Evening star., 1937-04-26

a 4 \ Y ,
OF the Johnstovn business district BE-
cause Of the rising waters.
Some observers here predicted &
continued rise in the Conemaugh and
Stony Greek Rivers would put the
downtown area under 8 feet OF water
although the river was stationary at
noon after reaching . 17.7-foot level.
The city waited anxiously. More
rain would cause another rise in the
streams, which carried on . down
pour Of more than inches falling
during the night.
One engineer said:
I'VE can't tell yet whether the
crest has been reached at Johnstown
or not. 1t depends on whether there
will be any more rain"
The Red Cross was notified to be
prepared for a possible emergency.
Serious Condition Reported.
Reports to the Works Progress Ad-
ministration headquarters at Harris
burg described conditions at Hol-
sopple, Pa, near Johnstown, az
worse than a year ago." when high
waters inundated the countryside.
Many towns in Somerset County were
cut OH as waters flooded the highways.
Jugtown, community of so per-
sons In Blair County, near Altoona,
was reported marooned after the
Juniata River left its banks.
The water was the highest at
Johnstown since March IT, 1896,
when floods caused more than $3O,-
100000 damage In the city. 1t was
here that 1000 persons lost their lives
In = great flood . half century ago.
Mother and Children Rescued.
At Lgonier. Pa, firemen rescued q
mother and her four small children
today from \ cottage In which they
had been marooned by flooded creek
waters = half mile east of Lgonier
Rescuers said the family's name is
Beseler.
F1remen estimated An area S miles
square was under water in the Ligonier
Valley.
Johnstown residents, taking no
chances, frantically moved to higher
ground.
Trolley service stopped Train serv-
ice was hampered by washed out tracks.
Valley pike, residential street, and
Stony Creek street, a downtown resi-
dence street, both we're flooded. Homes
along these streets were vacated.
Merchants Are Warned.
Police sent warnings to all mer-
chants to prepare for higher waters.
Hundreds OF employees worked fever
ishly to remove stock to top floors. Few
Of Johnson's $4,000 students went to
school
At 1880 am, the waters passed the
17.7-foot level-l.7 feet above flood
stage.
Small mountain streams were pour
ing more water toward the city.
The Franklin Street Footbridge,
which replaced the big bridge destroy
ed by the flood last st. Patrick's day,
was washed from its foundation.
From all sections of Western Penn
sylvania came the same vord-rain
falling and streams flooding.
Heavy rainfall drenched the upper
reaches of the 900-mile Ohio River
watershed during the night.
Near Flood Stage.
At Franklin, Pa, on the Allegheny,
the waters rose to within feet Of the
17-foot flood stage. The precipitation
in the whole area averaged about 3
inches in the past "a hours.
Several highways near the railroad
city Of Altoona were closed. The
waters flowed over a bridge on the
Altoona Bedford road.
A note OF improving conditions came
from Greensburg which Is 80 miles
ast of Pittsburgh The Lincoln High
way was opened for trafic near there
after being closed for several hours,
due to the flooding of Loyalhanna
Creek at Ligonier. home OF the big
steeplechase estate OF Richard K.
Mellon.
The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad re-
routed eastbound trains from Pitts
burgh via Pennsylvania because of
flood conditions in the Cumberland
Valley Of Maryland.
Automobile parking on the wharves
at the point" in Pittsburgh, convere-
ing place of the Ohio. Monongahela
and Allegheny, was banned after the
rivers rose to within a foot of flood
stage. Parts of the wharves were
under water. Houseboat owners tied
up their boats and prepared to ride
out the food.
Water from the Casselman River
hooded more than a score OF homes
in West Meyersdale, Pa. Many resi-
dents reported water from 4 to 5 feet
deep in their cellars.
No trains have been able to reach
the town today because of washouts.
High Water At Cincinnati.
The Ohio River reached a stage OF
PA feet at Cincinnati today. Assist
ant Meteorologist w. B. Schooner said
most Of the streams and tributaries
between Pittsburgh and Cincinnati
had run out, leaving room for hiaf
water to be absorbed before 1t passed
Cincinnati.
He predicted . possible maximum
for Cincinnati Of IS feet. IT feet below
food stage.
At East Liverpool, Ohio, up the river
the Ohio was rising half = foot an
hour.
Lockmaster E. NJ Ellis At dam No. q
said the stream was expected to 60
over its bank in lowlands here at !
am. Tuesday, at 80 feet, and pre-
dicted a crest of 43 feet Tuesday night
Forty-three feet of water, 10 over
flood stage, would halt street car and
interurban traf1ic and enter the first
hoores Of several potteries and other
industrial plants along the banks.
River men at Steubenville, Ohio
predicted continuous rains would force
the Ohio River to stage tomorrow o1
40 feet-5 feet above the level at which
steel mills here must shut down,
The stage this morning was ais
and the river was rising a foot hourly
The crest January Is was 451 fee,