The organ of the temperance reform. (Cincinnati, O. [Ohio]) 1852-1853, 1852-04-16


also slightly injured BY the falling pieces.
The PREsENF AND PREVloUs FLooDs or
THE ONO RIvER.-Within the memory Of the
present generation. Cincinnatians have Wit
messed two Overflows Of the lower part Of the
city-One in 1879 and one in ls47. The pres
ent high stage of the river brings these Catas-
trophies to mind; and it will no doubt be inter-
esting to many, now that we have prospect
Of another overflow, to take Retrospective
glance in memory Of the times that tried men 8
souls aud pockets. For thispurpOse, we rcPub-
lish report Of the City Surveyor, Randall H.
Hickey, to the City Council, on the call Of that
honorable body.
To tie Honorable tile City Council ofHs CITY
Of Cincinnati:
GENTLEMEN-Agreeably to resolution pass
ed January 5th, l648, by the City Council,
directing the City Surveyor to make an actual
survey OF the height Of water on the I7th
day Of December, l847, in the Ohio river,
showing the height above low water mark, and
such necessary information respecting the rise
and fall Of said river as came within his OBJ
servation; hereby transmit to you the follow
ing statement:
On the 9th Of December the liver was in
good navigable stage Of water. In the evening
it commenced rising; and on the morning Of
the 10Th it had risen twelve feet additional.
1t continued rising ON Saturday, the llth, quite
fast. On Sunday the 18th, it rained, and the
river had attained greater height than had
occurred since the flood Of February, 1882.
On Monday morning it commenced snowiDg
and continued to fall until Tuesday evening:
On Wednesday morning the river had risen to
60 feet, oVerflowiAg the lower part Of the city.
1t continued rising slowly until Friday morn
ing, the l7th inst, when the river came to a
stand, having reached within abont seven inches
of the height of the flood of 1882. On Satur-
day morning it had fallen four inches, md con-
tinued to recede slowly during the day. On
Sunday morning it had fallen four feet, and
thence continued falling with increased rapid
ity until 1t had subsidized to the usual stage Of
navigation. The following are the measure
ments Of the heights attained by the water Of
the different points measured, viz;
On the northwest corner of Front and Law
renee street, at Harkness' foundry, the heigh,
was 5 feet inches above the door-sill on Front
street.
At Parvin's drug store, being the intersection
of Columbia and Front street, on the east door
way, it was 3 81 100 feet above the dOor-sill.
This point is referred to BY Joseph Gest, in
his statement Of the high water Of 1882 and
was l0.IO0 #. from said sill to high water
mark, making at this point difference Of S.
100 or 6A inches
At Hanks bell foundry, north side Of Front
street, high water mark 2 40-l00 above iron
door sill.
Height at Broadway Hotel 81 100 above the
stone door sill on south side of Columbia street;
northwest corner Of Broadway and Columbia
streets, 81 1Iinches above stone door sill.
East side Of Broadway aud north side Of
Yeatman's alley, 2 feet A inches above stone
sill.
Cincinnati Hotel high water mark 1877 in.
above water table, 63z inches below marx Of
1882, which was cut in the wall. This build
ing is on the northwest corner Of Front and
Broadway.
High water mark on McFarland's, northwest
corner Of Main and water street, inches be
low the mark of 1892, and is feet inches
above the stone doOr-sill
At Hosea g. Frazer's store, southwest corne
of Main aud Front streets, 2215 inches above
door sill to high water mark.
G. Bates's store, northwest corner Of Main
and Front streets, high water 2I inches above
door-sill, marked on iron pillar at corner.
MerriIls bakery, northeast corner OF Walnut
and Front streets, high water mark on iron
pillar, feet 81 inches above dOor-sill.
Northwest corner Of Front and Vine streets,
brick house, high water mark feet 10 inches
above pavement, being x inch below the top Of
window sill.
Northwest corner Of Gilmore's alley and
Front street, high water mark above sill Of door
2-I0 Of foot. This point s referred to BY Mr..
Gest. in 1882, as being $40 above stone sill.
Alexander JohnsOn's house, southwest corneI
Of Plum and Front streets, high water mark
feet 81 inches above stOne sill Of door way on
Plum street.
Northwest corner Of Plum and Front streets
high water marA feet inches above sidewalk;
mark on brick house.
Accompanying this report is a section Of the
Ohio river, from survey taken at Main street,
Cincinnati, TO Garrard street, CoVngton, show
ing the slope Of the banks, and the high and low
water marks, as compared with the height Of
the west sill Of the door Of the Court House.
The low water mark assumed is 100 feet below
the sill. Mr.. Joseph Gest refers to a point
about 74-10O, or 9 inches below this, to which
he once measured, which he considers as ex-
treme low water. The rise Of the present floods
was So. 70 below the Court House sill, OF equiv
alent to height Of 6l.2l-l00 feet above low
water, or 81. IS feet above extreme low water,
and about 6-l0 Of foot lower than the flood Of
1882.
The superficial measurement Of 9 section Of
the river ct high water mark Of l647, at the
foot Of Main street, Is l.975 feet. The mean
velocity Of the river Is estimated at miles per
hour, The quantity Of water discharged per
minute BY the river is 1868, ,249, 744 gallons; per
hour, q, ,794, ,9e4 $40 gallons.
Tie causes which produced this flood are
somewhat different from those Of 1882, the rise
being principally at this time from the rivers
between Pittsburg and Cincinnati; and had tae
snow suddenly melted off. the river would have
risen higher than il did in 16S2-a recurrence
which may happen again, under certain com
hinaiion Of circumstances, and prudence would