The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1868-03-11
GKE4T m e0ReE AND FLOOD
in ROCK ISLAND.
A Large part ofthe town
submerged.
Immense damage done.
THE GORGE BREAKS.
The RIgER sPEu TO HavIGATIeE.

.The oldest inhabitantn has never Witness
ed such an alarming food in Rock Island,
as occurred here Tuesday night. At about
o'clock that afternoon, the ice, having pre-
viously broken up and been moving for
awhile, gorged across the whole river, from
a point near the Rodman Mills, and stopped,
forming pretty close dam, and backing up
the water to such an extent as to run it over
the Coal Valley railroad track, at number
of points, and to overflow the low lands ly-
ing adjoining the river, besides forcing heavy
streams up Madison street 10 Illinois, and
across to Orleans and Rock River streets
The situation then remained unchanged un
til al out o'clock in the evening, giving no
cause for especial alarm. At the hour men,
toned, the gorge seemed to completely dam
the mighty river. The heavy tides, checked
in their course, began to rise with rapidity
which portended the utmost peril. The
bells of our churches pealed the alarm, and
no doubt BY so doing gave timely warning,
without which lives might have been lost.
As IL was many narrow escapes could be
chroncled. The black waters broke across
the railroad track Immediately above the
Tannery, and with great violence poured
over into the lower lands adjoining, forming
a surging lake of greater or less depth, ex-
tending from Huber's brewery to the depot
buildings, and by way of the Slough, TO the
Distillery mile and half below. At the
same time the cross Streets leading up to III
inois, were all more or less submerged.
while headstrong currents rushed up Madi
son and jefferson, flooding in every direc-
ton. Sidewalks were lifted from the ground
and dashed in pieces, cellars filed, and first
floors covered, huge boulders of ice carried
beyond Union Park. even into Rock River
street; the depot grounds piled up with ice,
a number of frame dwellings moved on their
foundations, and every loose object whirled
| from its place and fioated off. heavy
stream also rushed up Elk street by the Jail,
barely giving a number of families time to
escape from dwellings situated on lower
| ground than Illinois street, and carrying with
Z! it the scattered remains of portion of Gal
| lup's lumber yard The CONSERVATION at
this point, at this particular time, was very
great, and many were seriously inclined to
seek the bluffs, oblivious to the fact that that
| line of retreat was entirely cut off. The wa
ter having become two feet deep in the up
per portion of Illinois street, filling the eel
lars of the business houses in that lacality,
| and flooding the.frst floors, affairs certainly
| wore dubious aspect. Fortunately, how
| ever, at this moment the accumulated mass
Of water proved too strong for the dam, and
forced open the gorge. The water then fen
| five feet in as many minutes. A vast crowd
rushed down to the levee, which had been
| previously submerged, to view the passing
out of the ice. The velocity of the current
in front of the ferry landing was certainly
| double its usual rate, hurrying the grinding
| foes onward, and in a quarter of an hour
| the river was comparatively clear. A brass
band, on the Davenport side, gave token of
| the common Joy by dispensing lively airs
which foated across with remarkable clear
ness. Our own people recovered from their
excitement with varied emotions. Loss of
property was for time forgotten, and a
| general congratulation ensued that the affair
had not ended more tragically. Never in
the history of our city has there been such a
food. The low grounds south of Illinois
street are still under water, leaving many
residences submerged; q half dozen above
| the tannery are also in the same condition.
1t would be quite impossible to estimate
the loss of our citizens. Whole streets have
been cleared of sidewalks, which reparation
will fall upon property holders. We have
no data from which to aggregate the loss OF
private individuals by the flooding. We
have visited all the business points of our
city however, with the following result:
Skinner & Son met with no loss, as was
reported, although half their yard was sub
merged. Two and half strings of logs be-
longing to Weyerhauser & Denkman, lying
between the railroad and wagon bridges,
were swept away. Heavy masses of ice
caused considerable damage in the depot
yard, tearing up the track, in some places.
George Muf, saloon keeper on Illinois ST.
lost about $50 worth Of property. James
Broderick, proprietor of the Shamrock
House, on Adams Street, lost to the amount
of $500. The water was FIVE feet deep in
front of his house at enc time, compelling
his family to seek refuge in theupper stories.
Charles Hausgen. grocer, on Madison
street lost $50.
The stores and saloons on the corner of
| Madison and Illinois streets were damaged
to the amount of $500; Andrew Schneider,
saloon, corner of Madison and Front streets.
| $3.50; Black Hawk saloon, Hugh Conwell,
proprietor, ON Front street, $500. The
warehouse of George W. D. Harris, ON the
levee, was flooded to depth Of nearly two
feet, causing much injury TO the agricultu.
raj implements stored there. Two thousand
dollars will scarcely repair the loss. Adam
Schmitt. proprietor of the Washington
House, lost about 800; the loss of the Coal
Valley Company, ~ithin the city limits, viii
not fall short of one thousand dollars. Bid.
dison's planning mill is completely surround
ed. with a quantity of corn under water; loss
$1,000. The Warner mills boasted about
twenty-five inches of water in the basement,