The Republican journal., 1875-03-25

all the efforts of the ice to break it, when
suddenly, about 9 o'clock, moving majcs-
tically but swiftly, down upon it came an
immense fragment of the broken iron rail-
road bridge, riding 20 feet above the sur
face and 200 feet long. 1t struck the sus-
pension bridge, broadside on, on the rem
svlvania side of the middle pier. over
went the three lower towers with crash.
the great cables strained and snapped, and
the iron monster moved steadily on down
stream, bearing on its crest the white rail
mo Of the suspension bridge. Though the
three towers on the dam stream side were
all overturned, and the lower cable was
broken, the three upper towers renamed
standing, and the upper cable was not
broken, only the wire strands connecting
it with the roadway having parted when
the latter was swept away. BY 10 o'clock
the houses on the flat were accessible, and
the railroad track almost dry; the danger
was passed. the flood had done its worst
The frightened inhabitants hurried to as
certain the damage done. There still re-
manned enough water in Germantown to
render navigation in boats practicable.
Twelve or fifteen houses had been demol-
ished. and about seventy-tive flooded. Peo-
pie visiting their homes found ice-cakes
floating in the kitchens and deposited on
the parlor floor. Additions were detached
from main buildings, leaving household
articles hanging on the walls. In some
| cases carpets were torn from floors and
deposited in the streets.
| PORT DEPOSIT. Md, March 10. The
| flood here is fearful. The water is from
to Is feet deep in the streets. Nothing
like it was ever seen here before. Nearly
the whole town is flooded and there is
great destruction of property. Fortunate
" no lives have been lost so far. The
railroad depot is full of water as well as
the telegraph office, which was abandoned
last night in boat. The operator con-
tinues the service from his house.
BALTIMORE, March 10. At Havre de
Grace the ice has gorged about five miles
below the town. The wharves there are
all flooded, and whole piles of lumber
have been swept from them, which large
number of men are engaged in saving
The street next to the river, above the
bridge is completely blocked with ice,
wood and lumber. The water is about
ten inches deep in the street, but is falling
slowly
HARRISBURG, March 10. A telegraph
man who returned here from cambridge
at an early hour this morning reports a
great amount OF damage done by the ice
and high water yesterday in that vicinity.
A warehouse containing 5000 bushels Of
corn was swept away, the depot forced
across the track on hill, the telegraph
office completely demolished, four canal
boats and frame house forced on the
track, and six or seven badly injured The
track from Collins station to Chickies is
covered with from eight to ten feet of ice
in many places for distance of mile or
more, and telegraph lines destroyed for
eight OF ten miles.
A family on an Island above cambridge
was forced to the roof Of their residence,
the water having risen to the second story.
They remained on the roof until the water
receded and were saved. On another Is
land the family took to the barn for safety
fearing the house would move. The barn
was forced tor a distance of 100 yards or
more. The family were rescued. 1t is
reported that man who attempted to 90
to the rescue of the latter family was car
ried down the river by the ice and has not
been heard from since
MARIETTA, Pa. (eve) 1t is impossible
to imagine the scene presented here now
cduoeu Ny Gue lCe SolSe yesterday. Notn-
ing to compare with it has ever occurred
in this section. For mile along Front
street immense cakes Office are piled from
10 to 40 feet high filling the canal and
covering the r. r. track, and in many
places tearing out and Bending the rails
Several canal boats are lying in an awk-
ward shape across the r. r. track, and
were only prevented from demolishing
houses by large trees firm enough to stop
them. About $4,000 worth of RATS and
lumber were carried away Miller &
Mussers' steam saw mill was demolished.
Great damage was done to houses by the
water filling the first floor and cellars. 1t
is estimated it will take 1000 men three to
five days to clear the railroad tracks. All
trains are running regularly via. Mount
Joy Branch Water was several feet high
er than in the flood of 60
There is still another point in favor of mar
| row-gauge railroads. When the locomotive
runs over man, tWo-thrds of the body is left
| in good condition for identification.