FLOOD DISASTER

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 150, 20 March 1936, Page 11

FLOOD DISASTER

Death and Destruction In United States

LARGE AREA AFFECTED Pittsburgh’s Desperate Plight THOUSANDS HOMELESS By Telegraph-Press Assn.—’.’cpyright. (Received March 19. 7.35 p.m) New York, Jlarcli IS. The most devastating floods in generations, resulting from snow aocumulations of the hardest whiter in a century, poured down through eastern United States to-day and caused widespread death and property destruction. Centring at Pittsburgh, the disaster extended from Maine to the Carolinas. Fifty persons lost their lives, and the damage is expected to total 100,01)0.000 dollars. The Jlonongahela and Alleghany Rivers, which converge at Pittsburgh to form the Ohio River, swept over the city’s business district. Eighteen feet of water tore through buildings and, to add to the confusion, three large industrial plants caught fire and burn ed to the water’s edge. Smaller cities and mines up and down Pennsylvania’s principal rivers suffered equally. The entire Wyoming s Valley was turned into an inland sea by the Susquehanna River. New York State reported that 2000 persons were driven from their homes in various cities by floods. Western, centre and eastern portions of the State alike reported exceptionally high water in all streams. The Hudson rose 13.5 feet above normal. The Potomac River spread widely over its banks in Maryland, badly battering Hancock and Cumberland. Both these cities are covered by nine feet of water aud hundreds of houses were swept away by the stream, which had the force of a tidal wave. Dam Collapses. Tlie Greenswood Dam, five miles above New Hartford (Connecticut) collapsed, hurling a 19-foot wall of water down the Farmington Valley, a thicklypopulated agricultural and industrial area. Three are known to be dead here. Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire also report wide areas in flood. Damage amounts to 15,000.000 dollars, and 30,000 persons are homeless in West Virginia, Virginia and North and South Carolina, where waters from rivers further north piled southward. In Connecticut three dams broke and warnings were broadcast down three river valleys for people to seek higher grounds. Martial law has been declared at Pittsburgh. Police are attempting to reach the western penitentiary in au isolated section. With the rising waters the guards were forced to move 200 prisoners to high tiers and it is reported that 1200 inmates took advantage of the confusion to stage a riot. At Johnstown, where the streets were yesterday eight feet under water, and where the waters during the day receded considerably, the populace was thrown into a panic late in the afternoon on reports that dams protecting the city were crumbling and the community was in danger of being wiped out as in 1889. People madly rushed to the surrounding hills, and the city was almost completely evacuated before it was found that the reports were untrue, although one small dam had developed leaks; In the confusion there was considerable looting and hundreds of special peace officers were sworn in to maintain order. At least 8000 are homeless in the city, where property damage is estimated at 35,000,000 dollars. By early evening it appeared that the situation at Pittsburgh was becoming desperate. All telephonic and telegraphic communications were halted, indicating a power breakdown there. Every available commercial aeroplane at New York, Cleveland, Detroit and Chicago was pressed into service to tush food and medical supplies to the city as. all railway and highway communications are disrupted. Aviators reported that the water had reached such a depth that all power plants along the river were completely submerged. They also reported seeing patrol boats picking up refugees from floating debris. Iu one large hotel over 500 guests are marooned on the upper floors without food, heat or light, and with the constant danger that the drinking water available is contaminated. The flood area has extended practically to cut railway communications between the eastern seaboard and the west. The only railway service functioning between New York and St. Louis is by way of Buffalo. Express trains arc running eight to 10 hours late. National Guard Mobilised. A later message states that the National Guard has been mobilised in the States of Massachusetts, Connecticut. New Hampshire and Vermont, as the flood menace increased hourly. Every stream in the entire section, from the smallest brooks to larger rivers, are out of their banks. Shortly before midnight on Wednesday, an apparently authentic report was broadcast that the huge dam across the Connecticut River at Vernon (Vermont) had collapsed. The electricity company owning it said that it was only a partial break, and that workers were attempting to repair it, but in any event, the entire Connecticut River Valley, cutting through the heart of New England, is endangered :iud removal warnings have beeu sent out.

Boston faced a milk shortage, according to officials there, and damage iu the State of Maine alone is estimated to exceed 10,000,000 dollars. At Washington relief workers are hastily throwing up levees to protect the national capital from the rapidly-rising potomac. It is recalled that in 18S9 flood waters almost reached the U liite House. In the confusion throughout (lie night uo attempt was made to estimate the total casualties, but the death toll will undoubtedly exceed earlier estimates of 50.

Despite the belief that the waters had reached their height at Pittsburgh at 8 p.m.. at 11 p.m. they were still rising, when Hie depth was estimated at 48 feet, the official gauge having broken. It was a night of terror for the city. Relief crews in rowboats distributed food as best they could, but

were uuable to reach all in need. 1 ires broke out in many sections of the city, many burning unchecked as there was no means of notifying the Fire Department. which, in any event, was completely inadequate to handle the situation. A tank car full of petrol in the railway yards exploded, starling a fire which destroyed six buildings. At least 50 pej-sons suffered varying l degrees of injury in fires and explosions, exclusive of flood casualties. At Wheeling (West Virginia), which was directly in _ tbe path of the roaring Ohio River flood, heroic preparations were made all night to meet the impending crisis. Part of the business area is already inundated, and if the river reaches the expected height early on Thursday it will fl-wl most of the city. With the aid of police thousands are being evacuated to higher ground. Unable to be published al Pittsburgh, three newspapers moved skeleton editorial and mechanical staffs to nearby towns, where abbreviated editions were published. Martini law was declared at Johnstown during the night.