The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-03-16
An Ice Gorge Formed in the
Sewer.
THE RAGING TORRENT
GIANT POWDER USED TO CLEAR
THE STREAM.
Talking Up Home Products - That
Vicious Revenue BiII-GoId from
the Cumberland Mine An Asy-
Ium Patient Dfes-Judge Miners
Experimentation ral Items.

bridge last Friday looked up and down
the river. looked up at the mountains
covered with the greatest snowfall for
years. looked at the high water mark
on the banks near the blacksmith
shop. and then shook their heads omin-
ously. Spring had really come to stay
ana there was trouble ahead in the
swift current, getting deeper and
wider as the hours of the day rolled
into the night.
Saturday the ice came down in rot
ten chunks and slabs, yet large enough
To baar q. mans weight and plentiful
enough to create a gorge at the bridge.
Such as escaped under the bridge
sailed swiftly down to the forks IN
the river about mile and half dls-
tant and peTVeFSely resolved TO Gam
uD that point Then the trouble began
III earnest;' and between the dam at
the bridge and the dam at the forks,
the river had no alternative but 10
spread itself out and over its banks
in all the conceit of the big Missouri
on rampage. 1t was thrilling slght,
needing only the putting and padding
of a steamboat to make it realistic OF
the Father of Waters.
Every hour the gorge at the bridge
threatened its destruction. The water
was in easy reach of a person leaning
over it and placing his hand IN the
stream, and the ice was too large for
speedy passage. MIR. William Barron,
road superintendent, then directed a
gang of men to remove the flooring OF
the bridge and with the aid of poles
push the ice under and out onto the
stream. But the odds were against
the workers in the unequal fight with
the masses of ice cakes coming down
and building themselves up as far
back as one could see from the bridge.
Giant powder was inserted into the
mass at the bridge and every hour in
the day and night explosion would fol-
low explosion. But it had little effect
on the rotten ice, though interesting tc
the crowds who had gathered at the
bridge. The ice gorge builded itself
higher and the peple began to seriously
consider the safety of their homes.
All DAY Saturday the work was kept
up in the manner described. Some
of the incidents afforded amusement
especially when one of the to;lers
would slip and just miss being i'm
mersed in the flood. At another time
a young sheep-herder and Nose
started down on cake of ice and
brought their vessel into harbor in the
dam below.
About 10 O'Clock Sunday night ar
alarm was rung from the school house
and the people turned out in terror
The river had spread over the low
lands and fears were entertained that
it would undermine the new meeting
house. Everybody had an opinion &c
give, and some even advised the de.
struetion of the bridge as the only
hope of relief from the flood. But
while everybody seemed handy in the
giving, nobody manifested and willing.
- ness to take advice, and it is to this
singular trait of our DeSeret people
that wee have the bridge standing in
tact today. The best work done thai
night was the building of a levee or
the north side of the Gibbs lot.
ABOUT o'clock on Monday afternoon
the diam at the forks was broken. In {
short time thereafter the gorge at the
bridge got start, and once it begar
to move, Nthe released waters carried
the huge mass down amid the shout.
of the people who lined either side o.
the bridge. The crisis was passed, tht
people breathed easier and when dark
ness set in Sewer bridge had no mort
attraction to a lonely traveller thai
the gate of a country cemetery.
Mr.. A. j. Henry lived near the fork
of the river and his house stood inn i'm
minent danger. The water spread owe
the property of Messrs Sam Keller
Isaac Allredge and Butler Alfred
which lay north and east of Mr.. Hen
rvs residence
On the south side of the river nea
the forks Chris Erickson was compel
eu 10 take boat and remove his fur
nituTe. Between the dam and tn
bridge stood the Richards house an
The POulter residence. The former wa
carried away, the family escaping t
the Poulter residence on the east.
Mr.. Poulter's field was surrounde
by water, but his house was high an
dry on an elevation
All things considered, the damag
was slight compared to the threatene
danger. Had the gorge remained an
other day longer at the forks and tn
Thermometer gone up 20 degre -. ther
is nc telling the consequences. W
ESVe had big rivers right along and
long time ago flood; but this is tn
first time Sewer has had an ice gore
down in this part of the country.
The carcasses Of fifteen or twent
head Of stock was observed to fioa
Down, wedged in the ice. Mr. John I
Alfred lost horse in this way-Mi
lard County Blade.