New-York tribune., 1875-03-09
THE DELAWARE ICE GORGE.
PREVIOUS FLOODS IN THE VALLEY

MER QUESTIONABLE HPFEcTs or A SUDDEN
BREAKUP OF THE ICE IN THE UPPER DELAWARE
HEAVY FALL OF SNOW.
IRON SPECIAL coRREsPoEDESr OF TIRE rRIBuNE.l
PORT JERvIs, n. Y, March s.-AlthOugh the
present icegJrge is not the first freak which the Dea
ware River has played this place, old inhabitants VINO
have lived in this vicinity long before the Erie Railway
in existence say that Port Jerv has never before
been In such imminent danger. There are regular SENT
annual floods all along this part Of tho river IN June anu
October. which overflow the adjoining fats tear away
embankments, wash out roads, sweep off bridges ana
sometimes Inundate houses, and damage barns anu
outbuildnGs. Floods also occur, usually about haroh
II 15 when the In the river breaks up - sWep'
ever shalo Es aud around bends, occasionally coggng
long enough overflow low lands. The Ice when
forms the gorge here is only a very small palt oi
that which the exceptionally cold weather OF the past
Winter has formed IN the upper Delaware. The gorge
formed by the ice breaking up between TINS point
and Lackawaxen "A miles above, aud driiHnS down
until IL became mmod into space Of four miles above
tho bend The breakup occurred Just below the aque-
duet which carries the Delaware and Hudson C1hhi
across Delaware River at Lackawaxen, and al the
point where the LackawaSen Creek enters the river
There also feeder dam for the canal there wuieh
helped to keep the ice above intact From LlchaW1eh'
up he river for than 10) mies. and far up INTO
the mountains the is frozen over with solid Ice TWO
or three feet thick Very this will break IN ana
cone rushing down the Delaware in Immense cakes ac
cOmpanied by a great quantity OF water "heh sIAeS
the upper end of the gorge II 3 probable that II VIII PIC
up into a formidable barrier than ever ana cause
an nundaton unparalleled IN the history OF this VALLEY
OF floods. Below the great bend the river remains
frozen over for miles The ouly Why more seri
GUS lnundaon has not already occurred is that there s
very hte water IN the river and 1t tnds ready pas
sago under The gorge issuing forth az the lower enu "
streams from beneath glaciers IN the Alps Many
look upon he fact that the Ice has settled several fee'
in the gorge as indication that it is rotng away
underneath while others think The settling OF the Ice
only shows tnat 1t is becoming fhOre firmly aesIome-
rated and sOlidiiyng into mass that viii be rs I'M
movable as @ Ledge Of granite when tue final sLoik
comes from above. within week or ten days the qles
ton is likely 10 be settled.
TIE alarm amOag the inhabitants has suhsded, more
because the novelty of the situation has considerably
worn of than because the danger really believed To DC
over They III await the result with sort OF nervous
expecancy ard prefer sleep the upper side OF the
terrace Heretofore NIuOWsDlr lrs % miles UP the iYr
from Port Jervs has been the point where most OF me
serious ice gorges IN the Della have formed II has
frequently happened that the ice has become blocked
Tor d time itS downward progress and produced Jam
aging OILS but that point the banks OF tho river are
rocky and steep and ile current swift So tt the ice
cannot long accumulate, aud Is eyeaua.iy obliged to
give way
IL 1857 the river blocked by several gorges OF Ice
early February, ana at Cochectol, nearly 50 miles
above here, great hOol occurred, InundAnE portions
OF the villa ges OF CocaecJon anI CA.cOon The gorge
then much smaller than the present one here, anu
1t was formed by the final breaking Of the lee 50 tllt
there was no clngor as IN this ease, Of subsequent
and more dangerous inundation occurring when still
larger quantity OF ice should como down upon It, The
greatest ,Od ever Known In this part Oh tLo Dsaware
valley occurred IN January, l5,9. When sudden tAA"
accom- pal led by several DAYS o. warm ru, caused al
overflow OF the and lis tributaries that swept both
sides of the valley for miles and drowned sovcra! fau-
lies living in shantes small island at below here
III the latter part 1915 occurred watt is known as the
pumpkin n,oI," account OF tle immense quantity
OF pumpkins which were svep, 0Ht Of the corn fields
and borne down the until. GYt or six miles below
Psr! Jcryi IN part OF the rIvcr, tLcy helped
to form a OF dam, behind which stones, gravel and
debris became Piled forming rtt ever since known
under tho name o. "PuHkles" or "Pdmphn Rli,.'
Many other oas have occurred nions the Delaware.
but there has never been one of such phenomenal
character as that which threatens to burst upon
this village unless tue elements are uuuSua.lJ pro
pitious.
The heavy snow which fell ycsarlay has covered the
whole gorge depth OF nearly Two ieot hiding It, me
quatc4 vai-i1g the sharp, green edges Of tie lee
blocks and making the great level hat too dIzz Ggiy
white TO look upon beneath the rays ~ thc Il has
also blocked The streets OF the and this morning
IL lay IN sucA Quantities the at OF tne build
ngs as to neceasIite It's cautious rem,ya! 10 prevent
their being crushed in. Nearly al tHe trans or thc
Ere Railway have been greatly delayed by IT, No II.
which should have reached here tr0u the West at a. IL
to-day did not arrive until having been stuck
FAST in a n. tlis side Of Su.quenaDna. Tho hdli-am-
shcd pa-seu.ers were allowed hall an hour for luncA
other t.Ains were greatly caycd. Engines had 20 u
sent ont early in The morliug to clear tho tracks.
About re below the railway depot. In the triangle
formed by the junction OF the 1ware and Neyersnk
Rivers there ttle hamlet waich before the railroad
was built was P0r5 Jaryi. proper 1hs hamlet stands
In a valley 20 feet or below thc rail way emhlnk-
rnent and Just at elbow Of the great bend IN the
Delaware There narrow rise OF ground be tween It
and river which serves as pretty safe barrier
again the waters above but Tie pected food
should tear thls bank tIe httic valley would be
Inundated The snow fill has Giyon the Naycrslk Val
lev which sire away northward from tais place
very picturesque appearance. The heavllywoodcd hills
which border IL are whenod with snow, and the di,-
tsnt peaks OF tie Cdtss visible far beyond glitter in
he bright sunshine with their outlines printed clearly
AGAINST the blue ky. Nor OF here the IS very
deem Along the Monticello RIirO.d. which terminates
here lies 80 inches deep on the track ana no train has
been able 10 get through to-day.