The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-04-21
THE FLOODS
WHICH ARE PREVAILING IN THE
NORTHWEST
still IneFsAlIng In Volume and Destrue'
IIyeneSs-Dama ana Bridges swept
Away, BuSIuess and Dwelling
Houses Flooded and Factories
Compelled TO stop Operations,

the Rock river, in Illinois and Wisconsin
say that It Is higher than ever known be
fore and is doing immense damage. Al
Sterling, Ills, 1t Is twelve feet above low
water mark and still rising. For twenty
four hours the immense manufacturing In
terests OF Rock Falls, opposite Sterling
have been threatened with destruction, and
day and night hundreds OF men have
worked for dear life to protect the bulk,
heads and race way. II the water should
rise another loot the loss would be enOr'
moua. The lower part OF Sterling iH
flooded. The fair grounds are submerged
and the distillsires, with one hundred cat
tie, are on the island with the water
Crowdiug on all sides. The Chicago 4
Northwestern track Tor five miles Is cover.
ed with water and much OF II Is washed
away,
The track between Clinton and Dixon
has been abandoned and there Is no com.
municatiou with the outside world, except
by telegraph. The river between Sterling
and Erie has oyerliowed and is covering
the country for miles, and II It continues
rising the destruction will ba fearful.
Thousands OF anxious people line the riv.
or watching the fearful flood, which OF
times runs In waves three or four feet high,
At Fl. Atkinson, Wis, all the lower lauds
near the river are flooded, and the ice
comes down In large chunks, crushing
bridges and every obstacle In Its path.
The water is within few inches OF the
top OF the piers ofthe city bridge, e,and the Ice
has already moved the bridge over q foot
on It's foundation and broken two stringers
OF the ChiCago 4 Northwestern bridge,
which Ia much damaged, and 10 pro.
nounCed dangerous TO travel.
At Rockford all the dwellings on Loom.
Is, Montague, Wall, Morgan and knoWlton
streets are flooded, the water in many
cases running In the windows, and the
people have been forced to leave their
homes. The Register Office Is q foot deep
In water, and others are nearly as bad.
The water is twenty-five inches higher
than the high water mark OF 1877. The
river is two miles wide OF some places
north and south ot here, and many farm.
ers have large fields OF winter wheat five
feet under water, while the meadows are
equally flooded. Above Elgin tho Fox
River broke its gorge and dam, and the Ice
and water tore the dams st Carpenters.
vile aud Durke. and st Elgin the river
rose two feet above the high water mark,
breaking the dam, sweeping away the fine
iron bridge and the Chicago, Milwaukee
Est, Paul Railroad bridge, just south ot
the city, taking barns and out.honses and
flooding stores, Easements and hrat floors,
In the chief streets.
The damsge 80 far is from seventy.fve
10 one hundred thousand dollars, and
another ice gorge threatens the city with
further havoc. All the mills, manufaC-
tories and water powers have suspended
operations indefinitely. II Ia estimated
that the water has damaged property in
Kane county alone to the amount Of two
or three hundred thousand dollars.
At Beloit there has been some damage
and great apprehension, but the worst Of
the damage seems to be over. In the
newspaper offices the hands work with q
foot OF water under them.
The water In tbe southwestern part oi
the city is still fising and is now above
the high water mark OF lS47, the highest
point ever reached. The only additional
damage reported is the flooding OF Griffin
4 Connolly q Ice house on the canal bank,
OF Willow Springs.
An Evening Journal dispatch from Elgin
says that the railroad track Is four feet un'
der water, and trains cannot pass over
inside OF ten days. The bridges are badly
demoralized there and at Dundee. The
damage In Kane county will amount 10
5000, 900, but 1t Is thought that the river
cannot rise any higher, and most OF the
flood is over.
The damage in Elgin yesterday after.
noon aggregated $4,000 to $500 900. The
chief items we're the breaking Of the Elgin
Hydraulic Company's dam and race
banks, $2j 900; the destruction Of the
Chicago street bridge, $50. 900, and ChlCa.
go, Milwaukee < St. Paul railroad bridge
$4,000.
An Erenin0 Journal Omaha special says:
The water in the Missouri river stands to.
day 10 feet 0 inches and is still going
slowly up. The lumber men are prepsr.
ing for the worst again, but business on
the bottoms ls still progressing, except al
the smelling works. 1t seems hardly
probable that tho water can reach the
altitude OF q few days ago.