, 1866-03-08

The Ice Break on the Kankakee.
The Gorge and ite Consequences-Loss
of Property and L1fe-DAms and
Bridges Swept Away

Bridges Swept Away
IFeom the Wilmington 1ndepeudent.l
Early last week the Ice in the Kankakee
began TO giye way-moVe a little and gorge
at many places, The weather moderate, The
snow melting, and rain threatening, the DAN
ger to bridges, mills, warehouses, and to
many residences, seemed imminent,
and anzisty greatly increased until 2 ?: n:
with great rapldIty; the road to the island
opposite MAS submerged; the ponderous
cnkes ofic were hurled around the mills Of
Pennington, Fisher 4 Co., and the large brick
warehouse and corn cribs Of Willard Il Co.
were threatened With destruction.
At the beginning Of the break up, consld-
ernb}e portion Of the stone wall above the
Touring mills was carried away, allowing the
water to Escape from the race into the chan
mel Of the riyer, cutting OF the supply from
the mills. This Ugly breach win haye to be
repaired before grinding Is resumed.
One Of the saddest affairs that has Trans
pired IN this neighborhood for years, occur
red in this connection. Two Sons Of Mr. L. r.
johnson, named Isaac and Thomas, aged re-
spcctiTely 10 and II yearB, were standing on
Pfthe guard wall Of the lock at the Kankakee
improvement dam; three miles below tbs
over the dam. when the wall was forced out
with great violence, and both young men
were swept away, probably never more to he
heard. from. The youngest, It is supposed.
was drowned Immediately, but Isaac was
seen for q few moments crying for he1p-that
help which no humnn hand could offer. The
mother witnessed the deplorahle fatc Of her
I children, but Vas powe1lcss to help to save
them,
The worst fears of our citizens were not,
however, realized, for late IN the afternoon Of
! Thursday tie Ice gorge gaze way. and In one
hour and thirty minutes the river ut this
! point had fallen twelve feet. The low land
between Col Stewart's and the river is one
| vast field Of massive piles Of Ice. About the
| slack-water dam, three mics down the river,
estimated ut upwards Of thirty feet. Consid-
| csabio damage has been done; but small In
| comparison to what WIS feared.
| The vast Ice dan1-some 20 feet high, which
caused the greatest overflow Of water In the
ctty--was formed near the mouth Of Prairie
| Kankakee Company's Dam and Lock No. /.
| The piers OF the railroad bridge are more or
! less 'injurcd-nesRly one-haf Of them being
thrown down. Temporary repairs, however,
have been made, and trims cro:s regularly.
Tho lower team bridge over Forked Creek
| Is gone and the railroad bridge, Just above,
bas been shocked and shattered consider
ably.
| The dams across the Kankakee, At Altorf,
fourteen miles above US, are entirely carried
away The bridge oyeF the ILLINOIS at Mar
settles, twenty-five miles below US, is also
swept away: Between the above points, no
dams or bridges on the main river are carried
away, although many arc more or less injured.
The city bridge here, which spans the main
| Kankakee, escaped without the slightest
damage, although, being the upper bridge, It
took The first force Of the heavy running Ice.
here. Besides that noticed in our lass, ne
have TO record the destruction Of the railway
aud car connecting Alden s. Smiths graiu
warehouse with the canal basln, the loss Of
the bridge to the dock, md the removal Of
the plank wharf. The high water injured
house, floated Off fences and lumber, and, at
| ouc time, threatened the inundation Of all the
lower portion Of our city.
| TWO BOTS SWEPT AWAY DT THE ICE AND
/ DROWNED.
[FsoGn tho Wilmington uu.} Independent, 7thLl
Ono Of the saldeat anairs that has trans>
| pired in this neighborhood for ycars occurred
on Thursday afternoon last. Two sons OF Mr..
L. r. johnson, named Isaac and Thomas, aged
respectively sixteen and fourteen years, were
| standing on the guard wall of the lock at the
kanknkee improvement dam, three miles be.
low this citr, looking at the huge Gelds ol
Ice p0sslng'pTer the nam, when the wall Was
forced out with great violence, and both
young men were swept a"ay, probably neve,
more to be heard from. The youngest, 1t i.
supposed, Was drowned Immediately, bu,
1saac YVES seen for q few moments crying fol
i uetp-LnNL ueIp WHICH 10 uumHu nauQ C0ulC
offer. The mother witnessed the deplorabll
fate Of her children. but was powerless tt
!. help to save them.
Il Mr. johnson came to Wilmington 1lttl'
over yenr aeo, md last spring took tho farm
of Mr.. Daniel Small, near the dam, upol
which he now resides. He was absent from
home at the.time, and the ssQny he expert
, enccd upoa learning OF this sad fate d! Z:
SONS cannot be pictured in words The boy
were both unusually active, Intelligent an.
promising. The sympathy OF the surround
ing country with the bereaved family IL In
[ fenSA.