National Republican., 1883-02-17

81 feet at points q short distance ABOVE tne
ice gorge and the water running into the
canal. A number Of farms are flooded, and
the inhabitants are moving out. The gorge
is expected to move by tomorrow morning.
Special Letter.
WILLIAMsPoRT, Pa, Feb. 16.-For two or
three weeks past residents west of here have
been moro or less excited about tho danger
threatened by a great ico gorge in the river.
At this point the west branch of the Susque
hanna river, which extends up into the heart
of the Alleghenies runs due west on the north
side of Bald Eagle mountain for distance of
forty miles, passing on its way the thrifty
little city of Williamsport, Jersey Shore bor-
ough, the city of Lock Haven, and several
small villages. This is in northern Ponnsyl-
vania in the counties of Lycoming and Clin-
ton. A mile or two west of Lock Havcn
the river enters what may be termed the
gateway of the Allcghenics. At this point
the river comes tumbling through narrow
canon in the mountains, which arc broken,
bold, and rugged on either side, and rise TO
height of seven and eight hundred feet. At
intervals there are little valleys with settle
ments. The scene on passing through this
narrow dofilo to Renovo whore the Philadcl-
phia and Eric Railway company has its great
shops, is particularly enchanting in the sum-
mer time and gloomy, wierd, and forbidding
i'm tho winter. The dark mountains, fringed
III many places remind the traveller as he is
whirled through by rail that he Is in u land
OF perpetual snow and ice
AT this narrow and crooked passage the ice
for years past has been in the habit of be-
coming gorged when 1t broke up and formed
A GREAT ICE BARRIER
which usually obstructed the railway tracks
and caused great delay and damage. This
winter proved no exception to the rule. To-
ward the close of january thaw set in the
ice in the upper river broke up ON account of
the rise of the water, and commenced floating
down. Sinnemahoning, which is a bold, mount
ain river running through the very widest
part of the Alleghenies and uniting with the
Susquehanna at Keating, sent down great
fields of ice, the blocks of which were fifteen
inches thick and of beautiful cerulean
blue Kettle creek, another deep mountain
stream, also contributed its share, and the
famous Young Womans creek, which pours
into the river near Remove also sent its quota
of heavy ice. The result was the usual gorge
formed in the river above FarrandSYille, and
soon became very threatening. The huge
blocks of ice piled up to u height of thirty
and forty feet covered the public road, which
cropt along the waters edge, and crushed
huts and fences. This was six miles west OF
the city of Lock Haven. From day to day
the gorge became more alarming rs the press
ure behind became greater, and the back
water extended TO RenOva, distance of
eighteen miles. At Lock Haven there is n
great dam in the river, which was placed
there when the canal was built nearly half II
century ago. 1t fronts the city, and throws
the water back for II mile or more On this
dam the ice was fifteen inches thick,
and as clear aud solid looking as cry
sal. The inhabitants felt if the gorge
should break the mighty avalanche
of ice that would be precipltated upon them
would endanger that part of the city built ON
the bank of the stream. West OF tho city, too,
the cribs of the boom, it was feared would aid
in holding the ice in case it should move As
time wore on the situation became more grave,
and the fears of the p,Nple increased. This
alarmin & state of Affairs continued until tho
night of the fourth of February, when, about
o'clock on the morning of the fifth, the great
mass of ice which obstructed the channel sud.
denly began to grind and tear with terrific
force, and suddenly, with II sulen roar like
distant thunder, it gave way and
wLNT CRASHING DOWN THE STREAM,
The watchers in the city heard the dreadful
Gound as ii rose upon the frosty nightGir and
they knew that the mighty gorge had broken
and was coming like an irresistible glacier TO
either clean out tho dam or inuudate the
city. Fire bells were rung, and soon hun
dreds of people lined the shore to witness tho
fearful spectacle. The floating ice mountain
came moving grandly and maiestically,
sweeping everything before it, The heavy
ice on the dam, no longer able TO resist the
pressure, began To snap with reports like field
artillery, and ere the dawn Of day it was en-
tirCly broken up and carried away by the
flood. A few RATS of timber, Il little sail boat
called the Ot2inaChsOn-thc Indian name OF
The rivcr--wcrc carried of and crushed in the
ice. Everybody now felt relieved that the
river would break up entirely, and that all
danger for this winter would be over But
in this they were disappointed.
"A - Ia Nsgf llI
the river from shore TO shore, and in many
places was forced over the banks, sweeping
oil fences aud eudangcrlng tho houses of fur.
mors, swept on toward Williamsport, twenty
five miles to the east, Al that point is an
other great dam constructed by tho Susquo'
hanna Boom company, to form pool for tho
millions Of pine logs that arc caught here
every spring for tho lumber manufacturers.
The great cribs Of the boom extend up the
river to the little village Of Linden, five or
six miles, and against them the heavy tim.
bcrs, forming the boom, rest, But, of courscl
these timbeTs were not in position,
having boen removed TO- places
of safety in the fall. The
ice came sweeping down the river in all its
terrible grandeur until IL entered the boom
waters at the great Linden railway bridge,
whore it suddenly came to a standstill This
was unexpected, but it was caused by the
extremely heavy ice, which was as firm as q
IOVhi anu Tealtu uppl sluSSlnl NIt'I NHluH
scarcely had Il current. As the advance Of
the moving ice halted here the pressure from
behind sent the huge blocks tumbling over
each other, and they mounted higher and
higher until
AN ICE MOUNTAIN FORTY FEET HIGH
was formed. The pressure from behind was
insufficient to push the mass ahead, and after
working down into the boom half mile fur
thcr it finally rested, and there IL has re-
MANNED until the present time.
Below tho dam and opposite the central