The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-11-22
Posue's Run Again OverfoWs and
Plays Havoc Along Its Course.
Extensive Damage Done the Railroads.
Bridges Washed Away and Trains on
All Roads Generally Belated.
Esevees Improvised About the South
Meridian-Street Wholesale Houses.
4 Rainfall of 8 II Inches In Fourteen
9ours-A Rise of Nearly Twelve
Feet in White River.

Tho continued heavy rainfall of yesterday,
Aasting nearly twenty hours, caused such
vOluminous overflow of Pogue's run, in this city,
ns to threaten great destruction of property,
and did result in considerable damage, and the
outlook at an early hour this morning was not
altogether encouraging. 1t began raining here
about O'Clock yesterday morning, bat not to
ANY greatramount until about daylight. During
she day. however, the rainfall heavy and
almost incessant, and early in the afternoon 1t
became evident that Pogue's run would
not much longer DO contained within
fts banks. About O'Clock the
cuiyert on East Washington street was filed
by the torrent and shortly afterwards the wa
ter began running over the street, rising at
asbout the rate of foot an hour. The "back-
water" overfowed that portion Of the city IN
the vicinity of Market, Noble and Ohio streets
as far west as Liberty, aud then ran down to
Washington street, filing all the Intervening
cellars and Easements and pouring both into the
big sewer and the run again at the intersection
of the railroad tracks. By 9 O'Clock last night
the stream and overlooked territory for about
hall mile In length was nearly 1000
feet In width. reaching in places depth
OF four and five feet Railroad traf-
10 10 that portion of the city was
entirely stopped. The incoming Wabash train
,got down to the Observation-Disclosures depot,
but the eastern division OF the l., B. & W. and
Decline were entirely shut out, the officials Of
tho last named allowing their trains to go no
further thsn Brehtwood. About 10 O'Clock
last night the water began falling, and in an
hour was eight inches lower In the bed OF the
-stneam. The total rainfall from O'Clock yes
terday morning until 10 last night in this city,
. N 10
THE DAMAGE IN DETAIL.
Il was with great difficulty that anything like
an approximately accurate account of the dam
age done in the city could be ascertained last
night. 1t was exceedingly dark, and the over
dow In the eastern part of the city was so wide
spread that travel in that vicinity was both
dflcult and dangerous. In the vi
cinitY Of the Atlas Works the water was
nearly two feet deep, and nearly all the cellars
were full, while the streets were impossible A
ike state of affairs existed all the way down the
stream into the city; but the dam age was more
general In the central portion of the city. Ohio
and Market streets were covered to an average
on each side of the railroad tracks,
and all the cellars filled, and the first floors OF
Bile depth. Kings grocery and Keely's grocery
on opposite corners of Market and Noble streets.
had water ia them TO depth OF two feet. with
much damage to their stocks. Noble street was
likewise covered from this point to the Pan
handle shops and Davidson down to Washing
ton.
A THREATENING OUTLOOK.
The danger was most threatening. however, at
the intersection of East Washington street and
the railroad tracks on account of local causes.
The cuvert under the street was, usual,
totally Insufficient, and the water went over it
IN a steady current
ADout 8 O'Clock last night nearly fifty feet of
the 'fbig sewer" caved III, and large ensine
and machinery, used for excavating purposes,
went down TO destruction in it. connecting
sewer was in progress eff construction near this
Ioint and it was washed entirely ont.
and with 1t portion Of the
by W. H. English at the corner, and
occupied by Charles Schad as a drugstore, aud
numerous resident tenants. For two hours it
was expected that portion of the building
yOuid tumble down, and the police hastily re-
moved all the inmates, with as many Of their
ep At 'O9 O'clock this H'i Morning So%
ever, 1t was thought that the building
wonld be saved. although in badly damaged
condition. All night men were engaged in try
Ing to get the engine out Of the sewer and pre-
vent It's further. wash-ont. The scene IN that
animated. The business men along Wash
tngton street were busily engaged In
getting their stock out Of their cellars,
and the alarm was 80 general that numerous
families moved hastily out OF blocks where
there was not a particle of danger. As there
men and children out, and numerous stalwart
nen were engaged III TINS TASK
INDIVIDUAL LOSSES.
Probably fifty property owners and residents
suffered small losses in this vicinity, and there
were but few large losses. August Bruner, the
sewer contractor, had his work greatly dam
aged, besides the injury done to his ma
chiuery, and his loss will doubtless reach
several Thousand dollars. W. b. Dickson G. Co.,
lumber dealers, were unfortunate, usual.
Thousands of feet of valuable lumber were
swept away, and much of that left
was greatly damaged. At midnight Mr.
he could not then accurately compute
his loss, but he thought 1t would be between S.
900 and $4,000. The Wabash and Decline
tracks were washed out in several places, and
inst below Washington street they were sunk
three or four feet for a considerable
Panhandle round-house, and up in the fire-boxes
Of several of the engines there. I6 is thought
that the bridge--or, rather, stone crossing-oyer
PGgue's run Washington street
is very badly damaged, and the
city's loss on this account may be considerable
away. and about 10 o'clock quite large
bridge came floating serenely down,
from somewhere, and lodged against
the stone abutE.ents at Washington street.
Evidently the greatest damage done to property
is in the eastern part of the city. and this will
probably amount to $2O,0O0 or $50, 900. Fur
Their down towards the Union Depot the volume
of water was not great AS the Washington
Jstreet sewer carriedSoff much of 1t to the river.
On the South Side.
But on the south side of Washington street the
water played greatest havoc. The bridge across
the run at Liberty street withstood the immense