Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1868-03-11

Railroad Bridge Damaged
TRAINS STOPPED NAIL
|eaElT loss-t|TI EXCITED
Rock Eslassl ssssdev Water !!
GREAT LOSS AT MOLINE
TINE DAM COVE
MILLS DAMAGED!
Intense Is was the excitement along the
river front oil day, yesterday, until the 60
ing down of the sun, immeasurably greater
Was il for several hours thereafter and IN.
Ill nearly midnight. when the gorgsd ice
had relaxed its hold and the accumulated
waters subsided.
At and about the hour Of nine, our city
was in one grand hubbub Of confusion
along i!s river boundry. Immense fields Of
ice had accumulated from the breaking up
OF the river for full hundred miles above,
and hurried on BY the high water. kept
sweeping down with tsemendous force. At
tbs sharp bend in the river jast bslew this
city ths. ice had become % firmly 0sFgsd -
seemingly TO defy oil pressure. and ~ the un-
told aerss from above kept rushing down,
and pilios 10, and mosnsing up. along the
shores, the fast flowing waters wors pretty
efsctually damned ~, and consequently
overflowsd their natural bounds on either
sids-swssping along the lsvess Of both d.
vsnpest and Rock Island -aad rising higher
and still higher behind the yet immovabls
ies dam. sweps back into the lower streets,
filling cellars, and then mounting up to
hfsa 1eer. whsss hsestsfors, within the
as0osy Of The oldest citissn Il had bssn
fosbiddso - pass-until il rsaehsd . point
at last I've fsst highss than Ne high vatsr
mark Of 1851. The isespsss was trsmen-
deus wstss, watar svssywhsss. and upes
its bosom - is scarssrsd through our ssrssts
| whels fields Of leo beuldsrs rode swiftly
slsng-jsmming in the sides u buildines,
knocking off corners, ovsrturning posts.
playing smssh with everything movable
and many things considered immovable-
hurrying them OF nobody knew where.
People turned out en- masss-some to pro-
tsct their own, others 10 help the dis
trssssd. and thousands 10 watch and won
der what was coming next, and where the
grand havoc would have its quietus. Huge
piles Of broken ice kept on piling aud piine
up higher and still higher; and every mo-
mont vast Ssinforcements kept coming
down and continuing the damaging charge.
What vas to be done. Absolutely nothing
in esstance--nothing in order to but save
moveabls effects ~ far - possible and vait
the result.
Before ten o'clock the gorge had become
Weakened, and finally gave way, and in q
very shsrt space Of time the waters. having
obtained free passage. recsdsd several feet
and passed away from the face Of the
ground to their natural channel. But the
ise, unfortunately, was not taken along, but
suffered TO remain behind, much to the dis
advantage ofths public. Later In the night
the people went to their homes those
who lived along Front street. who had besn
% pittilsssly elected, and those sought and
found shelter with their. friends, here and
there, until matters about their own satur-
ated domiciles could be put at rights.
THIS MORNING.
Our reporters were in the fisld and sur
veysd the scene Of yesterdays and last
nights battle, and SO far IS possible have
summed up tho facts in the case. commenc
ing with extreme
WEST DAVENPORT,
which had its full share Of fright, did not
suffer the general overflow and torment Of
the ice visitation. The report that the ice had
forced passage through the slough aa the
lower end of the city near French 4 Davies
saw-mill. carrying away their logs and lum-
Der, proved incorrect. Such IN event never
has happened, and from the general lay Of
the ground in that locality. it is hardly
removable 70 suppose that channel will
ever appear in that direction.
A large amount Of logs were forced frou
their booms and. sent forward, and both
logs and lumber from, French 4 Dsvies'
premises, were scattered in wild confusion
over the entire slough, upon the sand
banks and over the face Of the adjoiniBg
country. A polar scene 10 presented in that
locality. From the saw-mills, fos . long
distance down the bank Of the river, in The
vicinity Of the old slaughter hosse and
Mathss soap factory. and through The
sleugh 10 the main river, (now running
smooth sud eisar), the ice u thrown up into
hues pils 80 b every sDncsivabls posi-
ton. shape aud form presenting one sast
arctic 6sid-s essns that would rsdousd y
the credit q Siaka. o. delight The asse sn-
thusiastic inhsbitsut Of the polar sons.
Through tsis wasss u ies and issbsres ars
scattered logs, lumber. and anything move
able, that with which Ne sussine iss end
waters came in csntaet. Ov9 half MIL
lion Of logs belonging 70 French 4 Davies
are included In this grand stampeds-all
scattered and tumblsd about. They had 800.
ooo. feet in strings At the aill, Of which
few we're left in their places. A large ousu-
tity were 6oatsd down and east about pell-
NELL over Judge Cooks msadovs-inve,v.
ing heavy s4psnss in their rssura. The
damage incurred to this arm will probably
not fall shost sf o19 900 - many Of the
logs may pssvs . total loss when the Ice
moves out
DassAfRf : scnnacKnh's
loss. on this eide ef the sivsr, is net %
heavy. bat having large snsaat Of losg
wintering in the Rock Island sloush, be-
tween the Island and the ILLINOIS shore,
they have probably sustained heavy loss
- that d;e~nssos Thsa e>s,re;rs A - A..