept downstream while
carrying on rescue work. His small
boat capsized near the Youghiogheny
River. throwing him and accompanying
firemen into the water.
One motorist said he had to travel
IS miles to reach the Western Peniten-
tiary-about miles from the down.
town section-after being called there
by reports Of disorders.
Prison officials reported everything
remained orderly despite food waters
which forced evacuation Of the first
floor.
Thirty life guards were sworn In as
special policemen and assigned to res
cue work in scattered sections. on
GERS said first efforts would be to
remove persons marooned In down.
town buildings.
Telephone company employees set up
emergency stations throughout the
city. Notices Of locations of the
emergency telephones. intended for
use only in calling doctors, police and
firemen, were prepared.
Flood lights at the Allegheny County
Airport, blotted out by disruption of
power service. were replaced by flares
for emergency landings.
Man Disappears in Water.
Tiny flames of candles and inter-
mittent beams of flashlights dotted
the city's streets throughout the night.
Many persons succeeded in obtaining
lanterns, others used old-fashioned oil
lamps reclaimed from attic store
rooms.
In the major hotels, with elevators
halted, bellhops led guests up long
flights of stairs carrying candles to
light the way. Big candelabra lighted
the dining rooms.
Crowds of curious lined the rail-
ings of all large bridges early today
watching debris swirling downstream.
One group reported seeing q man
climbing to the top of a house car
ried away at Freeport. They said he
slipped from the house and disap-
pesred in the waters of the Allegheny.