New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-03-18
THE APPROACH OF THE WATERS.

AT NARROWSBURG-PREPAR AT PORT JER-
vIs-THE NITRo-GLYCERINE EXPERIMENT UH-
SUCCESSFUL
[FRoN SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE.l
PORT JERvIs, N, Y. March 17.-About noon yes
terday news came that the river was rising rapidly
above Hancock which stands near the junction OK
the east and west branches of the Delaware, W
miles above Port Jervis. Chief Engineer Chanute
was constantly informed of the state OF the nver'
and during the afternoon kilograms camo which
showed that the danger was increasing. Inc ice
had broken up above Deposit and formed jam at
that place. which inundated the lower portion OF the
village. Before nghtfall the ice broke up In DOM
branches of the river. and the wa
ter rose rapidly at Hancock, where an
other Jam occurred putting the railroad
bridge in danger, OVERLOOKING and Temporarily GU
structing the railroad track, and sweeping OIL tho
sands of feet Of lumber which was lying on lhe
banks ready to be RATED down the river. This
lam soon gave way and IN hour later the water rose
suddenly six feet at Lordvlle, few miles below
while at Deposit it was beginning to fall 1t now
became evident that the approaching flood was OF
local origin, and that it was moving In wave seVe
raj miles long and highest near the lower end.
ef-Engineer Chanute foresaw that the approach
of n wave like this foreboded disaster when 1t
should reach the gorge at this place, and prepara-
tons were made by mining the main dam OF tho
glacier to set the whole mass moving as soon as inc
high water should strike it. The velocity OF inc
flood-wave was found to be nearly i've miles an
hour and its greatest depth from eight to ten feet'
timetable was constructed based on these data'
by means of which all places on the nVer between
Port Jervis and the approaching flood were warned
bv telegraph at what time to look out for high
water. 1t was calculated that the wave would
reach the gorge here soon after a. M to-day, ana
the calculation proved to be correct.
Meanwhile the fact that food was corning be-
came known throughout the village and panic
seized the inhabitants. kilograms were coming as
fast as they could be read with tdings OF disaster
from Rock Run, Callicoon, and other places up the
river, and tho telegraph office was besieged by
crowds of people, who anxiously inquired, When
will it be herei" Watches were set, preparations
for general alarm were made, and many began to
pack up their goods, while few living near the
bridge went to bed during tho night.
1t was hoped that when the food reached Mar
rowsburg 81 miles uplhe river the ice,would JAM as
it has previously done at that point. where the
channel is rocky and narrow, and be retained there
for an hour or more while the water would como
on down the river, raise the gorge, and sweep IL
away. eaying the channel free for the passage OF
burg soon after a. m this morning, and. according
to its usual CUSTOM the ice began to JAM land set
the water back. SO heavy was the pressure from
above, however, that the jam was quickly broken,
and the whole mass came rushing down toward
Port Jervis. At2 a. m. the gorge showed no signs
of moving and no rise Of the water was perceptbe.
The great white mass lay glistening in the moon
light apparently as immovable as the bills around
it. Along the banks the houses were lighted up,
and people could be seen through the windows max
ing preparations for a hasty departure. Some
anxiously paced up and down the bridge, and fire.
quently measured the water to see if there were
any rlse while every hour Waterman made Ills
report at the telegraph Office
About 8 a. m. news of the ice having broken
through the pass at Narrowsburg was teegraphed
to Mayor Abbott who perceiying the imminent
danger. at once aroused the whole police force of
the village. and ordered them to awaken all the
people living on the fats at Germantown, a little
settlement halfa mile west of Port Jervis but in
cluded in the same corporate limits These people
were warned to get their household goods in readi:
ness for removal and to be prepared to fee to higher
ground at moments notice. At 5l5 a. IN. the ice
passed Pond Eddy, 70 miles above the crest of the
wave being 10 or IL feet in hight Everything was
swept away before it, aud at o'clock the scream
ing of sharp whistle aroused people from their
beds, and they rushed out into the streets.
Meanwhile Chief-Engneer Chanute had sent men
out upon the ice at Sims Cliff, who placed two 80
| pound charges of ntro-glycerine into the holes
already drilled for them, and favorable moment
| for exploding them awaited. At $50 a. m the
water began to rise rapidly, raising the glacier up
until it nearly reached the undertimbers of the Sus
| pension bridge. The ice however showed no signs
ofmoving, and hundreds collected upon the bridge
to watch the rise which was going at the rate Of
| two inches minute. Suddenly. about q. H.. q
| tremendous explosion was heard, shaking the
bridge and sending blocks Of ice at Sims Cliff high
in the air. Mr.. Chanute conceiving that the crit
| ical moment had arrived had fired one of
| the charges of nitrO-gycerine. The effect
was to shatter the main dam of the
glacier and great cakes Of ice began to drop into the
the water and float away. but the gorge still re-
manned firm. An attempt was made to fire the
| other blast but in the haste of the moment the
electric connections had been mperfecty made, and
the attempt failed. Had 1t succeeded Mr.. Chanute
| was confident the gorge would at once have begun
! To move The effect of the first explosion the
spectators who lined the bridge and the banks was
great and they cheered loudly expecting to see the
ice start but it remained solid as ever, although
| the tremendous pressure from above sweled 1t up
| into hummocks, aud thrust great blocks upon the
| banks Suddenly cry arose that the retreat OF
those on the bridge being cut off by the water
| backing I'D the mill-race and flowing down through
| the center of king-stthe first street parallel
with the river and the scene of the overflow at the
time the gorge formed. A rush was made across
Kiagst toward the railroad depot. sadin twenty