The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-02-17

were all covered south of Superior street,
and the small houses on the bottoms were
with water and acc, with water
inside the houses irom'six inches 10 two or
three feet in depth, Everywhere the in'i
habl,ants removed their goods to higher
ground es they were able to secare teams.
The latter we're hard to get, .howev-
er, and much properly was damaged by
water and the rain which fell on them IN
trdnsitu. ~
Early yesterday afternoon, after the ice
broke but before 1t began moving, it had
risen to within two feet Of the new bridge
at the aqueduct About two, O'clock the
Ice began to move, the water having
risen in a few minutes 90 that the
running ice barely passed under the tim.
beers. No precautions Of any kind had
been taken to prevent the bridge floating
off. and as the masses of ice tloated down,
large cakes repeatedly striking against the
bridge with great force, 1t looked for few
minutes as though there was no salvation
for the structure. In the course of ten or
fifteen minutes, however, the water fell
quite percepliby and the ice passed
uuder without damage up to
s o'clock last night. A number OF
THERON rods of the bridge we're snapped
off, but the bridge stood the strain gal
lanlly. When the worst was over men
arrived with ropes to tie the structure.
The reports from other parts of the
county sent Us by telephone are epitomized
Us follows:
The dam at Dayton is reported to have
suffered serious damage.
Water was over the railroad at York
vile, but no damage
At 3 O'Clock all was quiet at Aurora
and Elgin.
At Streator all the cellars were full from
surface water, and Prairie Creek had com.
PEELED many residents to move to higher
ground.
AT La Sale there had been no break,
Marseilles and Seneca all right.
At Joliet the ice had broken; the river
was rapidly rising, and many houses were
inundated.
At Utica Cisrk's Run, a creek running
from Clark's Falls down through the vii
lage, became torrent, flooding the whole
town. We remember Judge Dickey's say.
ing that once during the thlrtles, while
going down the Illinois in steamer dur
ing spring freshet, the boats route was
right along the edge Of the north bluffs
flom Ottawa to La Sale. The food yes
terday gave the highest water probably
known in Utica since that time. The
whole of the business portion of the town
as we'll as the larger part of the residence
portion was all under water. In the bust
ness part OF the town q barge could bt
floated anywhere All this water came
from the creek, the Illinois at the time ou
report came no, having broken up or riser
greatly.
At the county asylum the agent took Tn,
precaution TO close the sewers, about fou
feet lower than the ground, so that th,
water would rot back into the basemen
by that route. Everything could b. resdi
ly moved up stairs In case of necessity
except the range. At 6 last evening the
water was rs feet below the danger line.
AT Covel creek, south Of the city, III,
temporary c. B. & Q. bridge was washe;
, away. Yesterdays morning passenger ar
rived at the bridge only to find surginl
torrent, and was obliged to return t.
Streator. "-.--f- a
j The Rock Island road Is great suffere
on its western Illinois division. Early
yesterday morning the track was reported
unsafe all the way from Bureau junction
to the Mississippi. and wash out at Pone
Creek.
Only one mail was received here yester
day, that from the north, which arrived a
about 2 20. All mails for eastern point
were forwarded that way. Thursda,
nights mail from the west Came up abou
II o'clock: that from the east was also re
ce,ved On time.
Owing to The break at Covel Creek, tn,
supply of S,realor coal is very low il
town, and the Gas Company may find |
impossible 10 supply gas this evening.
About four O'Clock a sudden change o
temperature came with high wind. an,
the indications last night pointed 'owar'
another freeze up.
HORRIBLE LOSS OF LIFE,
A telegram received last evening from
BraldwOod announced that q coal min,
had caved in and from 80 10 TO miner
drowned there yesterday afternoon. Fnl
particulars could not be obtained.
From Tonica.
.