The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1893-03-18
elooos ln MICHIGAN.

RLOOOS tN htSFt1<1<>tNs
fcS t,crs.s the Cause or AImost unpre-
osdentfsf Rl.es La Michigan Rivers-rhe
Grand River, ut Grand Rapids snd
Ionta Abuormaffy Sigh aud Much Dam
sse Done-s,alsroad TSsfsc Threatsned
! Witst Serious Interfereacs-Two Million
feet df Ioss Let Loose
Iowa. Micfi., March .1A,-Never be-
tofs ii9 the history OF Ionia has Grand
river been-so high as at the present
time, and the wster Is still rising.
Hurfreds Of fneff have been nj work
WITH .ssuis al night last night and to-
day trying TO prevent the foods gross
ing the street road. a great line of
breastworlxs has been thrown up all
aiofig Size roed' and every suspicious
riyulet has 80 far been successfully
checked. At4 dctOclt this morning an
alarm was turned in. . warming that
the danger point had beeirescbed, and
Frest crowds of men fockea 70 the
sccns to do what they could to protect
the flooded property. "a F,ssszq =
The Capital wagon works is now en-
tirely surrounded bv the foods, the
taserpent and overfiovs being inun-
dated. So ea. a'a So .-
The bed Of the river lies at least
half mile away, bot the whole couu>
try for miles rs now q raging, rushing
torrent The bridges at that point arc
all IN place, but are in great danger.
The bridges Of the Detroit, Grand
Haven & milwaukee, road are in immi-
nent danger. This morning men were
engaged to weight them down, and
tons of sandbags were piled on them
Trains on the Detroit, Lansing &
Northern are in confusion. The trestle
nj Portland gave way last night
and passengers must be carted around
the washout and loaded on other
trains
There is no ice in the river to speak
of, bit Che current carries large trees
and dcbrf, OF every description down
with terrific force. and everything in
its wake must 90. A force of men
will be kept at work au night tonight
and every effort is being made to keep
the waters under control few hours
longer, when 10 IS hoped the greatest
danger will have been averted.
The water rose here in less than
thirty-six hours, something never be-
fore known for Grand river. s-
1t is just reported that the lower
Milwaukee railroad bridge is in great
danger. The water ~ undermining
the piers and it is now feared the bridge
will 20 out. A freight train which at
tempted, 10 cross was obliged to back
off and the bridge is condemned.
Above HIyh-watcr. Mark at Grand
Rapids.
GRAND RAPIps,A Mich, March Il
Grand river is fifteen feet above high
water mark and lacks but ten inches
of reaching the point made in 1883,
when the log jam took out every rail-
road bridge across it IL rose all day
to-day at the rate of six inches an hour
and at 10 o'clock tonight the waters
became stationary. -
ice of the gorge at Muir put in an ap-
pearance. and an day long the huge
cakes. buffeted the bridge piers aud
disputed with the logs Supremacy OF
the five-mile Current. The abntments
of two highway bridges have been
weakened by the ice and logs.
At 3 o'clock this morning the
booms con fining the logs at the Mich
igan Barrel Co. gave way and 2,0O0,-
900 feet of logs started for Lake
Michigan. The flats and the island
are inundated and it was with great
difficulty that stock in barns was
rescued.
The steamer Barrett is tied to tree
on Grandville avenue ard should the
waters suddenly recede will be two
blocks from the river.
The huge warehouse Of the Valley
City Storage Co. was carried mile, and
finally anchored against tree.
Wallin's tannery and the plaster mills
are four feet under water. The Michi-
gan Barrel Co. and the QuimGy lumber
| Co. have lost several thousand feet of
lumber, and the latter concern expects
its dry-kiln to be swept away. The
Easements of the Goshen Carpet
Sweeper Co, Berlsey & Gay and the
Grand Rapids Chair Co. are flooded.
and the machinery will suffer. The
press and composing rooms OF the Even
ing Press are covered by two feet OF
water.
The loss already aggregates 100000.
and will be greater, rs reports from
points up the river mention Zee gorgcs
and rising waters.
The Danger Believed to he Past.
Lyons, Mich, March 1a--Heavy jams
Of ice have been passing here all this
afternoon, and at o'clock one end oi
the dam gave out A large force oi
men, by quick work, saved the whole
of the dam from going ont Small
breaks are constantly occurring. 1t is
now hoped that the greatest danger l:
over, as the ice is now rotten and less
apt to gorge. The river has gradually
assumed its regular course, and at II
o'clock tonight it begins to look as u
the worst was past Rain is falling
and the rivers roar can be heard
mile, but unless n great quantity of ice
| LODGES tonight no serious difficulty Is