The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1881-04-21

FLOODS EvERYWHERE.
The Raging Rsck-The Flowing Fox
Reports from Chicago. Elgin.
sterling, Beioft and Omaha
Chicago, April 20.-The water in
the southwestern part Of the city is
still rising, and is now above the high
water mark of '47, the highest point
ever reached. The only additional
damage reported is the flooding of Grif-
fin & Connelly's ice house, on the canal
bank, at Willow Spring.
Dispatches from along Rock river,
Illinois, and Wisconsin, state that the
river is higher than ever known before,
and is doing an immense amount of
damage. At Sterling, Ills, it is twelve
feet above low water mark and still
rising. The immense manufacturing
interests of Rock Falls, opposite Ster-
ling, have been threatened with COM
plete destruction, and night and day
hundreds Of men have worked for dear
life to protect their bulkheads and race
way. II the water should rise another
foot the loss would be enormous.
Several people have been forced to
leave their homes. The Register office
is foot deep in water, and many other
buildings are in the same condition.
The water is % inches higher than the
high water mark of 1877. The river is
two miles wide at several places north
and sonth of here, and many farmers
have large fields of winter wheat five
feet under water, and the meadows are
equally flooded.
Above Elgin the Fox river broke its
ice gorge and the dam, and the ice and
water tore down the dams at Carpen-
tersville and Dundee, and at Elgin the
river rose two feet above high water
mark, breaking the dam, sweeping
away the fine iron bridge of the Chi
cago, Milwaukee and st. Paul railway,
just south of the city, taking barns and
outhouses, and flooding stores, base
ments and first floors in the chief
streets. The damage SO far is $75, 200
to $780, 900, and another ice gorge
threatens the city with further havoc.
All the mill manufacturers and water
powers have suspended operations.
The lower part Of Sterling is flooded.
The fair grounds are submerged, and
the distilleries, with hundreds Of cattle,
are on an island with the water crowd
ing dangerously on all sides. The
Chicago & Northwestern track for five
miles is completely covered with water
and much Of it is washed away. There
is no communication with the outside
world except by telegraph.
The river between Sterling and Erie
has overflowed and is covering the
country for many miles. If 1t continues
rising, the destruction will be fearful.
Thousands of anxious people line the
river banks watching the fearful flood,
which at times runs in waves three or
four feet high. At Fort Atkinson,
Wis, all the lowlands near the river
are flooded and the ice comes down in
huge chunks, crushing bridges, dams
and every obstacle in its path. The
water is in many cases running into the
windows Of the houses. The Register
Office is foot deep in water and others
are nearly as bad. The water is %
inches above the high water mark of
1877.
The river is two miles wide at several
places north and south of here. and
many farmers have large fields of win.
ter wheat five feet under water, while
the meadows are equally flooded. At
Beloit there has been some damage, and
great apprehension was felt, but the
worst danger seems to be over. In the
newspaper offices the hands work with
a foot of water under them.
Elgin, Ills, April 20.-The railroad
track is four feet under water and the
trains cannot pass over inside of ten
days. The bridges are badly demoral-
lied here and at Dundee. The damage
In Kane county will amount to $780,
ooo. but 1t is thought that the river
cannot rise any higher, and that the
worst OF the flood is over. The damage
In Elgin yesterday afternoon aepre-
gated between $3.50, 900 and 5000 0Oo
Inc Chief items were the breaking of
the Elgin Hydraulic Co.'s dam and
race banks, $25, 600; the destruction
Of the Chicago street bridge, $40. 900:
the Chicago, Milwaukee 8 st. PAM
railroad bridge. 100000.
Omaha, April 20.-The water in the
Missouri stands now at 10 feet 0 inches
and is still going slowly up. The lum.
ber yard men are preparing for the
worst again, but business on the bot
tom is progressing except at the smelt-
ing works. 1t seems hardly probable
that the water can again reach the
altitude OF few days ago.
The Missouri river tonight is twenty
feet and eight inches above low water
mark, and Is within sixteen inches of
being as high as the first flood on April
vth. It is still rising, and 1t is now be-
'leved that the river will go higher