The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1868-03-10

bridge leading to the Island was seriously
injured. In anticipation Of some such an
accident, the works had been secured to the
ice breakers by strong cables, but by the
crowding up of the ice, the breaking piers
themselves were more or less damaged, and
the piles crushed from under about ninety
feet of the trestle work, dropping the latter
into the water. This accident reveals the
fact that most Of the piles are in decayed
condition.
At about i've clock in the afternoon. the
chisel or derrick boat and four or FIVE fiat.
boats belonging to Case 4 Co., were torn
from their moorings on the Rapids. and
fioated down with the beadlong cure Mt
number of attempts were made to secure
them, but without success. A chisel was
thrown overheard at point above Island
headquarters, which can be recovered on
the falling Of the water in the spring. On
reaching the bridge, one Of the boats COLI
ded, and had its entire top torn off. The
other struck the draw, as the bridge tenders
were hurrying it back, and did considerable
damage. Messrs A. W. and Joseph Hope
were somewhat injured. The draw was
slightly sprung, occasioning some delay in
the crossing of trains, but at a quarter past
seven, everything was repaired and in work
ing order. Case & Co., it is estimated, will
suffer to the amount of 900.
From the Davenport papers we learn
that Stevens brewery was somewhat injured,
large boulder having crowded through a
solid wall, taking out corner of the engine
house, and another out of the brewery, oc
casioning a loss of about $1,000. Lower
down the ice is piled up twenty-five feet
high against Rsnwick's saw mill. The log
way has been carried off, and one of the
small tenant houses close by nearly tipped
over while the family was at dinner.
At about ten o'clock this morning, the ac-
cumulated masses, which had been pouring
down from the Rapids for several hours, pro-
duced such a pressure that the water was
considerably raised, AID an expanse of sew
eral hundred yards in width, next to the
Rock Island shore, was set in rapid motion.
A few moments before this, five men, one of
whom was John Collins, of Moline, 1.-THE
names of the others we could not learn, had
succeeded in making their way to one of the
wrecks, By the aid of skif, for the purpose
of looking after some tools. They were
now unable to return, and surrounded by
grinding, overlapping gorges, were in i'm
minent danger Of destruction. Hundreds OF
people gathered along the shore, anxiously
watching their progress down through the
threatening piles, but were unable to render
them the least assistance. After a remark
ably dangerous voyage to n point this side OF
Bufords pillow factory, they were enabled to
m AXE their way to the shore, by means of @
checking up of the current. Had the ice
piled, as was expected it would, their de-
struction could not have been averted. At
about noon the ice gorged in such manner
as to cause a rapid rise of water, which
overlooked the levee, and breaking across
the railroad track at the foot of Madison
street. extended up Illinois street. and from
thence across Union Park to Orleans street.
No material damage was done. The track
of the Coal Valley railroad WAS slightly jur-
ed. Tn short time the water began to recede,
to something like its former level, but large
ponds still remain in depressed localities.
A rumor prevailed on the streets that 9TH
er places above us had been inundated, but
we were unable to ascertain its foundation
1t is also said that the floods of Rock River
have broken across to the Mississippi,
at the Meredosia sloughs, causing this sud
den rise. We give these reports for what
they are worth, until we obtain some more
positive information.
P. S. At about three o'clock another
gorge flooded the lower portions of town,
forming a lake from the Rodman House to
the Tannery and back to Rock River St, com
pletely surrounding Biddison's planning mill.
At half past three the ice began moving
again, but soon stopped. As wego to press,
the water is receeding.