Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-02-19
ICE GORGE ON THE MISSISSIPPI
It's Progress Down the River Past ST.
Louis

Louis
The most remarkable ice gorge that mas
formed in the Mississippi river for many
years, extending from the bridge seYeral
miles north to the Chain of Rocks, Win
an average width of over half mile ana
an average thickness of ten feet, says the
St. Louis Republican of the 10th inst, De-
gan to move yesterday afternoon between
. and 6 O'Clock. This vast sea OF Ice, eX-
tending north as far as the eve coulu
reach, came sluggishly down with a lOIce
that threatened to destroy everything Win
which it came in contact. STEAMBOAT
whistles from Carondelet to w ashlngtoh
avenue blew with the greatest violence;
the whistles of half a dozen tugs
as they sped rapidly from shore 10
shore in the limited open space be-
low the bridge, shrieked frantically;
wharf boats, which gangs OF men were
trying to haul closer to the west shOre OIL
the river rocked like vessels in a storm;
ferrybOats WhirIed round and round 10
keep from colliding with each other as
they struggled toward the ILLINOIS leNee,
and coal barges were swung behind wharf,
boats as quickly as possible. River men
were fearfully frightened, and they had
reason to be, as they saw the monster
| they had been dreading so long closing IN
| on them with a sound as though 1t were
| living enemy crashing its teeth prepare
tory to it's irresistible attack.
1t looked for time as though d0oms-
! day along the levee had at last arrived.
| Those who stood near the north railing OF
/ the upper roadway of the bridge and look
/ ed northward witnessed a magnificent
| spectacle. When the thicker portions OF
| the gorge struck sand bars and shallow
! places in the river, the field that pressed
! against them from above converted thell
| into beautiful mounds that rose above the
/ surface in many Instances to the helght OF
! twelve feet. PrOtruding above the gorge
| hundreds of these mounds could soon De
seen, and they naturally caused IL 10 as
! sumo a shape similar to that OF frozen
ocean. Vast cakes of ice twenty or thirty
feet square were quickly upended, ana,
! standing side by side in the distance, theY
resembled miniature icebergs.
In the course Of twenty minutes the
/ gorge. which was stoutly resisted by SAND
bars and the bridge piers, suddenly
! stopped and settled, producing crashing
! noise as it Quiyered from end to end. BE-
! fore the gorge paused in its journey its
! lower end reached point about two nun
! dred feet below the bridge, having failed
to travel far enough to strike the steam
! boats. barges, and wharf boats tied up
! between Vine street and ChOuteau ave-
nue.: but it struck the Maggie p, which
was tied up at the foot of Washington
avenue. with sufficient violence to knock
/ a large hole in her hull, and cause her
! hold to fill with water. Had not the boat
! been aground she would have sunk, and,
in all probability, would have broken into
| splinters.
! The two hours which elapsed after the
! gorge struck, at 2:30 O'Clock in the after
noon, enabled the tugs to take barges
/ from the St. Louis shore to harbOrs above
| East CarOndelet; but before all the barges
| could be taken to places Of safety the
whistles began to blow, giving notice that
! the gorge had started again. The second
! break occurred at 3 O'Clock in the alter
noon, when the ice moved about fifty feet,
/ finally settling, to all appearances, tIrmer
than ever. Between the hours Of : and
o'clock in the afternoon there
| was apparently no current IN the
| river between the arsenal and Washing
| ton avenue. owing to the firm condition
/ of the gorge below Carondelet. While
! the river was in this condition large
! field of ice. six or seven feet thick and
possessing an area of several acres, broke
/ loose from the bridge gorge and moved
| slowly down stream, lodging hnally IN
| the middle of the river.
| A large force of men were employed all
! night along the river front to watch the
wharf boats and prevent them from being
! forced from the shore. They carried IAN
! terms, and could be seen running up ana
! down the leYee all night, tightening the
! chains and ropes with which the boats
had been fastened tightly to the shore.