St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-03-12
Innumerable GOrgeS Form
and Cause the Water to
Back Up.
Several Bridges Washed Away
and Many Buildings
Flooded.
Dynamite Used to Start the
Gopges at Many
Points.

DETROIT, Mich, March ii. - Inc
warm weather of the past few days has
caused the heavy masses of ice and
snow in the Grand, Shiawasse, RaiSin.
Clinton aud many other of the smaller
rivers throughout the state to move.
Today innumerable gOfges have formed
in these rivers and have caused the
water to back up, flooding the cities and
towns lying on their banks. Sew
eral bridges have been washed
away, houses, stores, mills
and other buildings flooded and
other damage done, the exact amount
of which is not yet known. AS far as
known no lives have been lost. The
ShiawasSa and Grand rivers are rising
rapidly because of ice gorges that have
formed at various places, the water in
the latter river being the highest since
the war. At OwOSsO, Mich, great dam
age will be done unless the Ice gorge
below the city breaks up soon. The
new iron foot bridge has washed away,
and the woodenware factory has closed
down because of high water. Many
families near the river have been COM
PEELED to leave the ground floors of
their dwellings and seek refuge in the
second floor The city officials are
Blasting the Ice
in the river with dynamite, but have
been so far only partly successful.
Portland, Mich, on the Grand, was left
in darkness last night because of the
flooding of the electric light plants.
Many residents of one side of the town
are in the other and cannot return. Gel
lars and stores along the river bank are
rapidly being flooded and much damage
will be done. A similar state OF affairs
exists at several other points along
these streams.
The ice is gorged above Ionia, and
big force of men are at work blasting it
out. The water is very high. The low
er portion of the Michigan Clothing
cOmpany'S buildings is flooded, and
their loss will be quite heavy. The
river is about a mile wide at
this point. At Lyons the water
is rising severI feet an hour.
Early this morning the fire bells were
rung to alarm the residents OF that town
of the fact. All of the lower town is
flooded to a depth of several feet.
Merchants worked all night removing
their goods to higher places. The post
master was obliged to clear his office OF
all valuable mail and outfits. Piles of
ice bounded over the dam and
caused a
Tremendous Back water,
which resulted in much damage to fac
tories along the race below town.
The Grand is over mile wide there.
The Black river floods have washed
away the approaches OF the Chicago ~
West Michigan bridge at iceland.
Trains TO Holland are run by the way
of Grand Haven. At Jackson the base
ments OF ten stores on Main street are
flooded from the water in the Grand
river. The annual scare that the dam
may give away is on again.
The Huron river is higher than 1t has
been for many years. The lower floors
of the mills are under water. The mill
men along the river were up nearly all
night last night watching their property
and booming their logs and timber TO
keep them from floating away. Mount
Clemets is also a sufferer. There the
Clinton river Is higher than ever before,
and is still rising. The East side of the
city is flooded, and residents began
early this morning TO move across to
higher lands. The water is several feet
deep in the water works building. The
electric light building is
In Great Danger
| and both institutions are shut off. The
| Mount Clemens gold cure building is
| also flooded. The Grand river is on the
rise at Grand Rapids and about eight
| feet above the low water mark. 1t rose
| two feet this forenoon, but rise OF sew
| eral more feet can DE sustained without
| endangering property there. The Ice Is
out and the water is being carried down
rapidly.
lansing city officials and others are
very anxious for the safety of the seven
CITY bridges across the Grand river
there. The water is not as high as at
| many times before, but the thickness of
the ice above the mineral we'll bridge
increases the danger from gOrges liable
to form at any moment by the
| breaking OF the ice above. The
| city marshal is engaged with a
large force of men with dyna-
mite. in an attempt to dislodge a gorge
formed this afternoon at the dam a
mile above the city, and at late hour
it looks as though he might be success
full. At DiamOndale, twelve miles up
the river, there is much anxiety at what
is known as the New Bridge, north of
the village, which is liable TO go down
at any moment. At points below
The Water Is Very High,
on account of the numerous ice gorges
forming. aud much damage to property
has been the result.
The Grand river at Muir is falling
slowly, but rising at points above, hold
ing back ice and water, which is eX
pected hourly in a flood rush. The
threatened danger is increased by 9
rain setting in. The Saranac, Croswel
and Portland road bridges are gOne,a
the Detroit, Lansing & Northern bridge
near Lyons is mOmentarily expected Il
| go. The ice gorge is now siN
miles long, from four to twenty fee
thick, extending from five hundred
feet to mile wide.w big jam com
ing down stream. The dam acrOs:
Grand river at Lyons is partially
washed out and likely to go at any
minute. while men are blasting ice
| foes with dynamite to save the town
ship bridges. Fences, barns, sheds
straw and hay stacks strew the mass o
ice in every direction. Not much livt
stock has been washed away, but thu
damage to property done by the flood 81
far in fifty-mile section of the river il
carefully estimated at upwards of sos,
600. Much suffering exists among TIT
. flood sufferers.