, 1875-02-28
The FLOOD OF 1849.
Special Causes Which Dcca-
stoned 1t.
Description Of the Scenes OF the South
Branch and Main River.
Serious Destruction Of Property and
Loss Of Life,


Possibilities OF Its Recurrence.
Chicago's great calamities have been from
flood and fire. The temporary style of build
| ing the great city, with ,combustible matett-
al, because We cannot wait to build batter has
made the calamity Of fire one to be looked for.
Tut that city situated as Chicago is On the top
OF plain, with no hills Or mountains near no
| water courses, with foaming torrents; no ele-
vated reservoir, with pent-up deluge endauger-
ing but on q river 90 sluggish Is to have cur
rent to 1uu either way as the wind might blow,
should be subject to devastating flood, is
most remarkable phenomenon. And yet We had
just such an one, which was Chieago's gzeal cal
amity that stands second to it's calamity OF fire;
and this Hood disaster occurred within few
days OF twentysix yeara ago, to-wit: On the 18th
day Of March, 1849.
FEW OF THE PnEsEST POPULATION OF CHICAGO
know anything in particular about that flood, or
| how it came, and the extent Of it, 80 great has
been the growth and change OF population IN
our midst. They will read m account of it With
as much interest as they will read the laat great
important fac. made into news, rs rcle3rnphed
from neighboring city ss haTing occurred but
yesterday.
Some Of our old citizeus, aud those having
| valuable property in ships or on docks on
tho river, who have been reminded Of this
great food, and think the conditions
are similar, stand in some fear at the
present time that the event is about to
| be repeated. The circumstances are similar
] lnasmuch rs now, as then. the Immense surface
| ~ plu1lH oount.y Hest aua uo..1 suss sat
ut3nAse to"aaae Cueafo . -. so'otea WI eJas ~.
lns W ~ suu nnsm sas @ as n. ~ 'hv ~,
otpufun p, ts'4t e.o. 1oe; 80 ;, -
- ~, ha naa,1.;Eas R;ce and ss1t
20 ne eassn me Uesp's.aes "a n.ses t anu eH4e -
.teeh NO nu1en ~ sno .'.S Sna ,a1a1 ~, ~
lew p'tsee xas1o eoao 40 oooP Inao' ~ ,,st w.,
| t,sets u toe co"nl5 alo sel5 ~" 's4e ."ss
slongna nave 1os some yeaIs past oeen z eulneo ta
i9Lo oly sioanu w aIa H. p'Is ~ ~.
sappea1ea ~ aest.nse ~ y. t"n u~'o -. 'n1
p.s. yeats oeen. - sne estn mese ~ 49, t;
Msh toia eoS " 10 anu a =. soa;,, ~. .,5
slo1!u "out ~. soaA eaa ~ t nd " ~ o2a ~.
1orty nlsets hae spuoSe' Hno ~ no'e .,.ss .as
mo1ae aoe u. Natu.o nnh. n;,t> ;ts s,"- snsu
noae A1s5 u"ss so9a aa; r5M ~ ,a".;Sad
ing.pok. Mucu eA.ia iaan W. W hfnHa ~.
70; - .ns ~ da11,na o.hsr rIscoa P,,t i s
Mll ogesno" 70 oea"se o'nes l.aeoo nn;eas - -
aue' W me "o,o ~ .;.a na' ~ .safor .vor,5
ram az tne Plesens t4ale' eue . wa.el moao
SLIDE wv ,s.ia.s ins oaass1 ;4S .a,n e1rast.~
ID a me M ,ss 1 rs tn1 dn nsonnta;n
slde, ana lease no aiops oeIva 20 1ea,esa @ .ne lo
springs sna Wens- Al our suoaIoa" to"o1 ss ase
sonef1ns 1or "atet: Dun q. ~, -a.S 1870 I
g1ess nooa .ae SPLICE He1e Au'A @1'o a1'e47
fe1og 70 o!enom .4eu eaeo ps4ss thsa r,z, ,a;,,s
- tae VINE. " to7e-o .nste e.as - 10
ana Ment SNOW, tnas LIVE lnto eua.s tr;e tGe
| use Tug p1ssens coloa14un W " ,ao eoua.J. .n13
1oteG e sreis SUI " Aeou .as TEo7. toionaa
1a1h-tas!s ~ ~ sne eutlA1s. 49, ~ 49,, "
succeaaon OF nea'y SHOWS ~ toas III 4no oehia- ~.
III lAaANA AA4SA0 tA9 q DV41 ~ o'!S'' VA
ea1t "uAea 1nM ~, ~ - -; ~ ~ .-rat
1Hany yoate. tno ouu, y. L;. 80 ~ -. ~ t
! IN tnas 1espect ]e ase noS ooplees W ~ f1eas Q
PEN. - .to - -. .h;. sac.,o, ~ Tho
:u senorSo 4se ~ 10 apa Iaap - @@1' ~ '@@e
state Will sho" AZ s.soce
i TIE CAUSES THAI AAhs a e1.I..
snoh - re nAfs u..' 1i -, - she noet},
tnlrus oI LaAe touutf. ns*.ty ~: ~ ~ ~! -
OF Dafae county gre 90 osaloeu W nasu.a s.'tss
me suPlus Tatel " so etass
ehlo"u luto eanso 1on 1s' 80 sA4a sn S.a;-.s1
townships. o1 ~ s4.ato Auee ~ ~ p..aS
~ tne a ~ t,a ',rast s:1nla Marsh rn;rh
naf1he Ita aeau ~ toe h1eIs 1AoafS ~ ~ ~, as "t
lies "oss OF 1ae Io"n1 on .ne laA1 snofe; petT m
,,;sas nt-;; +sas ia nsa IN Wisconsin and
fianes, "uaEn taaes lse ft7e - rn..s .,,os. 49,
trasefses me !9ngsn *4he ;aa }a!a an+Jas ~
pat.o. m'sn su7 Chso a,.,rt II, nas. weat NJ
shose, passing en!eas: aooas ~ - iee 60. 49, ,l -
too ooa1n - t11aS ~ sr;.h ~ nsaa1 +ron" ~
running .pa5A1et ma.n III. e"ae4 ..3 ~ .a,ts.o ~
summ5 w nt;s aolnn Ill .he h T.n,a1.ea
OF Tue 1nos ~ lss Julcou "'n Sa,Es ~ aaeo 49,
Des'anes Jo'nGu ~ 1 cntr Sar hse.o =
sluesaue H., sei " - ~ tha s9r,.y;t isva1 IN tho
| Im IHasu9o ~ st;at;.a T,na1 Ahora tha anronoit
1'naoas q Miea'ksa 1 - .t st1 80 s.,..s
ahu ne.GtG s;n;,'ai sIe LII, iara1 ~ "
Id tne otlsst1sA ulSn -, i1se. s.,.a.rs, ~
1..u 4,u ,ata 1L ~ -. Iif;,o;. and tho 1o7
t;n, ~ 1rd;,ns ic aar1v .;me. fonn
..stns ,,h ~ t1,oir ranoes thrnnoh the ORIGINAL
@ 1os xh;c tH. % nv cenfrai;zs in the
MA nua n T. Wa,s,anr,h r.ns1 Tha Tate1 in the
nsala;nas - ~ 1ea~ m ieya1 wth the lake
'at nae1 ann,et;nosa he free choice whether
Il % VIII go ~ hAAe A4'u'e"o ~ 49," A'-''A''1epA
layes. ya +ho.;n+.r If 1s4a-a VIA find that there
No". ~ 1n1 ~ =. .,a1 ~ the gronnd over.
nas neAs5 us " " ics that hai heen fo1ned in
as ~ s,'r oert - +ba Uintar In The beoinninr
the carry pets OF tna "lnter - ~ IT, ,. ~
o. Marcn .nele IT. esio hi ~ aand Tn;a WA fo1o
| tne eno" % 1nto oauA ~ oaau = 1a.s .,s We.