The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1867-02-22
THE GREAT FLOOD OF THE MAuMEE,
Breaking Up Of TIE Ice in the River.
Be1ie Cerried OF.
Great Destruction OF Property.

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Since our Last issue, The Naumee Mas been on a
fearful rampage. This valley has experfsnced
Of the greatest fteshets IL has known for years
lone which will be recorded among the great
Goods Of this region. At very early hour on
Saturday morning last, the ice commenced break
ing up In the river at this point, and by Saturday
evening the breakup had progressed from the foot
ofthe Rapids to Rock BatGa distance OF perhaps,
two miles.
| The scene was grSHd aud terrible beyond the
power Of description, and during the day, the
icy food was Witnessed by hundreds. The Flats
and the islands ID this vicinity were entirely sub
merged, and now that the Acod has receded, they
are entirely covered with huge blocks of ice, scat
tered and piled in inextricable confusion.
Great fears were entertained for the safety Of
Che Maumee Bridge, but that structure has with
stood the angry food, and with the exception OF
the splintering of few boards, and several holes
stove in the upper side It has received no injury
Along the Flats, and for miles above, thousands
Of rails have been swept away, together with
cCru-shocks, and ether movable property ex-
posed TO the mercy the food The pike between
this point and the Maumee Bridge was entirely
submerged, End as the Good subsded, the road
presented the appearance Of huge stone quarry.
The ice was piled over the entire road, and on
Sunday morning we noticed large force engaged
in clearing ttaway.
| But the ravages Of the flood in the up river
towns, great they have been, afford no compare
son to the widespread desolation and great de-
s,ructiou &C property occasioned in our ghbor-
ing city, Toledo, on Sunday last. The papers Of
that city have full accounts Of the food. The
Blade of Aonday says
| Yesterday morning the ice in front of the city
was unbrokeu, but gave evidence of weakness
however not sufficient to deter people from CROSS
ing the river upon in preference to going via the
bridge. At abOat 10 O'Clock, an immense field of
broken ice came rushing down the rlver plowing
its way at the rate Of Eve or six miles per hour
and following in its wake came with almost ire
sisnole to1ce broken ice thrown up in every con-
ceivable shape, together with timber and drift
wood This latter " field" the entire width of
| the river. As the broken ice passed the Wabash
Freight House it forced the steamer City of Toledo
! from her fastenings and hurried her down stream
at fearful rate, and il was apprehended that the
| noble vessel would be driven through the bridge
| but she reached the lower end of the NJ s. Dock
| the ice lodged against the bridge and the docks
! below causing au eddy near the mouth of the
/ Baysu, and into this counter-current the steamer
drifted, and before the ice below again gave way
\ the vessel was secured. The barge Cros6ys Er-
| press, was also carried around near the mouth of
| the Bayou,
The blockade of the ice proved to have been
caused by the bridge, and the structure could not
long eudurc the pressure upon it. The ice blocked
up against the docks to such extent as to force
4 the great volume of that floating over into the
"swash channel" near the east side and as il
struck the piling on which the bridge rested, the
piles were bent like withes and in less time than
takes us to chronicle the fact about one-half of
1 the structure swept away.
! The yielding of the bridge produced the greatest
excitcment from this side several persons could
be seen on the broken structure and as the tmbers
| were quickly separated and all were compelled to
take To- the ice the most intense degree of feeling
| prevailed. There were reports OF a number being
drowned, including one female, but we cannot learn
| that such is fact /: probably all were saved. The
north section of the bridge at the foot of Cherry
Street was swayed around about fifteen feet, the
| abutment on which the outer end rested being
swept away. Efforts were made to secure it against
the large quantity of ice that pressed agais it. and
at 8 O'Clock last evening no further injury had
been done to that portion of the bridge
At this time there must have been 10 900 persons
along the shore on the west side. After passing
the bridge the ice became gorged off the foot of
Elm Street, and the water very rapidly-at
least three feet in half an hour -overhowing the
docks and creating quite a respectable channel in
Water Street. Soon, however, the ice forced
passage down stream, and as il started the steamer
Belle, which was moored near the foot of Elm
Street, was swung around, the forward lines break
ing, and as her bow turned toward the middle Of
the river her stern lines broke, and she was car
ried out into the channel and drfted with the ice
j down the river. At o'clock she was about two
| miles below her winter berth, the Ice piled up
against her to such an extent that only her upper
deck and smoke stack were visible from the dock.
I She will probably prove a total loss.
The Belle disappeared during the night. With
i the aid of powerful spy yglass took observa-
ton about noon, to day but could discover nothing
Of the missing steamer. Captain Locke, owner Of
the Belle was in town this forenoon and went down
the river to ascertain, If possible whether she is
still ahOat.
The "draw " of the bridge did not appear to
have suffered any injury and II the first section
reslsts the pressure upon it, that portion of the
structure resting upon stone abu nents will es-
cape serious injury. Th,t portion of the bridge
was the least expensive yet the loss will not fall
short of SIS, 900 to S20, 900.
Persons have been engaged sinte Yesterday in
protecting the remaining portion of the bridge.
The pier south ct Cherr street is badly broken
beside being driven several feetout 0f place stay
have been erected upon it to relieve the south end
OF the hrst section, and If possible prevent its
floating away when the ce-gorge breaks: the Sec
tion has also been anchored from this shore.
7 The Middle Ground presented a strange APP
psarance, the Island House being more true TO its
name than before. The whole ground was sub
merged from few inches to two feet, the water in
many places reaching to the axles of the railroad
cars. We waded into the Island House, and pro-
ceeded to the upper story from the window Of
which we saw vast sheet of ice and water, on
what few moments before was solid ground.
The railroad freight houses were inundated, rem
dering necessary the removal of express and other
freight to the cars. From the elevation we occu-
pied we coHd see immense bodies of ice above the
@. T. bridge, threatening to send that structu re-
down the stream. Trains of loaded cars were
placed upon the bridge for the purpose of weigh.
ing 1t down, to resist the force of the Ice gorge
; and to that precauion may doubtless attribute
the salvation of the bridge
Above the G. 4 T. R. R. Bridge the ice is
gorged, extending entirely across The river.
The foods have been general all over the coun.
try, aud we hear of much destruction of property
railroad bridges swept away, and farms, towns
and cities inundated. The winter of lS66-67 will
be memorable one.
The latest report we have is that the steamer
Belle is lodged at Presque Isle, AMI the probabil-
tiles are tina! she will be recovered.
LOCAL BREVITIES.