The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-02-16
The Flood of 1892,


The flood OF February, 1888, has passed the
hitherto unrivaled food of 1882, 1t is a CO.
incidence that both these floods occurred in
February, and about the same time in the
month. From Barber and Howe's "0hio,"
page 224, l get the facts of "the great freshet
of February 1882" The coincidence of
dates is noticeable. The account lis derived
from the newspapers of Cincinnati" | may
preface it by saying that like the winter of
1882 S3, that of 1892 was a very severe
one Shows fell among the mountains by
the goth of November, 1881, and accumulated
in great quantities. East and West, and
especially on the tributary streams of the
Ohio. About the middle of February mild
weather and heavy rains rushed the melted
SHOWS at once into the Ohio, and pro-
duced the great flood of February, 1882.
The papers of that spring were full of state
ments about 1t, of them funny, and
mythical. Such were the picking up a
cradle in which an innocent babe was sleep
ing as its ark was swept down the river, and
the floating from a town-its tavern-with
the sign-post standing as it sailed toward the
Gulf!
In November, 1882 we saw the high-water
marks at Wheeling on the flooded buildings,
and in 1887 l was shown the mark of the
heard this incident: When the water was
coming slowly up to the houses on the street
on which the courthouse stood, rat was
seen to flee to a bush in Mr.. A. T. Nyes
yard, and as the water rose the rat climbed
higher, until after many hours it overlook
him at the very top. OF course fate was
against him, and he was drowned
The account of the food in Barber and
Howes ''Ohio" is as follows:
''The Ohio river commenced rising at Gin
cinnat about the 9th of February. On
the 18th it began to swell over its
banks, and on the 14th many merchants
and others near the river were compelled to
remove their goods to the second story of
their houses. 1t continued to rise rapidly
till Saturday morning, Feb Is, when it came
to stand. having risen sixty-three feet above
low water mark. Differences of opinion
exist as to its comparative height with the
rises of 1892 and 1915 1t is supposed to be
about fl We feet higher than in 1892 and 1915
About noon on the 18th it commenced fall
ing very slowly, and yet continues to fall.
In the course of two or three days it proba-
bly, will be confined within its banks.
1.-THE rise was of the most distressing char
acter 1t carried desolation into all the lower
part of the city. Hundreds Of families were
turned homeless upon the community.
During the early part of the rise many in
the lower part of the city were awakened at
night by the water pouring in upon them,
and were obliged to fly; others betook
themselves to the upper stories, and
were brought away in boats the
next morning. Many families continued
to reside in the upper part Of their dwellings,
making use of boats in going from and re-
turning to their stores and houses. We have
heard of the death of but two individuals,
Mr.. John Harding and Mr.. William Auls-
brook. They were in the employ OF Mr..
William Tiff, and lost their lives in endeav-
oring to keep the water out of the cellar.
While at work the back wall of the building
gave way, the cellar filed in an instant, and
they were unable to get out.
1.-THE water extended over about thirty-five
OF the thickly-settled squares of the city, from
John street on the west to Deer creek on the
east, and north to lower Market and Pearl
streets The distance about a mile west of
John street was likewise submerged. This
part Of the city was but thinly settled. The
amount of damage sustained by merchants,
owners of improved real estate, and others
cannot be correctly ascertaned. Many houses
we're fioated away. A great number
were moved from their foundations and
turned over. The large bridge over the
mouth of Mill creek floated away and that
over Deer creek was much injured Business
of almost every description was stopped;
money became scarce, and wood and -four
enormously high.
"Active measures were taken for the relief
of the sufferers. A committee of three from
each of the five wards was appointed to make
collections, viz: Z. Hulse, N G. Pendleton,
E. c. Smith, J. W. Gazlay, John Wood G.
Jones, w. G. Orr w. Holmes, A. Owen P.
Britt, J. Resor, o. Lowell, and G. C. Miller
"a committee of vigilance was also APP
pointed, whose duty it YVES to remove per-
sons and goods surrounded with water 1t
consisted Of fourteen persons, and twenty
were added subsequently.
"A provision house was opened by the CON-
mittee of vigilance on Fourth street, where
meat, bread, wood, clothes, ETC., were
literally given to all who applied. The
ladies supported their well-known