The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-03-13
WATERS ARE OUT.
Northern Illinois Is Being Sub
merged by Floods.
Great Destruction to Property
Already Wrought.
RAPID RISE GOES ON.
Levee Breaks at Havana on the
SangamOn.
Three Hundred Families Forced
to Flee For Safety.
Fires Have Been Extinguished
in Manufactures.

Chicago, March 13.-Reports received
here today show that serious floods are
prevailing in the northern portion of
Illinois by the overlooking of the Hi
nois, Desplains FOX, Sangamon and
Kankakee rivers. Much live stock and
property have already been destroyed
At La Sale the Illinois river and
tributary streams are now IA feet above
normal height, and still rising. Not
since 1892 has there been so much water
in this vicinity, and if the rivers con-
tinue to rise during the next "a hours,
the damage to property will be enor-
nous. One pump at the waterworks is
already shut down, the engineers are
working in 20 inches of water, and Su-
perintendent Walker says that one foot
more of water will mean the stoppage
of the entire plant, thus placing the
city in jeopardy from fire
The fires in the engine room OF the
Dickinson cement works were extin-
guished and the kilns flooded. William
Chaplin and family were driven from
their home and water stands foot
deep on the floors of the summer cot
tageS.
At Peru water stands flooded and
store easements are filed with water,
doing much damage to merchants and
live stock. Fears are entertained that
the fires of the big Illinois Zinc COM
pany's works may be reached by the
rapidly rising water, which already
covers part of the companyS premises
General Manager w. B. Brinton has
taken every precaution against the in
undation of the works. If the water
should rise two feet higher 500 work
men at that factory will be thrown out
of employment.
At Peoria, the Illinois river is out of
it's banks and is doing considerable
damage along the valley. 1t is still ris-
ing. The staid stream has risen more
than two feet in the last six hours,
mostly caused by the rapidly melting
SHOWS of the last few days. Today the
floating ice formed a gorge, backing up
the water to such an extent that fami-
lies living along the river banks were
in danger of their lives and some pro-
perty was destroyed.
At Havana the Ievee on the Sanga-
mon river broke last night, compelling
800 families to flee to higher ground.
Much stock has been lost.
AT Lorenzo, John Zipp's family, living
on an island at the junction of the
Kankakee and Des PLANES rivers, had
narrow escape. An ice gorge formed
above the island and broke The releas-
ed waters submerged the entire island,
and the family found refuge on a large
cake of ice, and were carried several
miles down stream before rescued. The
house and all the stock were destroyed.
At Pontiac the Vermillion river is
higher than has been for the last 20
years. Several negro families had a
narrow escape from drowning and were
compelled to leave their residences for
safety.
PEORIA LAKE FULL OF ICE.
Peoria, Ill, March 13.-The river has
risen one foot inches during the past
"a hours standing now Is feet 6 inches
above low water mark and still rising.
No damage has been done so far in
Peoria or immediate vicinity. Peoria
Lake is full of ice and as it is only an
enlargement of the river a high wind
that now seems rising would cause
much trouble. Should the heavy ice
break up today, rivermen believe it
would carry out the lower wagon bridge
that spans the. river in the business
portion of the city.
WATER SUPPLY IN DANGER.
La Sale, ILL.,, March 13.-The Illinois
river, which has now reached a height
of fifteen feet above normal, raised
thirteen inches during last night. The
= workmen at the waterworks pumping
station are compelled to stand in thirty
inches of water. There is danger that
the fires under the boilers may be ex-
tinguiShed. Much damage is reported
from JonesNville. Oglesby and Deer Park.
At Peru, the Illinois Zinc cOmpany'S
factory and the Peru Plow works are
in danger of being flooded, with a
prospect that one thousand men will be
thrown out of employment.
The easements of the stores on Wa
ter street, Peru, are already flooded.
BIG ICE GORGES
Ottawa, ILL.,, March 13-Many fac
tories in cities of the upper Illinois val
ley are idle on account of floods. Much
damage was done in this section by ice
to industrial plants and private prop
erty. An enormous ice gorge is formed
east of Ottawa which may take out the
bridge here if not broken up by dyna-
mite. A big gorge has formed between
here and La Sale The water is 81 feet
above the normal stage. Forty fam
lilies have been driven from their homes
here. It is feared the dam at MarseilIes
will be forced out