FLOODS AND FRESHETS

Goodman Hotel, Interlaken, N. Y.

Cortland Evening Standard, Tuesday, March 31, 1896.

FLOODS AND FRESHETS.

Havoc Wrought by the Waters at Many Points.

PORTIONS OF TOWNS INUNDATED.

Cellars and Basements Full of Water in Every Direction—Much Valuable

Property Washed Away. Streams Still Rising Rapidly.

   LYONS, N. Y., March 31.—The Clyde river is higher than at any time since 1865. It commenced rising Sunday and is now about 15 feet above its normal level and is still rising.

   The Standard Oil company's plant on Depew avenue is submerged, Manager Miers being driven from his office by the flood. The Lyons creamery is surrounded by water, all the cans of milk having to be transported to that establishment by raft.

   The bridge and a portion of the west shore have been washed out near Palmyra, necessitating the use of the Central tracks for the West Shore trains.

   The Clyde river bridge at the eastern end of the Lyons yards is believed to be in a dangerous condition. Water undermined the tracks and several gangs of men were put to work to protect them.

   The cellars in many of the residences on Elmer, Shuler, Montezuma, Fordham and Franklin streets are half full of water. Water also surrounds the kilns in the Scott Malting company's malt house and several other establishments were obliged to close down because of difficulty in their engine rooms.

   Several bridges along the Ganargua creek, the Clyde and Canadaigua outlet have been swept away and it is thought that many dams are gone. Water from

Canandaigua outlet covers the flats to a depth of several feet. Much damage has been done all along the streams.

Damage In Western New York.

   BUFFALO, March 31.—Western New York has been having its annual spring floods and they are the worst in its history. In East Buffalo the flooded districts covered an area of over four square miles and much damage was occasioned.

   At Tonawanda the water is steadily rising and the Ely electric road was forced to shut down. It is feared there that the canal locks will give way from the enormous strain and a force of men are busy at work to prevent a washout. The damage from the flood is estimated in that town alone at from $25,000 to $50,000.

   At Niagara Falls the upper end of the city is flooded and boats have been used to remove articles from several houses on the flats this side of Echota.

   At Lockport much damage is reported from the flooding of cellars.

   At many other places the water is dangerously high.

Ithacans Suffer Severely.

   ITHACA, N. Y., March 31.—Numerous freshets have caused a dangerous flood in the inlet at Cayuga lake at the lower part of Ithaca. The water is rising steadily, and many of the cellars of the residences and stores are flooded. Illstone's icehouse has already been washed away, and Dixon & Robinson's lumber yard is so badly flooded that most of the lumber is likely to be carried off. All trains in this vicinity are delayed. Much damage is reported, but it is thought that the worst is over, as the thermometer is falling.

Hornellsville Partly Submerged.

   HORNELLSVILLE, N. Y., March 31.—The Canisteo river today is a raging torrent. Several portions of the city are under water and many of the highways are impassible. The electric road between this city and Canisteo has not been operated and at the latter place the flood is even worse than here. A farmer moving his household goods was forced to abandon his wagon on the lower flat lands. There is still much snow about the valley and if the mild weather continues serious apprehension will be felt.

High Water at Jamestown.

   JAMESTOWN. N. Y., March 31.—Water has risen several inches and is still rising in Chautauqua lake and the Chadakoin river, by the melting of the snow in the woods and fields where it lay in heavy drifts and which has swollen the creeks over their banks. In many places between here and Mayville the railroad tracks are submerged and no trains have yet gone over the road.

Canisteo Badly Inundated.

   CANISTEO, N. Y., March 31.—The water is higher today than it has been since 1865 and considerable damage to farm property will be reported. The river is over its banks in many places. The whole lower end of the town is inundated and residents of Taylor, West Main, Corter, Walnut, Depot and Second streets, were unable to get to their work.

HIGH WATER [IN CORTLAND].

Fills the Creek to Overflowing, Also Many Cellars.

   The warm weather of yesterday started the water from the melting snows on the hillsides with a rush, Yesterday afternoon and evening both Otter and "Dry" creeks were raging torrents. In the evening both overflowed their banks, filling cellars in their immediate vicinity to the windows. Otter creek rose eight inches in one hour, almost overflowing the bridges on Lincoln and Maple-aves. On Maple-ave. the barn floor of Liveryman E. M. Yager was covered with water over one foot in depth. Mr. Yager was compelled to remove his horses to another barn.

   The flats north of Madison-st. were one sheet of water. Residences in that part of the town were, in many instances, entirely surrounded. No damage is reported except that nearly everything in the cellars affected was found floating around this morning and a few hens belonging to Mr. Grant Bugby of Madison-st. were drowned.

   The water is rising rapidly again in both streams this afternoon.

NOTHING IN IT.

Unauthorized Report of a Change in Local Hotel Property.

   A report was circulated last night of a prospective trade in hotel property between Ollie Ingraham, owner of the Messenger House, and Wickwire Brothers, owners of the Central hotel. A STANDARD man to-day called upon Mr. Ingraham and asked him to verify the report. Mr. Ingraham said there was nothing in it.

   Mr. T. H. Wickwire had at one time happened to meet him and asked "How will you trade hotels?" Mr. Ingraham had made no reply at the time. When next he saw Mr. Wickwire he had called out to him that he should want $35,000 to trade with him. That was some time ago and neither party had referred to the subject since. He did not expect to make any trade and did not know that Mr. Wickwire was at all serious in his thought of a trade when he asked the question.

   The STANDARD man also saw Mr. C. F. Wickwire and that gentleman laughed at the idea. He verified Mr. Ingraham's report of the circumstance and the conversation almost word for word but, as Mr. Ingraham said, did not believe his brother was serious when he asked the question. It was probably the expression of a thought that happened to come into his mind at the time, and he didn't believe he had thought of it since. It isn't worth saying anything about, said Mr. Wickwire.

   We wouldn't refer to the matter, as there is so little to it, except that another paper had published the trade as a fact and some one might be deceived by it.

Graduates With Honors.

   Among the many successful young men who have gone forth from Cortland county, there promises to be another added to the list in the person of Mr. Burt D. Harrington of Harford Mills. Mr. Harrington is now twenty-two years of age and has attended the Long Island college hospital, Brooklyn, N. Y., for the past three years. At the commencement exercises held March 25 he received a special diploma for proficiency in physical diagnosis as well as the degree of doctor of medicine.

   In addition to the above honors, Mr. Harrington was one of six men from a class of seventy-two selected by the faculty of the college and the regents of the hospital to fill the position of resident physician and surgeon.

   We congratulate Dr. Harrington on his brilliant success and hope that this is only the beginning of a bright and prosperous career in his chosen profession.

BREVITIES.

   — Bingham Bros. & Miller to-day put up new awnings in front of their double clothing store.

   —There will be a baking exhibition by the new Cortland Range at Buck & Lane's store to-morrow,

   —The Nomination of Charles E. Wills as postmaster at Homer was yesterday confirmed by the senate.

   —The windows in the City drug store have put on Easter appearance with begonias, Easter lilies and other potted plants.

   —Several of the millinery stores have their spring openings to-day and they are crowded with ladies inspecting the beautiful lines of Easter hats.

   —Mr. A. A. Freeman has accepted an invitation from the Fortnightly club to deliver a lecture before them to-night at the home of the Misses Fitzgerald.

   —New advertisements to-day—Fred I. Graham, facts of the case, page 6; Warner Rood, "London Gaiety Girls," page 6; Bennett & Hartwell, plumbing, etc., page 6; Will Grady, bicycler, page 6.

   —The boxing entertainment under the auspices of the Cortland Boxing club, which was to have been held in Keator opera house, Homer, to-morrow night, will be held in the Cortland Opera House on Saturday evening of this week instead.

  

London Gaiety Girls.

   The London gaiety girls appear at the Opera House Friday night, April 3. Comedy items and sensational novelties will be introduced. There will be pretty girls, funny comedians, and original novelties, in two laughing satires, "The Century Club's Reception" and "The Tramp Astronomers."

   The following well known vaudeville stars, the Fergusons, Eddie Odell, Dot Lothrop, Hilton, Keating and Alexander and the Chapelle sisters are among them. All mechanic and scenic effects are carried by the company.