Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1883-02-08
Great Storm and Flood.
ICE, SNOW SlEET AND
RAIN
PLAYING HAVOC cENERAILY
To Property and Life.

10 FrUpeJty anu Lhes
The biggest storm Of the season struck
this locality last Friday and Saturday,
Friday night there was big snow and
sleet storm, which turned to rain Satur-
day morning, and continued to rain dur
ing the day, covering the ground with
four OF five inches of water and slush.
This froze Saturday night, rendering
navigation the next day almost an i'm.
possibility. The Maumee river began
rising rapidly, on account OF the vast
amount of water pouring into it from
every quarter, and ON Monday morning
the ice was broken up at this place. The
water continued to rise, and Tuesday
morning it was probably as high if not
higher than ever known before. On &C
count OF the ice gorging above, the canal
was overfowed, resulting in the inunda-
tion of houses and the loss of considera
BILE property.
The lower part of town, Goosetown,
so called, was submerged. and the water
raised SO rapidly that families had scarce
ly time to vacate their houses and place
their household goods in upper rooms for
safety. The loss to property and goods
in this locality will be great. We also
hear Of the loss OF stock, but at this point
there has been no loss of life thus far.
but several men on Girty's Island had a
narrow escape.
The Florida bridge was in imminent
danger OF destruction, and it is almost a
miracle that it was not washed away.
The Napoleon bridge also was not free
from danger, as the water raised to with
in q few feet of the floor. The only
damage sustained was the carrying
away of about forty feet of the sidewalk
railing, which was knocked off by large
cakes of ice running up on the piers.
The storm and flood seems to have bee &
general in this part of the country, but
as the telegraph wires were rendered
almost useless, and railroad trains belated
or abandoned entirely, but meagre re-
ports have been received. We give the
following:
LATER-THE FLORIDA BRIDGE.
At this writing Tuesday, 2p.m.-the
Florida bridge is in bad condition. The
gorge is SO great above that the ice has
displaced the bridge from the abutments
and it rests upon field of ice. The only
hope for the bridge from coming down
stream is that the weather keeps cool,
allowing the waters to subside, when the
ice Will gradually 60 down and the bridge
again rest upon the piers and abutments,
should they remain standing. The Co.
Commissioners visited the wreck on Mon
day and returned to Napoleon Tuesday
noon. After carefully viewing the stu
alton the Board came to the conclusion
to let the bridge remain in its present
condition and trust to luck, SO far as its
injuring the Napoleon bridge should it
come down stream, for to set fire to it
would endanger other property, and life
was at stake to attempt to reach the
bridge for that purpose. The immense
ice gorge has caused the river and canal
to run together. and the water raised to
such heighth as to submerge part of
the village, and many of the inhabitants
were compelled to move to safer and
dryer quarters. The loss to property at
Florida and along the river will be great.
RESCUED.
Three men on Girty's Island, laborers
on the land of Mr.. Winsor, were rescued
Monday afternoon by two young men by
the name of Ludeman and Danser, and
a third party whose name we did not
learn. They procured boat which they
dragged over the ice gorge to the open
water, and then rowed to the cabin. in
the garet Of which the men had taken
tClubG. "A AOl0 was Cub III tu0 LOOL anu
through this they were taken to the boat.
The men were nearly frozen to death,
and their joy can be imagined when res
cued. A large dog was left in the house,
fioatlng around, the room on matrass.
Mr.. Winsor had large quantity of
produce on the island, which Of course
was destroyed, We understand Mrs. j..
Palmer lost large number of sheep and
other property.
''GoosETowN."
The situation in the lower part Of town
is disheartening. The water has been
from IS inches to Q feet higher than ever
before, and many citizens who thought
themselvesperfectly safe were at lastcoE-
PEELED to seek higher quarters. At least
thirty families have been driven from
their homes, many Of them loosing cloth
ing, provisions, &c. Mr.. Chas. Williams
remained in his residence until the water