Evening star., 1945-03-07
Flood
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Flood
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were pressed into service to
strengthen them.
However, prospects that the rap
idly mounting flood might be
stopped by freezing weather were
seen in reports of the United States
Weather Bureau in Chicago, the
Associated Press reported.
Heavy rain which had spilled as
much as l.31 inches by the time it
ended virtually had stopped. Chicago
reported that clearing and colder
weather was en- route. The cold
extending below freezing. was ex-
pected to check the runoff and
thus give the river an opportunity
to drain its creStS.
Rainfall Is Heavy.
Louisville reported 1.55 inches of
rain. Pittsburgh. at the confluence
of the swollen Monongahela and
Allegheny Rivers which form the
Ohio. reported precipitation total
ing 1.31 inches.
Similar conditions prevailed along
the watershed. Clarksburg, w. Va.
had 173 inches.
Cold air moving across Southern
Illinois and Southwest Indiana
changed the rain to sleet, and by
freezing the ground was expected
to check the runoff Temperatures
of below freezing were expected to
cover most of the Ohio Valley by
nightfall.
The cold spell, the Weather Bu-
reau said, will be of short duration.
and be followed by clearing and
warmer temperatures from Mime
sofa southwark.
Deaths in the Ohio food totaled
seven. William Pinion, Is, drowned
attempting to swim to a barge. An
unidentified woman drowned at
Owensboro, KY. and at Davidsville
Run, Hollesopple, Pa, two 3-year-
old girls fell in while watching the
rising waters. Details of the other
deaths were not reported by the
Associated Press.
From the Allegheny y-Monongahela
confluence the river was moving
steadily toward crests approximately
10 feet under record 1887 marks. A
33-foot crest was predicted officially
for Pittsburgh, but unofficiaI river
men saw possibility of a 35-foot
crest. At Cincinnati the river was
expected to top 10 feet, some 18 feet
under the 1887 crest.
Thousands Are Evacuated.
The Red Cross estimated 5000 to
5000 families had been evacuated.
War plants in the Pittsburgh area
were preparing to remove valuable
machinery, and seven coal mines.
isolated at Bellaire, Ohio. were
closed. The Pennsylvania Railroad
was blocked by a landslide near
Bellaire.
The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad
suspended service last night between
Parkersburg and Huntington. w. Va.
The B. & o. and the Pennsylvania
were expected to suspend today
between Pittsburgh and Wheeling
where level of As feet was ex-
pected.
The New York Central announced
it would operate the James Whit
comb Riley to Indianapolis only
instead of Cincinnati until high
waters subside. Other Chicago
Cincinnati trains, the announcement
said. will run over alternate routes.
Further south along the Missis-
sippi Valley, the Mississippi pounded
stretch of levee west of Dyers-
burg. Tenn, but in the delta, while
conditions improved. flooded bottoms
were expected to drain for several
days.
Shipyards Are Closed.
High waters from the Ohio River
forced the American Bridge Co. S
shipyards to close 'at Ambridge, Pa,
making about 10000 men idle.
LISTS built at the yards were being
protected by flood bumpers" which
prevented them from floating away
The Jones & Laughlin Steel Corp,
reporting six open hearths in its
Pittsburgh works were shut down.
The 96-inch hot strip sheet mill also
suspended.
The flood stopped navigation,
hating coal barge shipments along
the Monongahela River.
Tributary streams began to re-
cede this morning and the Allegheny
became stationary above Oakmont
Pa, just outside Pittsburgh. The
rate Of rise in the Monongahela was
declining. Colder weather brought
light snow to Pittsburgh this
morning.
In Lauderdale County, Tenn, some
100 families were homeless.
Bridge Is Closed.
One of the four bridges leading
from Cincinnati to Kentucky was
closed, transportation facilities with
in the city were suspended over some
regular lines, while others were de-
toured.
Millcreek Valley, industrial heart
of Cincinnati, struggled against a
flash flood in Millcreek itself. Early
today. however, engineers reported
the Miilcreek slowly recording a 1.2-
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