Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-12-03
WAITING In FEAR.
Situation Of the People at Chip
peMa Falls, Wis.
wATERY HAVOC STILL THREATENS


Ice Gorge Shows no Sign Of Breaking o.
and the Section Of the Town In Danger
Is Practically Deserted, Everything Nov
able Having Been Taken 20 Places Of
Safety-Wnd Rush to Move valuables-
More Blizzard Victims.
Chippewa Falls, Wis. Dec. Sat 10
o'clock last night the situation in Chip
pewa Falls was more hopeful. The
water had receded about six inches.
and 1t was believed that 1t would not
rise higher. although the city has twice
been fooled within the past forty-eight
hours by exactly the same conditions
Tuesday night the water receded eight
inches between the hours Of and II,
but after that hour 1t came up rapidly
until it had gone two feet above its for
mer high water mark. Last nights
bright prospects may be but a repe-
ton Of those of Tuesday night and the
night before, and before daylight many
expected that the water would be
creeping up Bridge street into the res
idence portion of the city.
Interesting and Anxious Situation.
The situation here was interesting in
the extreme yesterday. The city was
panic-stricken and men with blanched
faces rushed back and forth scarcely
conscious of their actions. The alarm
may be urfounded, but nevertheless it
exists, and the condition Of the river
seems to augur ill for the entire city.
Wild report reach town of the havoc
wrought by the stream above, and q
terrible catastrophe that may overtake
the city at any moment. No one knows
just what is in store, and the condition
of uncertainty adds more to the ex-
element of them oment than the act
ual destruction ofproperf1ty by the river
possibly could. One rumor to the effect
that the river would cut a passage for
itself through the high banks north of
the city gave rise to a great deal of ap-
prehension.
River May Run Over the City.
The rivers course is seriously OBJ
structed by the gorge, which has now
reached to within a short distance of
the dam, and the probable turning of
the course of the stream upon the city
seemed so plausible that every one be-
came even more panic-stricken. Hun
dreds of teams started at daylight to
move the effects of merchants out of
the way of possible danger, and Bridge
and Central streets were choked with
wagons loaded down with merchandise.
In many instances these wagons were
filled to such an extent that the con-
tents spilled over the sides and ends
and the scene was one Of indescribable
confusion.
Banks Have to Move Their Location.
Both the Lumberman's and First ma
tional banks moved yesterday after
noon, and the higher portions Of the
city are fairly congested with the enor-
nous amount OF goods that Is now stored
there for safety. At IL o'clock Spring
street twas impossible between Bridge
and Bay streets, and the water was
climbing steadily towards the base
ment of the city hall.
Awaiting Developments in Fear.
1t is impossible to see how any Of the
lower portion Of the city can escape,
for the coming Of the waters seems as
sure as 1t is deliberate, and the valley
may be completely inundated. No ad-
diIional reports of further damage
come in from the country. and it is
thought the flood may have spent its
force for the outlying districts. The
critical condition here. however, con-
tinues to excite fear, and the develop
ments of the next twenty-four hours
will be anxiously awaited.
The Situation at Durand.
Milwaukee. Dec. "a special to The
Evening Wisconsin from Durand, Wis.
says: Up to p. m. the Chippewa river
at this point had fallen five inches The
ice jam at Round Hill is firm and the
river still closed in, but there is no fur.
Their danger here unless the Chippewa
gorge breaks. No lives have been lost
in the bottoms, as was reported by the
dispatches, and no persons are miss
ing so far as known. The loss Of stock
and property is heavy. The Valley d.
vision of the Milwaukee road is washed
out between here and Wabasha-
FIVE MORE BLIZZARD vICTIMl