The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-04-23
THE FLOODS IN THE NORTHWEST.
Chicago Partially Inundated.Destru '
tive OvernOVs in Illinois ana Niseoh-
Gin

The Desplaines river, swelled by the sud
den melting of snow and ice, has poured Its
broad stream into the canal at Chicago, over
flowing its banks and causing break OF htty
feet. Archer and Blue Island avenues are
under water in some places to depth OF Two
feet. The Union iron and steel mill Will be
stopped by the water. At Riverside and ny
ons. suburbs of Chicago, boats are used TO
get from houses to the depots.
The river at the Ashland avenue bridge, IN
Chicago, rose ,! inches during Wednesday,
and the flood spread considerably IN the SOUTH
western part Of the city. The decks on the
south side are invisible. The current IN the
river is from to 10 miles per hour. The
food extended in the afternoon from Lincoln
street to the river, q distance OF over two
miles, and from Thirty-third street to the
river, distance of Al miles. Cora and hay
are floating in the canal, brought down from
inundated farms. The canal was widening
its breach Wednesday night, and the Hood is
now rushing in a torrent into the canal ABOUT
three miles east of Summit. This Will ma
terially increase the dimensions OF the HOOD
in the city if long continued. other breaks
are occurring in the canal, and If the rise con-
tinues they cannot be repaired. The damage
to icehouses already amounts to slo,oOo. 80.
Dispatches from along Rock river, IN lin
than ever before. The large manufacturing
interests Of Rock Falls, H., are threatened,
and hundreds ofmen are working to protect the
bulkheads and raceway. TWAS stated Wedues-
day night that if the waters should rise another
foot the loss would be enormous. The lower
part of Sterling, ILL.,, is flooded, and the DIS
tlleries, with hundreds of cattle, are on an
island, with the water crowdIng on all SIDES
The Chicago aud Northwestern railroad for
five miles is covered with water. Several
towns are entirely cut of from rail commuhI-
cations. At Fort Atkinson, Wis, the low
lands are flooded and the ice comes down in
huge cakes. crushing bridges and dams. The
Chicago and Northwestern bridge is consld-
erably damaged At Rockport large NUN
Der O: dwellings are deluged. Large fields
Of wheat are under FIVE feet of water. Ia
Kane county, Wis, alone the damage is $500
600. In the newspaper offices IN Beioii,
Wis. the hands have had to work in water
foot deep.
Az feloit, Wis, Wednesday, iise uen went
in a boat to save the bulkhead of one Of the
mills which had been washed out, when they
were sucked in the race aRd caps.zed. -Four
of The men we're drowned.
kilograms from Elgin, H., Wednesday
night. report that the railroad track Is four
feet under water and the trains causoi pass
over inside ot ten daNs- ! Ne otuscs thett
aud at Dundee are badly damaged The az
gregate damage 10 Eigin will amount TO from
$4,000 80 S2OO.0uO. The chief items are
the breaking Of the Elgia Hydraulic ComPa
nys dam and race banks, $1,000, the de-
8 tract on o(the Chicago street bridge, $50, 0Jo,
and the Chicago. Milwaukee asd s. Paal
Railroad bridge, Sl00,0Co.
At Omaha, Neb., the riyer has beca rising
a, the rate Of au iaeh an hour all day. sad Is
aOv about twenty feet above low water marx,
and all concerned are preparing 10 meet IS
high q l0od rs that Of the Sih instant The
overiow blocked tAr Burlington aud Missouri
aud the Kansas City, S. 10 and Council
Bluffs Railroad tracks soajh Of Omaha, aud
interrupted work al the establishments %
the lower part OF the river bottom
The river az Rock Island. H., Is slowly
RISING, but 40 fears are entertained that ans
se.ious trouble will resali.