Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Flood

March 1907

Pittsburg, Pa., March 13.—The Monongahela, Allegheny and Ohio rivers are rising rapidly to-night. A stage of twenty-six feet has been reached in this city, and by to-morrow twenty-eight feet is expected. This stage is six feet over danger mark and will inundate the lower parts of the city. Reports from up-river points are alarming. A great part of many towns in the Monongahela valley are submerged, and many persons narrowly escaped with their lives. The property damage is heavy.

To-night it is raining heavily all over Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

Basements were flooded, destroying thousands of dollars worth of perishable goods: a bridge at Harmarsville collapsed, precipating a freight train into the water and drowning three trainmen; residents in the flood districts were rescued from their homes in skiffs, and thousands of men are idle owing to the suspension of work in the coal mines along the rivers.

The Washington Post, Washington, DC 14 Mar 1907

THOUSANDS ARE HOMELESS

Conditions in Pittsburg and Vicinity Worst in History.

Train, Trolley, and Telephone and Telegraph Service Badly Crippled—Theaters Closed—Guests Use Skiffs to Reach Hotels—Property Damage, $1,000,000 in Pittsburg and $2,000,000 in Connellsville District—Factories Idle.

Pittsburg, Pa., Mar. 14.—The greatest flood in the history of Western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Eastern Ohio is being experienced to-night. Thirty-one lives have been lost in the various swollen streams and flooded district, and property damage incalculable has been sustained.

A large part of Pittsburg is submerged, and 100,000 persons are thrown out of employment.

At 7 o’clock the water reached a stage of 34.6 feet at Herrs Island, and 34.3 feet at Market street. The water continues to rise steadily about two-tenths of an inch an hour. At the headwaters the rivers are now stationary. The crest of the flood reached here about midnight, when 35 feet was recorded. This stage is 13 feet above the danger mark. The river is now higher than it has ever been for seventy-five years.

At 4 o’clock this afternoon the thirty-mile ice gorge at Parker, Pa., broke and is moving toward the city. The immense gorge in the Clarion River has also started down stream. Both gorges, however, are old and the ice is soft. On this account the arrival here is not expected to cause much damage.

Many Stores Inundated.

Conditions in this city to-night are the worst ever recorded. The whole lower down-town district is under water and people are moving about in wagons and skiffs. Duquesne way, Pennsylvania avenue and Liberty street, running parallel with the Allegheny River, are submerged to a depth of several feet. Hundreds of business houses located in this district are flooded. In a number of instances the water is almost up to the second flood.

The Gavets, Belasco, Alvin, and Bijou theaters are surrounded by water, and will be unable to open for several days. Water has destroyed or greatly damaged the power plants of all four theaters.

The patrons in the Colonial, Lincoln Annex, and Anderson hotels are either marooned or compelled to use skiffs to and from the buildings.

The car service between Pittsburg and Allegheny was suspended early to-day, and to-night the scenes at the Union Depot of the Pennsylvania Railroad are almost beyond description. Great placards announcing the inauguration of a special train service to Allegheny are displayed all through town. At the depot are thousands of people, a chaotic mass of humanity, shouting and pushing in their efforts to board these trains for Allegheny or the many suburbs adjacent to the city. Patrolmen in large numbers are endeavoring to bring some kind of order out of the situation, but without avail.

Running Special Trains.

The trains are being run regardless of schedules and are packed to the platform steps. To add to the confusion, passengers on in-bound trains are unable to make their way through the crowd, and are compelled to either stay within the station or train shed or walk along the railroad tracks for a considerable distance to steps leading into Liberty street.

Trolley, elevator, and telephone service is demoralized in different sections. Electric light plants in many down-town buildings are out of commission and candles or gas light is being used.

Within the last thirty-six hours fourteen fatalities directly due to the flood have occurred in Pittsburg or the immediate vicinity. These include the three trainmen who lost their lives by the collapse of the Harmarsville bridge yesterday, and the two men drowned last night when the towboat Cruiser capsized in the Ohio River. The other fatalities reported are

LLOYD WEYAND, aged thirty years and WILLIAM BEERS, forty years old drowned in Laurel Hill Creek near Somerset, while trying to ford the stream.

GEORGE JOHNSTON, aged five years, drowned in Gertys Run, Milvale.

ANNIE SHUTE, aged seven years, drowned in Blue Baker Creek, near Hastings.

The police rescued a half-dozen foreigners to-night, and they reported five of their companions had been drowned.

The Washington Post, Washington, DC 15 Mar 1907

Great Property Damage.

The damage to perishable goods and property in the Pittsburg district alone will amount to $1,000,000, probably more. In addition to this, much destruction is being done to property throughout Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

At Connellsville, Pa., the damage to the coke region is estimated tonight at $2,000,000.

The Westinghouse works, employing 30,000, are shut down, and the damage to machinery is estimated at $50,000. All the mines along the Monongahela River are flooded and 10,000 miners are affected. The steel and iron mills are at a standstill and fully 50,000 men are idle. Hundreds of stores and business houses in the downtown section are partially submerged and have closed their doors. The flood directly affects over 2,500,000 people.

All the railroads entering Pittsburg are crippled. Train schedules have been annulled, and the main lines of the Pennsylvania and Wabash railroads are the only ones able to run trains.

The situation in Pittsburg and the immediate vicinity is most serious. Telegraph and telephone service is crippled, and a force of men are pumping water from the dynamo room of the Western Union Telegraph Company, in the First National Bank building, which is located at Wood street and Fifth avenue, the most central point of the business section. In this building, too, is located the office of the Associated Press, and early in the day the matter of gathering the news of the flood was seriously hampered by the failure of the telephone service.

Homes Partly Submerged.

In the suburbs of Aspinwall, Sharpsburg, Etna, and Millvale over 500 families are living in the second story of their homes.

Whole families were compelled to crowd into upstairs rooms, where, in many cases, they are without fuel and supplies, the latter being distributed later by men in skiffs. Many houses in these suburbs have been undermined and the foundations weakened, and are in danger of collapsing. The greater portion of Monongahela, Pa., is under water. All traffic has been suspended and people are moving to higher ground.

Hundreds of persons are marooned in Pittsburg. Restaurants have been besieged all evening by persons unable to reach their homes. To-night every room in the hotels and boarding-houses have been engaged, and there are not sufficient accommodations to take care of those compelled to remain here. Several engine houses in Pittsburg and Allegheny are out of commission, and quarters have been engaged at hotels for the firemen.

At several of the engine houses a guard of firemen in skiffs is looking after the property.

The greatest excitement prevailed throughout Allegheny County to-night, for thousands of buildings are not only now surrounded by water in the flooded districts, but the indications are that thousands of people will be forced from their homes.

The present flood is one of the most remarkable on record. It came unexpectedly, and there was not sufficient time to prepare for it. Heavy rains, warm weather, and the melting of snow on the mountains and hills in Western Pennsylvania during the last forty-eight hours are responsible for the rise.

The Washington Post, Washington, DC 15 Mar 1907

FIRE WITH FLOOD

Special to The Washington Post.

Pittsburg, Pa., Mar. 15.—There were serious fires either to-day or to-night in three cities within the flooded district, and in each instance severe loss was sustained. The first broke out in Mount Washington, a Pittsburg suburb, and at night flames added to the already alarming conditions in Wheeling, W. Va., and Bridgeport, Ohio.

In the three cities the respective fire departments were handicapped by flood conditions. In the Pittsburg district dynamite had to be used in lieu of the crippled fire-fighting apparatus, and the water systems in Wheeling and Bridgeport were of small service.

The Washington Post, Washington, DC 16 Mar 1907

Receding at Pittsburg.

Pittsburg, Pa., March 15.—With the rapid receding of the waters in the Monongahela, Allegheny, and Ohio rivers, which is taking place here to-night, conditions are fast assuming normal proportions, and the greatest and most destructive flood in the history of the city is at an end. At nightfall the approaches to the bridges were clear of water, and several hours later street-car service in the flood district was resumed. Thousands of suburbanites who have been stranded in this city since early yesterday were able to reach their homes, while the downtown section, which has been crowded with sightseers since the sudden rise of water, is almost deserted. The only apparent indication of the flood in the downtown section to-night are the many pipes across the sidewalks through which water is being pumped from submerged basements. In several districts power plants have been repaired, and candles, used for the last thirty-six hours, have been replaced with electric lights.

At 9 o’clock to-night the rivers had fallen almost eight feet. At that hour the stage was twenty-nine feet, and dropping a half foot an hour.

Immediately following the subsiding of the water the task of repairing the damage was begun. A majority of the employes of the large manufacturing establishments who were temporarily thrown out of employment are endeavoring to put the plants in working order, and it is said that by Sunday, at least, all these establishments will resume operations.

Ten Square Miles Inundated.

Ten square miles were inundated. The loss in actual dollars will probably never be known, but an estimate thus far in Allegheny County may be summarized in the following table:

Loss in output of steel mills…………......  $3,000,000
Loss in out put of other industries….....  2,000,000
Loss in wages of employes…………........    1,837,000
Estimated damage to industrial plants..  2,500,000
_________
Total…………………………..........................$9,337,000

However, various estimates are being made, ranging from ten to twenty millions of dollars. It is said, nevertheless, that the total loss will not exceed $10,000,000.

The Union, Six, Seventh, Ninth, and Sixteenth street bridges, which were thought to have been damaged by the immense ice gorges, are now said to have escaped serious damage.

The probabilities to-night are that the Belasco, Gayety, Alvin, and Bijou theaters will be open to the public to-morrow evening. A large force of men is repairing the electric plants damaged by the water in the basements of the playhouses.

Reports from all parts of Western Pennsylvania to-night are to the effect that the flood has subsided, and efforts are now being made to clear up the wreckage.

Thirty Furnaces Shut Down.

Railroad service, which was demoralized by the high water, is rapidly resuming. Local train schedules have been revised, each train being allowed greater time in making the runs.

While the rivers are receding at a rapid rate to-night, it will be several days before they have reached their normal stage.

Thirty large blast furnaces in this city are out of commission on account of the flood. The United States Steel Corporation owns twenty-three, while the others are the property of independent manufacturers. The daily output of the furnaces is 25,000 tons of iron.

It is said here to-night that the suspension will cause a scarcity in iron.

The power from the plants of the Allegheny Light Company was turned into the trolley wires to-night in an effort to maintain street car service. As a result Pittsburg is in darkness.

It is also stated by the management of the Pittsburg Railways Company that it will be at least a week before the street car system is in order.

The Washington Post, Washington, DC 16 Mar 1907

THREE DROWNED

Engine and Part of Train Tumbled into Deer Creek on West Penn Near Harmarville.

Publishers’ Press Telegram.

PITTSBURG, Mar. 13.—Engineer J. B. Mikesell, Fireman W. J. Cantwell and Brakeman J. M. Johns were drowned at 4.55 o’clock this morning while their train was crossing a bridge spanning Deer Creek, near Harmarville, on the West Penn railroad. A heavy rainfall, amounting to almost a cloudburst, had swollen the stream to the proportions of a river. The bridge collapsed under the weight of the train.

The engine and seven cars of freight toppled into the torrent. The bodies of the trainmen have not been recovered. All traffic over the division is suspended.

The Daily Courier, Connellsville, PA 13 Mar 1907

Receding at Pittsburg and Losers Figure Loss $20,000,000—Suffering Great.

PITTSBURG, March 15.—Flood losses in Allegheny county are summarized as follows:

Loss in output of steel mills, $3,000,000; loss in output of other industries, $2,000,000; loss in wages of employees, $1,837,000, estimated damage to industrial plants, $2,500,000; total, $9,337,000.

With the rapid receding of the Monongahela, Allegheny and Ohio rivers which is taking place tonight conditions are fast assuming normal proportions and the most destructive flood in the history of the city is at an end. At nightfall the approaches to the bridges were clear of water and several hours later street car service was resumed.

Thousands of suburbanites who have been stranded in this city since yesterday were able to reach their homes while the downtown section, which has been crowded with sightseers, is almost deserted. The only indications of the flood in the downtown section tonight are the many pipes across the sidewalks through which water is being pumped from submerged basements. In several districts power plants have been repaired and candles, used for thirty-six hours, have been replaced with electric lights.

At 9 o’clock to-night the rivers had fallen almost eight feet. At that hour the stage was twenty-nine feet, and dropping a half foot an hour.

Immediately following the subsiding of the water the task of repairing the damage was begun. A majority of the employes of the large manufacturing establishments who were temporarily thrown out of employment are endeavoring to put the plants in working order and by Monday most of these will have resumed operations.

Railway service is being restored but local train schedules have been revised, allowing each train more time. This action was taken owing to the fear that the roadbeds may have been weakened by the water. In some instances sections of tracks have been washed away and a number of railroad bridges outside of Pittsburg were damaged.

Excitement was caused to-day by several fires. One which swept the Mt. Washington district had to be dynamited on account of a shortage of water in the mains. The loss is about $225,000.

The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, Fort Wayne, IN 16 Mar 1907

Weakened by Flood.

Pittsburg, March 18.—Four trainmen were seriously injured and narrowly escaped drowning when an acre of ground, weakened by the floods, slipped from under the Pittsburg & Lake Erie railroad at Fallston and caused a caboose attached to a light engine to plunge over a 40-foot embankment into the Beaver river. The injured: J. C. Pender, brakeman; J. S. Thorpe, conductor; Frank Bartley, brakeman; William Hero, flagman. The flagman, although badly injured, remembered that two other engines were following, and extricated himself from the wreckage and succeeded in flagging the locomotives.

Coshocton Daily Age, Coshocton, OH 17 Mar 1907

PITTSBURG’S DAY OF HORROR.

Floods, Fires, Famine and Thieves Descend on the City.

Pittsburg, Pa., March 16.—After having suffered the greatest calamity that ever befell it, Pittsburg has begun to prepare for the future. The flood of 1907 will go down in history as the most disastrous that ever happened.

The loss will reach about $30,000,000, while there has been not less than a score of lives taken.

The crest of the flood reached 36.5 feet, breaking all records. Then the waters slowly began to recede. But danger had not passed.

A small blaze started on Mount Washington and the firemen were powerless. The flood had put the city water plant out of commission, and soon an entire square on Shiloh street, the business section of Mount Washington, was burning fiercely. Chemicals, buckets and dynamite were used.

OTHER FIRES BREAK OUT

All this time other fires were breaking out at various points of the city, but, fortunately, none of them were serious. But they caused untold anxiety.

Absolute chaos has reigned throughout the city for the past twelve hours. The street car system was blocked completely, there were no electric lights, no telephones and no water for use. Every railroad entering Pittsburg, with the exception of the Pennsylvania, from the east, is out of business.

ONE PICTURE OF IT

About 8 o’clock four men alighted from a train on the Pittsburg and Lake Erie railroad, which was stalled at Lashiel’s ferry, and insisted that they had to reach Pittsburg at once. They engaged James Greenway, a Negro ferryman, to take them across the Ohio river, a mile wide at this point, to Sewickley, where they could catch a train.

They put out into the raging torrent in a yawl. Within a few minutes cries for help came from the darkness.

The party never reached Sewickley, and all probably died amid the crashing ice floes.

The Daily Review, Decatur, IL 16 Mar 1907

Another Flood Stage.

Pittsburg, March 18.—With 80 miles of ice in the Allegheny above Parker, Pa., and a drizzling rain throughout western Pennsylvania, rivermen are anticipating another flood stage in this city.

Coshocton Daily Age, Coshocton, OH 17 Mar 1907

Articles transcribed by Dorcas Moseley. Thanks Dorcas!

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