The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1881-02-18

THE BREAKING UP OF THE IcE.-The Ice in
| the smaller streams in the county broke up last
Thursday night and passed off without doing
much damage, beyond blocking narrow roads
running parallel with the streams. The road
near the Rocks of Deer Creek was thus block
AIDED by immense cakes Of ice, which presented
for time an effectual barrier to travel
Early on Saturday morning the ice in the Sus
quehanna gave away, under the influence of u
heavy freshet from up the river, and for time
Port Deposit and Lapidum were In imminent
danger of witnessing repetition of the ice gorge
of 1875. A gorge formed at the head of Watson's
Island, and the water began to rise and cover
the streets of Port Deposit. During the day
the gorge broke, but it formed again. and
the water rose in Port Deposit to within
about foot of the high water mark of the flood
of 1875. At 12 o'clock Saturday night the gorge
broke, and when the water subsidized it was found
that numerous pig pens, shanties, &c, had been
swept away. The tracks of the Columbia and
Port Deposit Railroad were twisted out of shape,
the ties and telegraph poles washed away and
in fact, n considerable amount of damage done
to it as well as to the Philadelphia, Whining
ton and Baltimore railroad track. The platform
of the Pennsylvania railroad depot was torn to
pieces by the masses of ice hurled against it,
The blacksmith shop of Walter Paxton was
carried away, and the wharves of Jacob Tome
and John Buck are shattered. Communication
by rail with the town has been stopped, but
Il large force of workman were at once employ
ed to set things to rights.
A correspondent of the Wilmington NegS says
that canal boats, dead horses the timbers of
twenty-five RATS that broke loose at Middle
town, Pa, trees, lumber, and parts of frame
structures, have been foated down the river
from far to the north and on Sunday morning
a live dog, sitting unconcernedly upon his
launches on an ice cake, hoated by without max
ing an effort to reach the shore.
At Lapidum, on the Hartford side, the water
rose until it covered the road in front of Mr..
James K. Smiths store. Messrs. Barnes Il
Archer's warehouse was completely flooded, and
their large hay house was considerably dam
aged They had taken the precaution TO have
their large stock of lumber removed to high
ground, otherwise 1t would now probably be
tossing about in the Chesapeake bay.
About one O'Clock Sunday morning Mr.. VIM.
II. Ewing's fishing float, u structure about 20
by 100 feet left its anchorage on the Harfoad
side of the river, above Cooley's Point, and go
ing out with the ice, lodged on the flats below
Havre de Grace completely surrounded by ice.
The ice was piled up ten feet high ON the can
al bank, above the canal company's warehouse.
Frederick IL Sons wharf was considerably dam
aged, and hosting engine on the mill wharf
was also demolished by the ice. A great many
black bass We're caught by men and boys with
their hands. The fish seemed to be benumbed
by the cold or the rough treatment of the Ice
George Chamberlain caught seven fine ones, and
Ezekiel Murphy caught one said to weigh four
pounds The ice drove the muskrats out Of their
homes in the wharves, and constant fire was
kept upon them, the fusilade resembling the
first days duck shooting. The residence of Mrs.
f. O'Neill, the keeper of Point Concord light,
at the lower end of Havre de Grace, was sur
rounded by water, and communication with the
mainland could only be had in boats.
COURT PRocEEDINGs.-The February term Of
the Circuit Court for Hartford county began at
Bel Air, on Monday, the 14th instant Hon.
James d. Walters was on the bench; A. Lingan
Jarrett, Esq, Clerk; George Y. Maynadier, Esq,