Evening star., 1936-03-18
Has
42.6 Feet of
Water.
HIGHEST SINCE
FLOOD OF 1863
Three Fires Add
to Devastation
in City.

PITTSBURGH, March l0.-The
greatest flood of the century
menaced Pittsburgh and its hun
dreds of neighboring communi-
ties in the wide Western Penn
sylvania area today with damage
already running into millions
and IL known dead.
There were unverified reports
several others perished as ram
paging waters inundated the
flood city of Johnstown and al
most covered Pittsburgh's fam
Gus golden triangle" business
district.
Pittsburgh, Johnstown and
dozens of other cities and towns
were virtually isolated as most of
the major highways were COW
cred.
At Wheeling, w. Va, rivermen
predicted 10000 would be home
less by tomorrow as the Ohio
roared toward a stage of so feet
far above the flood danger
mark.
Uncounted thousands were already
marooned in the Western Pennsyl-
vania flooded areas.
Department stores. theaters and
other big business structures in Pitts
burgh were covered with 10 feet Of
water. NARROWING hundreds of workers
and shoppers.
Fires Add to Devastation.
Fire companies. taxed to their ut
most rescuing hundreds from dwellings
and buildings in the metropolitan area,
found themselves forced to cope with
disastrous explosions and fires.
An explosion in the Etna Nut & Bolt
Co. plant in suburban Etna injured at
least seven persons and destroyed the
factory and II houses.
There were fears some might have
died after the blast, as families were
separated in the rush for safety and
many persons Jumped into Union
street, filled with water to a depth of
6 feet.
Blazes in the Crucible Steel Plant,
the Waverly Oil Works and the Pitts
burgh Steel Spring Co. called out
scores of firemen. Five were hurt in
the Crucible fire and seven at the
Waverly plant.
Explosion after explosion roared
through the Lawrenceville district
from the Waverly Refinery. -Firemen
battled in hip-deep water to prevent
the spread of flames.
Thousands of spectators fed in panic
after the explosions.
Golden Triangle Flooded.
The Golden Triangle, in which is
located some of the biggest stores and
businesses in Pittsburgh, was half
under water. More streets were flooded
hourly.
The waters hit a stage of 42.6 feet,
Is feet above flood level. This stage
was well above the Ali feet recorded
in 1853, the highest ever recorded in
the city. The great flood of 1918 was
little above 38 feet.
At Loew's Penn Theater, struck by
the flood just as the last show let out
last night, Manager Mike Cullen said
he and about 40 others were marooned
without food or water.
Cullen said the water was up to the
loges.
Penn avenue, a main thoroughfare
three blocks from the river bank, was
under water so high that only tops
Of automobiles could be seen.
Two big department stores, Horne's
and Rosenbaum's, were closed, along
with other adjacent business houses.
Reports came in momentarily of
scores Of persons caught in downtown
buildings. Liberty avenue, a through
artery in the heart of the business
section, was rapidly filling.
A half-dozen suburbs, among them
Oakmont, Blawknox and Aspinwall,
were cut of from the city proper.
Water 4 feet deep swirled through
suburban Wilmerding.
Westinghouse Plant Closed.
The East Pittsburgh works of the
Westinghouse Electric & Manufacture
ing Co. shut down when waters COW
cred the floor at the lower end of the
plant.
Most Of the schools remained open
in the city, but officials said some
might be forced to close.
Thirty refugees from Etna borough
found refuge in fire station after
1coc DTTvTCnTT6GIJ Daro a.