The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-02-15

ing slowly. The day has been the gloomi-
est in the history of the city. Business was
wholly neglected on Change, and all atten-
ton given to saving property and affording
relief While the UNEXPECTED rise of nearly
a foot to-day has not made very great
change apparently in the situation, there is
such uncertainty about the future that all
plans are unsettled Not only is it imposs-
Bile to estimate the extent of the coming rise,
but no one can tell when the rain will cease
along the river. Here the clouds broke away
late in the afternoon, but gathered again be-
fore 10 o'clock, and rain is falling above and
below, the weather is warm, almost sultry.
The effect of this uncertainty is the
levels of vast quantities Of goods hitherto
supposed to be above the reach of water
Thisis done at immense labor, under the
most trying circumstances, the men stand
ing IN the water. The water now stands in
the cutters on the south side of Pearl street.
The Little Miami depot is flooded and
wagons are no longer able to cross the New
port bridge. The Louisville & Nashville
trains receive passengers on the trestle at the
Cincinnati end of the bridge, they reaching
it by boat. The Cincinnati, Hamilton e.
Dayton road, which has been the only outlet
for trains north and east, tonight went under
the food to such an extent that no trains
could pass. This leaves the city practically
cut off from the rest of the world to the
north, east and west by rail communication,
except that the Bee Line road still runs
trains, leaving from the Stockyards station.
This outlet is also accessible by the Cincin-
natl, Washington and Baltimore trains, and
they may enter and depart in that way.
The difficulty on the Hamilton & Dayton
road is not fully understood, though the
water on the track in the city limits
is sufficient to account for the stoppage.
Three hundred passengers are waiting at
Winton Place for transportation by omnibus
into the city. The Cincinnati Southern rail-
road sent out train tonight, and received
one, but the water has so permeated Mclean
avenue that wagons sink to the hubs in re-
moving express goods and baggage, and the
most lively fears are entertained that the
whole street will sink under the trains. No
effort will be made tomorrow to run into
the city on this road. There is no point this
side of the bridge where passengers can be
taken on the cars. 1t cannot yet be told what
arrangements will be made for forwarding
mails, or even what will be done
about running trains. The main fact
is, that whatever is DONE a long haul
mIIss ehe made to reach trains. But a single
road is now able to reach its depot-that is
the Cincinnati Northern, the narrow-gauge,
which comes into the city over the hill top,
and has depot ten squares from the river
Not a steamer is running there being no
place to land.
The little steamer used by the o. &c NJ. to
convey passengers from .Storrs' station to
Aurora, Ind, on its return last night, had a
fearful experience. Fog overlook it, and the
vessel was unable to proceed with safety.
The steamer found almost equal difficulty in
finding place to tie up, finally succeeded,
and reached Storrs' station this morning
Coal barges to-day have been towed up
Central avenue to Pearl street, where carts
run alongside and receive loads.
Stories have been current of mobs of law
less men standing on the waters edge and
demanding whisky, and doing other lawless
acts, but careful inquiry shows no reason
for such stories. The fact is creditable, even
to criminals, that they either have enough
heart to behave properly in the face OF this
great calamity, or that they are restrained by
wholesome fear from pillage or lawlessness.
No doubt swift punishment would follow
the discovery of crime. In addition to the
precaution of the increased police force, the
city is partly lighted tonight by coal-oil
lamps set inside the gas lamps.