, 1877-04-04
A six-1nch Fall In The Aqueous Volume
Since Yesterday,
Scenes and Incidents In the Western
Portion of the CITY.
a Trip Along tho River aud Canal from
the Summit to Lemont,
Miles and Miles Of Rushing, Foamiug
Waves,

e'ts e ocg"n 70 snoslio !ltlo yesterday morn
ing a'i'l measurement s'owea ta'l OF abost
ak Inches up to the afternoon; but tho frcshct
torrcnt At wntc, ru:hc. tl,rnwrh lin I;,Ino,s e.
s.,,'n.n ~ rsss, n .s& w.. II: r.' s w., ~ ~
niis..sn1 n ~ ea"a,, anu tne mesS rosh anu tne
South Branch Of tho slrtr, with speed OF about
land hsse 1 they nar are ss,yn y"mo s Of
,,.,or IL ,xtt.,t.'e. sts.tn,r .r1 h,,,t.,r a,,.-
,cnt a"vn .n, tnt., .nc IL. H." m,t"r ~ WITH,
has been mitch dIscolored, as every one is aware
Of who tlrew II from the hylrants.
Many Of the low docks which skirt the river
nm cithcr .dc -. f.r wc,t ~ ,to h+,doo otor.
W ,'us' 10 ~. ".o' 40 ny ut'un" "'o'u
Ing into tho river arc swclled over their decks,
lumber.yards and their contents arc flooded, md
rendered, luacco.,Ib,o 10 some cxtcnt, coal and
stone ssrus arc eoveteu WIN Tue water, anu
warehouses. s'lcde' a"eillngs, ahd ots>cr unhd"
lnxs aro In tho sea.
At the confluence OF tho two rIrers and the
rann1 ,hc frc.h,t h.s han n,,tt,rIor,,, .ora-a
srT sss,sa,aa . ""Y ~ ~" 49,. s ~, es'r.o ~.
ano uahau'hg 70 ING many people WHO l1se
thcfeaoouts. AS prcsagcd In TuH TRIBUNE,
tho river md canal began rl.ins rapidly on Sun.
rosc twenty inchc. In M horr ~ ,h.t
S.' ~ ,",s s"s"ty .tsnee ~ w nous, ~ tnat
sao oanks wcEo OVERTURNED anu tue water was
sent pouring through tho streets In nil iIrcc.
ttous, from Western avenue eastward as lar as
| Ashland avenue. In those thoroughfases per
feet rivers were formed fa tho deep bitches.
Abovc Ashland aycnuc bridge tho water IT. tho
! West Fork broke over the low banks, and ran
| in northeasterly course toward tho now Water.
Works, q hn1fmile or moro distant. scvcrnl
small dwellings aud sflnntics were drowned
out by tho angry torrent, but most Of tho denl-
man family who occupied ono Of thcm,
rather than 1cuyo for moro eongcnial quarters,
PLACED boards on chairs and tables, and thus
a1nblcd around tho only room which their abode
contained: An old lady who was confined to
bed by Illness In another house refused 10 bo
removed 10 safer place, although tho water
WIS Within half foot Of the mattress upon
| THE FLOOD POURED DOWN
toward tho Watcr-Works md tho build
!ngs Of tho Chicago Stove Works, near
ths dunctten , Of Of Due M Island and Ashland
out: Tic dttches along ti'o streets were s'ii ali
:, At the southern end Of Ashland avenue bridge
there eommenees rost st1es:, muddy lttto
a short distance toward tho southeast, and that,
too, was overlooked, and the water cvon ra1l
across It In wldo stream. On both Sides OF
the Inhabitants Of them wero ali subjected M to
the .damagcs md inconvenicuces Of tho food,
which covered tho floors Of some aud not uuItc
those Of others. Little bft1tncs wore improsiscd
by fer to reach the sidewalks, which wcre only
partially overtlowcd, and several small boats
werc brought Into reauisition to effect commi1-
ntcation with tho outer world. Opposite tho
panyillc elevator, 1ust below tho canal bridge, .
| Green.1slauder dWclls with scrcral "clldern y
and q wife, oil Of whom delight IN making frc-
aucnt trims In IN old scow thtt tlas been f{Ered
alter tho manner Of fcrry.boat.
Near the City Railway Compnny's largo sta-
bles there is = small sea Of water, and It e.
tends along tho bank OF tho river for long dis.
tauce. Docks nro covered by 1t, Along the South
Branch, and number Of families aro iaconven-
just high enough by = fow inches to escape The
overflow,
The workingmen employed in the numerous
manufactures In the vicinity tntl walking 10
and some ludicrous miehaps have occurred.
Ono was lnstanccd to TRlnuss reporter ycs-
tcrtlav by cltI1eu who witnessed It, aud, not.
wlthstandlng himself and family wrru ln
ca until be cried" Two Germans,
worktngmen. going In Opposite directions, met
near Ashland avenue bridge, on narrow board,
w .nd tes ose4 e to as o with d n
had a package Of meat IN his hand, aud tho
other q dlnucr.pali. Both desired to pass 10
term fFma, and !n doing 20 fcll on tao narrow
and fumcd for 4 moment, and thun succeeded
in getting out. minus dlnncr.pail and meat, mud
wet to the skin. -....-..
SEVERAL FAMILIES
have been compelled to moro out Of their
houses, aud these arc temporarily provided
for among those 10 tho nclghboThood who
arc moro fortunate. Tho flood has caused seti-
Gus disasters to some Of the poos people, whose
sources OF lncome arc cut OF, aud Kitchen stoves
and other utensils rendered uaclcss for present
service.
avenue brluEe to Ashland aYCptlc tho watar
lows over the banks aud submergcs property of
all kinds for soue distance on both sllcs Of That
stream. The tow.patl Of tho canal is above
water, but tho bank On tho opposite, or south
cru side. IL washed away In several paccs, and
tho water r,lshes along 1t q rapid rate,
Just east Of Western avenue, aud near New
Blue Island avenue, arc McCor1ntek's 1ieapcF
Works, hy which tho r!yor PASSES. Tho watcs
las surrounded the yards of tho Rfeat 4,anDfAc-
tory, but has done no serious damage. between
those buildings and tho now Water~Works the
Wcst Branch has width Of fully halfa-mtlc,
and tha water runs In northcastcrly course
! acFOes tho Yards Of mnnufactorics and ShoAcs
and ands lts way into tho litchcs ot tho streets,
and spreads over the vaeant and improved lots.
Careful observation showed that the flood
came from two directions. The overflow Of The