The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-12-30
Worst Ice Storm In
 Years Hits Utilities
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 which IS passengers of 6 Boston elevated railway street car were shaken when a truck crashed into the car in Roslindale.
 Michael ?. Cromwell, e5, operator of the car was hospitalized with a fractured leg.
 The ice storm was more severe in central and western Massachusetts where trees and power lines were felled, plunging five towns into darkness. Shrewsbury, Worthing- ton, Cummington, Plainfield and Chesterfield lost all power while streets lights were out fin Auburn.
 Fallen trees blocked trafflc or Route 20 near Northboro and ice still slowed bus and truck sched- ules, with one bus coming from Buffalo. N. Y. to Boston being de- layed nearly six hours.
 Ohio at Flood Stage
 Columbus, Dec. 30 --(UP)- The Ohio river neared flood stage at several points today as swollen tributaries, fed by flash floods, poured water ifl lowland areas, forced $50 families to evacuate homes, threatened hundreds of ott- CTS and inundated sections Of at least 20 highways in central and southeastern Ohio.
 The river Ileared a 35-foot flood stage in the upper Ohio valley and threatened industrial sections in the Mahoning valley.
 Elias Bloch, commander of the Steubenville, O., civilian defense corps, reported that road repair crews had evacuated 200 families from Empire, O., about l2 miles north of Steubenville, and about 150 families from Stratton, o.
 The Mahoning river at Youngs- town, O., was rising rapidly. One downtown street was reported ufl- der water. The Niies-Warren steel area was reported hard hit.
 Flood stage of 52 feet was ex- pected to be reached Friday night or Saturday morning at Cincinnati where the river was at 40.foot level.
 Pittsburgh, Dec. 30-(UP)-The worst flood in more than five years rolled through industrial western Pennsylvania today following recent rains which sent rivers and streams over their banks in a wide area
 It was feared that some industrial plants situated in low-lying sections along the ranpaging rivers would feel the effect of the high water.
 The swollen Allegheny and Monon- gahela rivers rose rapidly and the weather bureau predicted @ crest of between 34 and 35 feet for Pitts burgh, where the two rivers meet to form the Ohio, late this after noon or early tonight. Flood level here is 25 feet.
 Rising at the rate of 6 foot an hour, the flood gage reached the 30-foot mark this morning. Dam- age usually results above the 30- foot level.
 If the weather bureaus predic- ton is fulfilled, the high water would be the worst since April of 1897 when a crest of 35.1 feet was reached. It would also mark the worst December flood in history.
 Easements of homes and business establishments in low-lying areas were flooded, causing thousands of dollars damage. Merchants and home owners, warned by authorities, moved stocks and household goods.
 The streams began to rise yester- day, coming up slowly at first and then increasing.
 Gas and electricity were shut of in some suburban communities as smaller streams went on rampage. East Pittsburgh, Turtle Creek, Will merding, Sharpsburg, Etna, Mo- Kees Rocks and Carnegia reported streets inundated and cellars flooded.
 The rising waters snapped a mooring of the houseboat of Joseph Weinberg who was rescued with his wife and two children by firemen.
 In the Waynesburg, Pa, area, firemen rescued many marooned motorists. Conditions there threat ened to become the worst in his- tory.
 The Youghiogheny and Monon- gahela rivers at McKeesport inun- dated low sections and many fam- lilies, including about 25 children, were sheltered in McKeesport po- lice station.
 At Freeport, on the Allegheny, about 100 homes were flooded by the Kiski river. Utilities were turned of and police and firemen were placed on the alert. At least 80 families were endangered at Verona when base m ents were flooded.
 Between 30 and 40 homes were flooded in Monessen, Pa, as the Monongahela river backed up. Po- lice reported water three feet deep in some homes.
 GOV. TO TALK