The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1849-03-29

by Telegraph Jor Ne ViA Counfy Oens0er0s.
TERRIBLE CALAxrTy-GsrAr Loss OF LIFE ann
PRorrnrr-GnkArssr FLoop EVER KNOWN rs
CHICAGO.
CHICAGO. March IL, 8 Pm.
Never before has Chicago been visited
by 20 creat calamity as this day has wit.
messed. Our Harbor exhibits scene Of
the mos, terrible devastation! IN the con-
fusion which prevails il would DO lido to ut
temp. to give he details, but VIC believe
il is no, too much to say that one half Of
the shipping in the harbor has been destroy
ed; aud every bridge on the river has
been swept away!
Abont . o'clock this morning compact
dam of ice, raised two or three feet above
the surface Of the water, nearly opposite
Gage g. Haine's Steam Mill, on the Nor.l,
branch, md above which lnrgc body Of
water and honting leo had Accumulated,
suddcnl gave why, sweeping down the
rapid current every vessel lying below that
| point!
Madison street bridge offered a momen-
tary check To the floating mass-but it wac
but momentnry; for the next instant the
bridge itself was added to the wreck! Ran
dolph street bridge was the next obstacle
10 tho rush OF things; but hardly an "hstn-
Gle it resisted for moment, and then II too
gave way and sunk into the chaos below.
und oil rushed with swift destruction thus
swept into the main river, where the banks
were lined with steamers, propellors, briggs,
echooners and canal bon,s; aud then such
crushing confusion ensued as no pen con
describe! Wells street bridge was open,
leaving the middle Of the stream clear; but
the vessels were closely wcdgcd together
from bank to bank and The ends at tho bridge
very soon gave way and mingled with the
general wreck. On, on rushed tina terrible
1e,iIla. the whole river being completely
filled with steamboats,, propcllors, schooners,
canal boats, scows and every kind Of craft.
In the harbor above tho booms, bowsprits
and other portions Of the rigging crushing
OH the mnss moved on below, the hulls
coming together with still greater crash,
the smaller craft beius ground TO fragments
between tho larger, and the ice, which
covered the whole surface of the winter, and
was often wedged in several feet above.-
Clark street bridge was completely swept
away, aud larger number of large vessels
were wedged together At this point with
smaller ones filling the space between, and
ench crushing il is impossible 10 describe.
The hulls gave way as ifthcy had bcen egg
shells. Those nj the edge ground against
the wharfs, tearing up the plsnks; tho rig
gin. was mingled together in greatest con
tnslon-spars and cables If the largest size
snapt every moment as il they Ind bnen
twinc. The vessels were crowded with
persons shsntng aud endeavoring To do
something to arrest their progress below
this point.
II o'clock.
The mass ofvcssels 81 i'll remains wedged in
above The garrison and an immense amount
Of ice and wreck is accumulated above, rem
dering the pressure against the shipping
fearful. a number OF vessels have been
swept beyond the piers and are now riding
at anchor. Several boats nrc out upon tho
lake. some with men on board aud others
entirely destroyed. The whole surface Of
tho lake for miles out is covered with float.
ing wrecks. The vessels in tho North
Branch are still safe, though fears arc eu-
tertaincd that they too may DO swept out !;
III schooncrs and vessels injured and sunk,
I propellors and ste amboats, ditto, :.3 canal
boats ditto, 5 children, men and woman
killed.
CHICAGO, March Ii,
The dnm still remains. but the ice has
for the most part passed underneath the
vessels. and the wnter has fallen some two
feet. Some apprehcnsions nre entertained,
when The north brunch gives way, that il.
viii! hiring vessels and canal boats with il,
and make general destruction nj the dam.
They are trying 10 get the hoats lopsc below
some probability .hat they will succeed.
Much damage has been done at Peru, hy
high water. Twenty buildings have al.
ready been destroyed, aud the water is still
rising.
The Hydraulic Basin at I.ockport gave
wav on the night Of the 18th inst. About
80 feet Of the west wall have been entirely
carried away.
HrFive cases Of cholera, which icrmin.
atcd fatally, occurred at Quincy, and in the
ncighborhood, on last Saturday and Sun