Delaware gazette and state journal., 1884-02-14
poar Dapos.r IN D4NatR.
Inundation Imminent When the
Heavy lee Breaks Up.

Phi a1ell Ina ffess speCtsl,
PoRr DEPOSIT, MD Feb. 6,--The danger
of ii ldation which threatens this town
ia uucerlain, depending entirely upon
whether the ICE IL the river here passes
quietly into the Chesapeake bay within
Jay lr two, Or resists the pressure OF
water from above long enough to dam the
mouth OF tue Sasquehauua- The body
II iup Iuovrd about 10 feet ais afternoon,
| anile its present state OF soldiLy Is
| thteatebius sign. The railroad company
| Stil keep thelr locomotives fired up al
| igut, r. adv to move traius iu Gaze OF |
,mmiueut dau.er. The water is Only |
aOou. 2 fe-t above the ordinary level.
Tie danger Is that the volumes OF
water now pouring from the miles of
melting snow ard ice above, will not con
tinue 20 have free egress into the bay.
The movement of single tide may dc
termine the result. II it breaks the sheet
of ice, which now covers the river here,
aud carries the foes quietly away with
its ebb, there will b9 no tlood, but, If the
ice rrsists many more tides and is then
broken by a sudden swelling of the river
aid iammsd agalnt the obstruetinDs below
this point, ruin and disaster will follow.
The Ice is about Is inches thick, stretch
ing from shore to shore in solid sheet,
a mile wide and many miles long.
An inch or two of the rising water
rushes aloag over its surface concealing
il from view save at the banks To.
uisht men are watching the swelling
current miles above and below this point,
= = ready to give instant warning of peril.
LArER-A GENERAL ALARM SOUNDED
= Baltimore su special.
= PoRT DEP sit, Feb. I'll a. m.-The
y flood tide caused general movement OF
a the Ice aud those who had retired to rest
) have bsen aroused by the shrill blasts OF
I locomotive whistles, and at this hour the
a whole volume of ice is breaking and pass
II ing down with d tremem ious rearing and
T. cracking sound. There is hardly poe
il sibility OF its passing out at the mouth OF
a the Susquehsnna without gorging, and
10 grave apprehensions are felt at the out
= lock. The whole town ia alarmed and
,e many people are congregsting on the
IL river hanks, bus the fog which eDvelopt
: the river is SO dense that but little car
Ly be seen. The engines and other rolling
i. stock oil ths railroad company will bt
al ssnt ont Of town at once.
Al 2 30 a III There is a temporary lui
~ in tue rush of the ice at this hour. The
= outlook i5 bad,
:. A Port Deposit special to the Baltimore
:, .' Sun reports that at 2.30 O'Clock Thurs
:, day afternoon the gorge st Chiques, one
- mule above Columbia, broke loose, and e
"a few hours sfterW ards the ice on Columbis
- dam was artly broken and carried over
" This removed the danger from that
- locality aud locae ed IL at MoCsll's ferry
20 miles below, where gorge had formed
= Thursday night 25 feet high, extend
-. ing rom 5uure to shore. This gorge made
=. move, which only strengthened il, and
-. > st later hour the water was backing 4
- Sat- Harblr, seven miles beyond.
= The strength OF the MoCGll's gorge j:
A' considered az Of TIM most important sd
80 vantsge to Pstl Deposit. Ii it breaks
s' the Bhul. vosUm- OF iJe aud water viii
/. 81 ep toUn upa the town, and, witt
~ lat Etrst resi-lau trum the sold mas
~ below, ther- IL no calculating the dsraag
NJ, that may Gesu.t.
IVY The Columbia 4 Port Deposit rsirost
has sent al ioliiag stock to points b yont
reach of danger, aud tue people have als
:" removed thAr i've stock to elevate
~ places, Oy-r 100000 cases Of came,
81 gods and several ulliou feet Of lumb-
uu are oe the wharves aud in the Hare
'I houses u Port Deposit, III danger OF tn
vl tloqd it 1t sAouId come
ne, PoAr DEF SIT, Feb. So a. nth
IT, pa k ieg Las di3afp from in froI
le Of PJrt Deposit, bIt none ia reported a
~ having pasted out t-low. The river tel
os' os' las fallen one foot, But adviaes irt m aboy
w ar: that the susquehsnna is risiug
'!i .lie inches hour 81 st-elton, l5 miles abo'
w Columbia, wh!au is pyesumsbly II
ny tuliaia freshst coming down. 1t is rail
NV ipe heavily ell alUog the Su.quehaut
'Ns vsli-y.