The morning call., 1892-06-25
Excessive Rains Cause the River to
Rise Rapidly.
THE CITY DRLUGED BY BURSTING SEWERS
Many Business nOuSeS and Dwellings Damaged by
High Water = Suburban Towns Suffer
Heavy Losses.
Special 10 THE MORNING CALL.

CHICAGO, June 24-The exceptionally
heavy transforms of the past three days
have again caused quite serious floods in
this vicinity. The river has risen far above
its normal height, and Is running into the
lake at the rate Of four miles an hour. The
main sewers being unable to get free out
let into it have become clogged up, and the
smaller sewers unable TO contain the vast
volume of water poured into them from the
streets have become clogged. with the re-
suit that they have flooded the Easements
in several portions of the bn siness district,
and much damage has been done to property.
Scores Of business houses have six to eight
inches of water ih their easements, and
every portion of the city has suffered some
damage. The floods of two months ago,
which were then considered phenomenal,
have been far surpassed. In the big depart
ment stores downtown to-day large forces
OF men were kept busy moving goods stored
IN the Easements to places Of safety
Many small sewers have burst, and the
flood coming up through the ground has
ruined the cedar-block paving in many
places. The Street Department has estl-
mated that it viii cost ut least $4,000 to re-
pair the damaged pavement.
The railroads running TO Chicago from
the West report much damage from wash
outs, and on most OF them the trains were
badly delayed this morning. The extreme
west end of the city is in some parts lake,
and the suburbs lying west and northwest
of the limits have suffered greatly.
Early this evening the north branch Of
the Chicago River raised TO such an extent
that the water in the vicinity Of Ravens
f0 a x
the result that at midnight 1t is reported
that 14C0 houses in that suburb nre sur
rounded by water of SlepJh from l to 3
feet The town OF Cicero IS also flooded,
many of the houses being entered by means
Of temporary bridges.
Through the streets OF Austin this after
noon tho water was flowing several inches
deep Not basement escaped flooding, and
the wooden sidewalks are floating around in
all directions. The S ame reports come from
Ridgeland, Moreland and other suburban
towns.
The amount Of damage in the city and
outlying districts cannot be even approx
mately estimated for some days yet. The
rainfall here yesterday was 3.0S inches. and
nearly rs much fell on each of the two pre-
cedng days. In the great lumber district
about Tweuty-secOnd street the yards ar
flooded and men were busy this afternoon
and evening anchorng the piles Of shingles
and lumber near the river. Several ele-
vators near the river have been compelled
to shut down.
TIE damage here is chiefly confined to the
flooding OF cellars. Many, always dry be-
fore, are filed with water. At Galena,
Ottawa, Rockford and other Northern
Illinois towns the small rivers are swelling
floods, bridges are washed away and rail-
road tracks are flooded or covered with
earth, causing total suspension Of traffic.
At Ottawa every business house in town is
flooded TO the depth of two to seven feet
MINNEAPOLIS. June 24.-It is stated that
a cyclone passed over Chickasaw County,
Iowa, last night. One man, a resident of
Frederick Township, was killed and IS were
injured, two it is feared, fatally. The east
ern part Of Iowa is flooded with water and
every bridge OH the Milwaukee, road be-
tween Monona and Gettenger has been
washed out.