Democratic Sentinel, Volume 8, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 February 1884 — THE OHIO FLOOD [ARTICLE]

THE OHIO FLOOD

How It Started—lts Progress Traced from the Beginning. Terrible Scenes of Destruction Wrought by the Raging Waters Along the Ohio Valley. Travelers on the mountain roads of West, era Pennsylvania halted at the first Inn on Monday evening, Feb. 4, to avoid exposure to a misty rainfall. Two days before the temperature had risen to a point among" the 50s. A soft wind came from the north and had brought lowering clouds that hung just above the taller trees on the mountains. Tiny streams crept out from under the snow and trickled over the roads, down through the guile ys, growing larger, and swifter, and fiercer as they went. The eaves of the old Inns were busied all of that night carrying away the rainfall that grew in its volume until in the morning the traveler regretted that he had Stopped. The thawing snow-water flowed across the roads In larger streams, the black earth was showing beneath the hemlock, and the paths were covered with slippery toe. It was many hours until the slightest change occurred in the situation. Then the wind veered to the east and increased the rainfall. The temperature still higher, and the snow disappeared from the ledges to join the torrent of mad waters that rolled down every mountain side into the valleys of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers. At Pittsburgh, Wheeling, and all the lesser points as far south as Parkersburg, the water gauges marked a rise of K) inches an hour, and rlvermen predicted the greatest flood that had been known for years. Trafflo was soon abandoned over the McKeesport and Youghiogheny Railrpad, and the Lake Erie line reached Its Pittsburgh termination only by passing over flooded tracks. Other lines -were delayed, and the Baltimore and Ohio reported numerous washouts north of Connelisville. The low land on the south side of Pittsburgh was soon submerged, and the people, abandoning their homes, sought shelter in the churches and publio halls of* the city. The ice became* gorged at West Newton, in the Allegany River, and, after massing for four days, was broken by the baokwater. It was fmpolled with great force down the stream, and swept everything before it, leaving in its course on the banks a miscellaneous mass of dismantled houses, furniture, logs, hay, and dead animals. The gorge reformed at McKeesport and blocked the flow of water. The mountain streams grew in turgidlty, and the Monongahela was filling the banks of the Ohio when the gorge broke again, and when Wheeling awoke on the morning of Feb. 6 the water gauges indicated a level of 86 feet. One-half of the city was submerged, and thousands of people, fled from thelr r homes to the higher ground. The river* rose at the rate of a foot an hour until 6 p. m., when the gauges Indicated 41 feet 9 inohes. The rise continued until Feb. 7, when 52 feet, the highest point, was attained. In the meantime, Wheeling Island, with a population of 4,500, bad been surrendered to the waters, and the people who were rescued in boats were being fed In churches and public halls by the relief committees. Messages burdened with pitiful stories of disasters to property and life came from Bellaire, Bridgeport, West Wheeling. Martin’s Ferry, Fulton, Wellsburgh, Benwood, Moundsvilie, and many small hamlets, showing that within a radius of fifteen miles there were 20,000 homeless people, whose losses aggregate many millions of dollars. Some of the places were wholly under water, and in West. Wheeling not a bouse could be inhabited. The river bad swollen from 600 feet to a mile and a quarter and whirled violently along a mass of debris, among which the appearance of water was only Incidental. In Wheeling many streets containing the finest residences were navigable by steamboats, and through them coursed a constant flow of driftwood, at tfic rate of five miles an hour. The suffering became greater than the people could alleviate, and at a mass meeting Jn Wheeling Congress was asked to give a relief fund of $1,000,000. The people claim to have the assurance of their Congressional delegation that thoy will got $500,000. Four days after the disasters at Pittsburgh and Wheeling, the rfvor attained fifty-four feet, its highest point, at Parkervburg, but recoded before much damage had been done. In the meantime a constant rainfall was melting the snow throughout the Ohio Valley and sending torrents of water into the tributary streams, so that the river at Cincinnati bad risen on Fob. C to 61 feet and was still coming up at tho rate of 4 inches an bour. The levee was submerged, and then the water line began to crcop up the hill. Business men In the lower streots carried thoir goods to the high stories of their buildings, and the people who lived betwoen Second street and the river piled their household goods on high ground where the men took turns at standing In the rain to guard them from piracy. The families found shelter in the churches and public halls. On Feb. 7 the rain had ceased and the river was stationary, but it was flowing through that part of the city below Second stroot and at points reached Eighth street, boing within 600 feet of the Burnet House. Tho suspension bridge was reaohod by boats, the gas burned dimly in the streets, tho people wore warned to use but little water, relief committees went to work, and tho City Comptroller was authorized by tho Legislature to borrow $50,000 for the relief of tho people. On the morning of Feb. 8 tho outlook was less hopeful. At Pittsburgh the river was falling, but it was coming up from Parkersburg and below at the rate of half an inch an hour. The waterworks were flooded and stopped with a supply of five days for domostio use; Newport and Covington called for aid; tho militia was put on police duty, and relief boats plied through the flbodod parts, visiting those imprisoned in tho upper stories of their homes. On tho 10th tho flood of 1883 was surpassed, and the gas went out, leaving the city at the mercy of thieves and fire. The Bignal Service had given two warnings of the approach of a cold wave, which never came. People returned to the use of candles, and tho Bee Lino Road, one of the last to hold out, was forced to stop at the stock yards, three miles out 'of the city. On tho next day tho Bee Lino and Dayton roads were abandoned, and tho city was left to depend on tho Cincinnati Northern, whieh being a ’narrow gauge, could not grant the courtesy of its tracks to other linos. The climax was attainod Fob. 15, when the gauges indicated upward ofa72 feet of water. Ttie river then came up to Pearl street oirVine, and was running through the seoond story of all the First street bouses. The loss of property at Cincinnati, is immense* The foundations of many briok buildings were sapped by the treacherous wasers, causing them to tumblo to pieoes. In one instance a boarding house tumbled down and ten of the Inmutes were crushed to death. . A dispatch from that oity says that although the worst and most annoying features of the flood are almost over, yet the suffering of the poor and tho distressed will last for weeks. Tho people who have lost their all will not recover from their losses for a long time, and the real suffering will not begin until the waters recede and tho refugees return to their ruined homes and cheerless firesides. The damage in Mill Creek bottoms, among the manufactories and distilleries, is immense, and beyond what was expected. In Newport a frightful picture of destruction is made visible as the water recedes. So terribly Indeed, is the wreck that many who once possessed a little home turn away In despair and become almost frantic at the sight. Destruction, ruin, and debris meet the eye everywhere.” Tho river towns that are suburban to Cincinnati Suffered a great loss. Lawrenoeburg, Ind., is one of these. It stands at the base •of the hills at the junction of tho Miami and Ohio rivers. Its buildings are low and are built on ground of about one level. The lossos it experiences are greater than they would be if there was a place for relief. The water in the river roso as it did at Cincinnati. The peoplo began to move out of the houses closest to ,tho river, on Feb. 5, and a few families located In the upper stories of the Court Houso. where they found shelter

last year, and were cared for by boats which rowed to the second-story windows. On Feb. 6 the streets were afloat, and Indianapolis had been called on to keep the people from starving. The waters were higher than in the Hood of 1888. On Feb. 7 the Miami levee broke and the river surged through the oity, washing array many houses. For many days the ehanges were only for the worse. Dense fogs hovered over the little : city, and channels were cut through the streets, taking away many adjacent houses. The people moved into cabins and improvised bouses on the hill-tops. A landslide out off { the railroad approaches, and the nearest point where relief could be sent in large quantities was six miles distant. It was conveyed from there to the people by means of wagons. It is computed that the losses at Lawrenoeburg are not less than $500,000. A correspondent thus depicts the scene of desolation wrought by the relentless waters in the illfated little city: “The waters are slowly but surely receding, and the people of Lawrenceburg feel that their trials and sufferings have reached a climax, and that a brighter day is dawning, though as the muddy waves sink their monuments of wreck and ruin rise in all their terrible ghastliness, revealing a pioture of desolation and wo that brings grief to the stoutest heart and tears to eyes unused to weeping. Words fail to paint the j scene that the citizen of Lawrenoeburg beholds to-day ms he stands upon the small patoh of ground left by the falling water and looks out upon the little water-wrecked, desolate city, only a Tew days since beautiful, peaceful, and quiet, the home, the pride, and boast of her people. But now her ouce beautiful streets are muddy streams. The poor man’s little house Is gone, the vine-clad cottage, with its porch and lattice-work, la wrecked, and the more elegant and Imposing homes of brick, paint, and fences are reeking with slime and mud. In Lawrenoeburg the wheels of her manufactories are silent and the water glories in its triumph as it ebbs and flows over and through her deserted and desolate buildings. As the water gives way the extent of the damage can be more aoourately ascertained. The city will suffer muoh by reason of the obstruction of her levees and the damage to her streets and sidewalks, while the loss to individual oltizens can hardly be estimated. Probably half a million dollars would not more than replaoe Lawrenoeburg and her citizens as she was before the flood. The real work of her citizens, however, only begins as the waters leave in reclaiming their property, repairing and rebuilding; and it will be days, and perhaps weeks, before many dwellings can be occupied.” Madison, Ind., anticipated the flood by having the 'ower portion of the oity abandoned when the Wheeling disasters were reported. The city is partially built on a great hill, and it had ample accommodations for the people whose places were under water. Thp damage to property will bo great. A large number ol factories stand close by the river, and were fall of water to the second stories. A hamlet across the river in Kentucky was entirely under water, and its Inhabitants climbed the WU and went baok Into the country to disperse among the farmers. Ixiulsvllle, Ky., and Jeffersonville and New Albany, Ind., are In close proximity. On Feb. 6, after a rainfall of several hours, the river showed a remarkable tendenoy to rise, and tbe inhabitants of the low districts moved baok into the safe portions of the oltieS. On F«fo. 6 the river was nearly forty feet ovei high-water mark, and was rising at the rate of four inohes an hour. In Louisville the rivet front from Third to Fourteenth streets wai submerged and the houses were entirely hidden between tho point and Shippingsport, 400 families being driven from their homes. In the southeastern district many houses were abandoned on account of back water from Bear Grass Creek. On Feb. 7 the canal out-off gave way and the current ran across the point at a depth of twenty feet. The river continued to rise until the greatest height ever known —46 feet—had been attained. The damage in Louisville was comparatively light, as all the occupants of the lowlands moved out before the waters attacked them. In Jeffersonville and New Albany It is estimated al two cr three times greater than last year. Next to Lawrenoeburg, Ind., the town suffering the greatest damage was probably Shawneetown, 111. It is situated between a bluff and the river, and on three sides is protected by levees. When the river began tc rise the people beoame terror-stricken, and many abandoned their homes, after placing their goods in the higher stories of theii houses. On Feb. 10 the river had reached a point where It threatened to break tbe embankment and wash away the city. A fores of 300 men and two railroad locomotlvei were put to work hauling dirt from the bills to strengthen the levee, and for a time 11 seemed that their work would be successful, but the embankment gave way and In a brief time there was a depth of water from 5 to II feet all over the town. The people who gol out of their bouses moved In the country oi camped on the hillsides. Last year’s lossei were so great that many of them were too poor to get away or to supply themselvei with ordinary comforts. The suffering among them is made very intense by the present cold weather. The reports generally show that under similar circumstances tho losses this year will not be so great as last, because the people have been taught to anticipate and overcom< many features of the disasters. Perishable properly was generally transported to placet of safety in time to save it, and houses were provided to prevent muoh of the suffering that was undergone a year ago. The distress, however, is beyond the comprehension oi those who have not seen it. At a number of places relief were fired Into by tbe distressed citizens to prevent them approaching places of rescue that wero tottering. The waves made by the boats wero disastrous to undermined build lngs, and nb boat larger than a skiff was allowed to distribute the relief supplies. The figures which indicate the height ol water in tho Ohio are not a measure of its volume. At Cincinnati, for Instance, zero it located on tho surface of Four-Mile bar, north of tho city, and again at Rising Sun bar, abreast of tho Indiana State lino. It is situated on those shoal places to give river pilot! tbe advantage of a geater average dopth oi water in tho river generally. The published depth is inaccurate to tho amount of th« depth of the channel where the wnter-gaug! is fixed. At Cincinnati this depth is 15 feet, wbioh, if added to the published depth, makei tho volume 86 feet.