The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-04-15
The City under water
during the night.
Scenes and Incidents con-
nected with the overflow.
Trains abandoned and other
results of the inundation.
News Of the Z loods and its reception
in the Slough.

just drawing to a close, had fitting and
appropriate termination yesterday after
noon and night. in the overflow of the
river, and the inundation of portion of
the city. The back water, caused by the
ice gorge at Weyerhauser & Denkman's
Mill. spread over the lower portions of the
city. and reached points that were con-
sidered safe. as being free from the June
freshet last summer. The immense
volume of water was constantly increased
by the flow from above. and the uncer
tainty OF the future, in connection with
the; then dangers of the overflow, caused
the greatest excitement, even among those
who are not prone to magnify the sltua-
ton. Railroad trs6c on the r. /. u P.
r, I. Il M. G. was entirely discontinued.
while the g. B. & O.. G. nj. & st. P. and
even the G. r. |, & P. were also obliged
to run trains with great caution in the
vicinity of this city. Fortunately
NO LOSS Of LIFE
has yet been reported. as tie rise and it's
consequent danger was communicated to
the general public by means of whistles
and the ringing of bells. which signals
more than once aroused the entire popu-
lation during the night The embark
ment formed by the railroad
track, and protecting the slough
from the high water, held fast
and thus prevented the submerging of that
portion of the city The river at HAS
O'Clock last night reached point IS feet
inches above low ws;er mark, being one
inch above the highest stage esaro record
ed. A few moments after this hour the
gorge gave evidence of weakening, and in
a short time thereafter the water began to
subside and the dangers of the night were
at an end The intelligence of tie break
was received with rejoicing by all classes
of citizens. who. from that time. felt that
they could rest in security, thing not
contemplated during the time when the
water was slowly but surely rising ana
flooding everything before it.
THE ORIGIN.
During yesterday afternoon the river
was filled With large cakes of floating ice,
which completely filed in the gorge below
the water works, until the upper limit
reached a point nearly opposite the foot OF
l7th street. Fears were then entertained
that the immense fields of ice could not
force an outlet and that an inundation
must follow the arrival of any large amount
of ice from points above. The river was
watched carefully by not only the city
officials but also by large class of inter
ested spectators.
Word was received that the gorge at the
Sycamore chain above Rock Island had
given away and that the ice was coming
down with resistless force. The first frag-
ments of this gorge arrived at about five
O clock and other additions soon put 10
their appearance. At this time q move
ment of the ice at the lower gorge was dis
covered and the fears of danger we're tenn
porarily allayed. Cakes of ice continued
to float down without any apparent trouble
and it was thought that the river would
break up without causing the expected
overflow 1t appeared however that the
running ice. instead of breaking the lower
gorge, forced channel of narrow dimen
sions through
ROCKINGHAM SLOUGH,
and thus found an outlet on the low lands
of the Iowa shore. The water coming
down freighted with ice forced it's way Cd
the Iowa bottoms and soon had this unna-
turel outlet completely filled up. After
accom- plishing this feat the floating ice
choked up and soon came to stand still
At o'clock last evening the water com
menced to rise and soon submerged the
railroad track salong the levee and q
portion of the land along LIST ave-
nue. A short time thereafter the fact
was communicated to the authorities that
the ice at lie Claire was moving away and
then it became manifest that trouble
would surely follow. Preparations were
made to avert any danger and for that
purpose it was given out that the blowing
If the water works whistle would indicate
Danger.
ALONG THE LINE
From an early hour in the afternoon
Until the water prevented pedestrianism |
N that thoroughfare, the levee was cover
ID by large number of people anxiousy |
waiting the first signs of an overflow On
he appearance of ice from the LIE Claire
gorge the water began to use perceptibly,
md soon had the railroad tracks under
water. The water coming up socD sur
'ounded the G. B. & O. depots, and rem
Tered these buildings accessible only by
means of boats or wading through an even
cot of water. A crowd of people still
continued to which the swollen torrent
rom the high points op the levee. West
f the G. B. & O. depot and down to the
1ster works. The houses along the river
snk were protected for awhile by the
abroad embankment of the r. /. & ?.
DAD. The river soon exceeded the level
t the embapkment and soon the water
anne pouring into the thus formed basin
rom the river and noise ola
WATERFALL.
The hssement of the houseS i, th;s |