The Indianapolis journal., 1891-02-21
THE WATERS ROSE RAPIDLY
Treacherous POgue's Run, the River and
Fall Creek Respond to the Rainfall.
Several Families Driven from Home by the
Flood in the Eastern Part of the City
Condition of the Railroads.

The hsavy foil of rain yesterday flooded
all the streets and sewers. and natural out
lets were soon bank high, the rise being un-
usually rapid. At IL o'clock druggist Shadd.
at the corner OF Washington and Noble
streets. telephoned the street commission
er's Office tina. the entrance to the Washing
ton-street culvert was filling with floating
timber and branches of trees. which served
as backwater. No attention. however.
was paid to the warning. and Mr..
Shadd then notified the No. 8 firemen. who
The driftwood had, however, become so
firm in the entrance to the culvert as to
make its removal very difficult and impos-
sible in part The back water by 3 o'clock
had flooded the square between Noble street
and Pogue's run, md all families either
moved out or moved upstairs. The bridge
at Market street was next submerged. and
the stream flowed out upon Market
to Noble and then into the
cutters. Davidson street was completely
covered, and the patrol wagon was sum
moned to carry the people from their
homes, where the water was a foot deep on
the first floor, Co places of safety. But one
family in such plight-standing on chairs
in fact-refused to accept the offer OF help,
saying that they did not believe the stream
two inches an hour.
The Ohio and Pine-street bridges were
in. very unsafe condition long
before darkness set in. The Arch
er-street bridge was threatened at
noon. The sewer at Washington street
was Offering IN outlet ut 6 O'Clock for all
the water which could not pass under the
culvert, and it was not thought that the
street would be overfiown. Mr.. Shadd was
very indignant at the street commissioner 8
department and said he would sue the city
for damages resulting from this negligence:
The water wac filing up his cellar aud
causing him much damage.
All day Fall creek, though within its
banks, poured great flood into the river.
The new-made em5ankment is now receiv-
ing the first test since it was made, but it
will. it is believed. stand the wash OF
waters. The State ditch empties into Fall
creek west of Tennessee street, between
Fourteenth and Fifteenth streets, and at
nightfall this waterway was nearly full
1t drains large extent of territory, many
street cutters RAINING into it in the two
miles of its course, but it is not likely to
overflow.
There was some anxiety among railway
superintendents regarding bridges. espe-
cially those over the smaller streams. Last
evening they, with rOadmasters ana Sec
ton men, were out watching the waters,
lest there should be washouts or weakening
of abutments. Superintendent Zook. or the
MOnon, who came down from Chicago, said
that from that city to Indianapolis it
of the track. He went up the road. last
night. to see if the bridges were all right,
but he had no fears except for some of the
smaller Waterways. SUPERINTENDENT Mans
field. of the Indianapolis * Vincennes. went
down his road in the evening. and found
that washout of about one eighth of a
mile had occurred near Mooresville. On
the Peoria division of the Big Four there
was a washout at Clermont, which delayed
trains somewhat. The prospects that
trail station at Cincinnati by this morning g
called Superintendent Bender to that city
to watch matters. On the Belt road there
were washouts at two points where work
was done on embankments last summer.
One track was repaired in few hours. and
trains were running over it by o'clock in
the evening. but SuperintendentW w hitcomb
said it will take three days to repair the
other track. The j.. NJ. s. !. and the L., d.
a. w. were all right at midnight. and so
lines, except at the point noted above. The
same was true of the c., III, & ID.
The river rose steadily during the day,
and had reached depth of six feet at the
water works at O'Clock last evening. the
rise then being six inches an hour. At
midnight it had risen to seven feet and ten
inches. and was rising fotr inches an hour,
the decline in the rate being due to the
greater basin TO be covered. It was
thought that even without more rain
the rise would continue till morning.
owing to the tremendous fall during
the day, and the swollen condition of the
little streams As yet no damage has been
done. and danger is thought to be passed.
Pogue's run went down so that the families
who were compelled to leave their homes
could rest without fear. if not without dis
comfort from mud and dampness. PATROL
man Sam James, who lives on Davidson
street, was one of those who had to leave
home.