, 1875-02-25
THE EXPECTED DEluGE.
Examination Of tho leo In tho
South Branch.
Precautionary Measures Of tho Board
Of Public Works.


T'hn E1OOI 0f 124H.
A TRIBUNE reporter rnado trip along the
South Drancl, OF tho Chicago R'vor yesterday ID
orior to discover what tho prospects wero TINT
tho present noinowliat mild weather would
ehortiy result III Freeing tho river from 1ts 10y
clinin. lie began Ills Investigations at Randolph
ksteot bridge, wlicre slo crossing Of tho leo
bridge by foot-passenZers a'sured him that hero
at any tato 1t would require BeYeral days Of cot'-
tlnuous warm woathor before pabsaEoway
could be opened for tho lockod.ur ves-
aols. At tho Madison htrnnt bridge be had
q talk with ono Of tho pridGo-tontlars who
told him that tito leo on tho river was thicker at
pleAcnt than be Ind ever 1oforo known It to 10
Ut this time OF tile year. Tho point at Which tho
,ca vns thickrst WA lho vicinity of tho Ran1olnl
.s,1.. .r,,..a ill., 49,, 81 .,,,diurI ~
nlteus oA.eo' ""o,o -" ""'o' 4'"s =, -
uepth OF soont ~ lcot, az nau'aoh hsleet
bridge tho ioo wau uot nen'ly 90 thick, on account
OF tue constant outflow OF hot wAtor from tho
Oriottni Mills. Uo conufdcreJ TINT tho recent
.,i ~ ~, .,,a -..,, ,o,,,,, t,7 In, ~. otr,,t
npot =, 4a". aau 49, ."e . a
OF weakenihR the lcc-ptdBe tnronShoht nh Gu
tire leosii and OF Causing considerable opeulnga
iu spo.s whcro tho leo hnd already boen tl,inned
,,y tho nro1im,tv Of ,on.ers. Al q couoraI rule.
~. IT, T., H. ,I,,,,,,, ~ t,,o br,5oc, 1rol,
eno 'cs ~ tno F'e4'i'J w ."' 't'"hes "''.a
be lonad TO 10 very ani!l anu lFaElc, ahu ma'n
sowess cuptfcd into tho river in tho Vicinity Of
most OF them, In tho hrllgo.tondor'B opinion
t,c hrcnn.vo NJ tbc }cc and orepfnp nj nny1rn.
.oa ~ .''e ,4'o1 "ou4a piop"ot ossu, NV
lss oi Alafca' 1no reporter tnon "Alkoa ao"n
10 tho
ApAMs ErnEEr BRIDGE,
.v,oro tbe tor5or +n,d hin, TINT ,ho tco hct1cen
.,',s s,,.1 49, sI.',,ear, .t,nt hr;avo -, ,hnnt
.ha "na '"o .aa'''oa 0t1ooN p'uso ""e aooms ~.
foot anu hali III shskncse, anu very eolad. Ihe
e1trome thicknoas Of tho teo was partly duo to
tho fact that, in January yory strong cast wind
,rota IN lin ico In tia riror and ni.cl
a. .oA. "f 49, 49,, .,at,,r t. ,,,,,,r ,,1aa"a
which subsequently frozo firmly and BOLDLY to-
gethor. This ,Sna especially tho case In Ito
vicinitv al Tho 1tnudo1rh street bridge whore
the ico was 1t ita thlckost. Tho ico III tho
vicinity Of Tho Adams sttoot bridge vM very
thin, auu full Of air.holos cs,lsod by tho In
nouriag of maIp snwer ,,ntior zach aldo of tho
bnIas. In his onlnion tic Ice would break I'm
probably about tile lat Of March, unlesa very
etitt frost interyencl.
Ilonce lilo reporter Walked along the river nm
til ilo came 10 tlo Twcuty-aocond attcot bridge.
Ali Tho way down ho noticed tho Same thinE.-
strong leo, Of from to feet thick between tho
bridges, iii tho vicinity Of which. hoxoyor, tho
sction Of tho warm sewerage wau clenriy per-
ccntiblc, Ono thing worthy Of remark wns tho
sinculnrly clear color Of lilo Ice, which could
hardly be expected OF our dirty river bs HIS ~
explained hY the fact that IN January lust, Inst
| nrcyio,a 10 tin first frcezp an cast wind Ind
Elle.l tho liver with clean and elear Lake Mchl-
cnu water,
| THE OBJECT
| In making thtno Investigations vaa to discover
whnt smnunt OF Foundation t}oro was for tho at-
prohensious Which hnyo arison Of disastrous
food,pp OF tho country and consequent freallet
| In tic river. It Ia Tho opinion Of lfr. Cheg-
| brough City Engineer, that continuance of
warm Weather for day OF two might produce
| l. ~,
board ol Public Works to a penso Of tho danger,
tho Ctr Engineer. It was nEreed at the meet
ing Tint thu troaking up Of The leo In tho river,
eroatoet Importance in tho way Of precautionary
| ncosurco, Tho question Was
| now TINS COULD nE AccoMpLrsuED,
md It WAS decided by tho Board that cxnerl-
meptB al,ouli at oucp 10 made, and lnrCe force
Of men koDt ready to act in case OF emergency,
'rno croat thtny to bo droadod In tho oonciIenco
Of al oanterly Wind viii, a nood. II tls hap-
pat y, tlu to- viii be packed In tho mouth OF tho
In aay ihat eorccs will form at tho Jiffsropt sud-
den turainsb Of Tho stream. Should m ice-lntn
and flood occur thus together, the result coaId
hardly bo otherwise than fearfuly destructive Ia
the shining mud briJsou on tho rlyor, and oil
proncrty in ita vicinity, At mootjng hold
tatar IN ti,o div. tho ComuiauIonora ncroot Tint
tho danger Of m immediate brrnk-un wau not
SO grest an It tlrst pppeprod, b,,t nevertheless
tFREcAurloSs,
Mr.. fneshronrh TIM t;,ty Empineer: la, heon
dtroctetI by tho Board Of Public Works to ,nake
nrruaratnns for broakpn tho Ice in the river
of oxpcrImcnts. whereby ho has aBcortRin.d tl.at
hy ti,e ueo powder tho ioe cnn be- ouickII ami
Thoroughly b,okon wloneyer it become ailccea-
enry. Ty piariur lilo powtlor unon tLu surface
srronromsnts srS now boing porfossod,
% hi II tho "yort of + hssvv