The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-06-02
White River OH a Tear.


When it is considered that the rainfall
for May In this county was 9.67 inches, as
taken officially by Sylvester johnson at
Irvington. and'that the last half of it fell
within q week or ten days past, the msgni-
tude OF the flood is not at all surprising.
The rainfall was the heaviest on record,
and though White river has been known
to be higher. it's banks are now over1own,
and hundreds of thousands of dollars
worth OF damage has been done.
1t will be impossible to estimate
the damage until the waters recede.
1t is probable that the flood-tide
has been reached. and the river will con-
tract to its normal size. The depth at IL
o'clock yesterday morning was twelve feet
SIX inches above low-water mark, n at 9
O'Clock last night the difference, if any,
showed n fall of. perhaps, an inch. 1t thus
required ten hours for the period of recess
sion to begin. Tha 1t was stationary was
apparent from the action OF the drift.
When the river IS rising or holding its
own tho stream is higher in the center.
The waters are pushing to the banks, car
rying the drift with them. When recession
begins the surface of the river Is lowest in
the center and what drift remains
within the current clings to the middle of
the stream. Then the river man expects
to see frInges of soft, dark mud along the
banks, left by the water at it's highest
point. 1t is always a welcome Sign at
such a time as this. and first made ats ap-
pearanoe about 9 o'clock last night.
The heavy rains yesterday morning
caused the small streams. feeders of Fall
creek. as it itself is a feeder of White river,
to become swollen again, and to this fact
is due the long period between lood-tIde
and decllnein hite river. The great volume
of water that passed away was replenished
from the small streams. The thoroughly
soaked condition of the earth hurried all
that fell into the streams. Daring the
morning the constant rise led the pump
house n ploye s TO say that it was time for
the people on the low lands south of the
city TO move to places of safety. The in
formation received from Broad Ripple that
inches an hour confirmed the basis for the
warning. But before noon the rapid
rise ceased. and the feeling was that
the danger point had been passed.
the ne~wly-platted additions in the valleys
of Fall creek and White river had to move
out. boats. In some instances. being the
conveyance.
ing bridges. The new Michigan-street
bridge was said to be topping. and the
County Commissioners made q hasty trip
to examine it. They found the piers
clogged with timbers and drift. and
set a force Of men to work clear
ing it away. This was done success
fully, and materially relieved the dan
ger. The approaches to the bridge
suffered much damage. though the water
did not flow over them. The current
swept around in the rear of the riprap and
caused q washout OF the bank. A motor
man on the street-car line said last night
that the water had fallen three feet. so
that the danger was oil passed. On his
the bridge, he said, had made him hold his
breath.
The high water has interfered will the
running of the factories on the west bank
the paper-mill were compelled to
close down. The levees held up
under the tremendous pressure
of water. thus preventing On immense
amount OF damage. On the east side the
bank was washing away. and Kingan n
Co. sought 70 protect their property by
dumping stones. There was for awhile
great danger that the flood would break
through the levee at Morris street. The
damage to water aud gas mains was not
large except TO the twenty-four-inch main
at the gallery pump-house. The damage
cannot be repaired until the waters recede.
The Eucaustic tile works suffered some
loss by reason of the breaking of their pri-
vate Dstural-gas man.
The rainfall has seriously interfered
with the progress of the work at the new
fair grounds. The race track is to be
finished by July ~. aud also the amphi-
theater. but II Is now a problem whether
this can be accomplished. IL all depends
upon the rainfall yet 10 come. liz Is under
stood that Mr.. Rowland has not yet lost
faith in the timely completion and readi
ness of the track by that date.
Scene Along the River.
The attitude assumed yesterday by the
high waters in White river threatened the
bridges that span it all day. The currents
were terribly strong. and carried in them