Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1902-02-27
BRANDYWINE A TORRENT.

The historic Braudywiue has been
haying the time OF its life this winter,
ana Pretty nearly made record for
itself yesterday, Inst Saturday in
its third freShet of the season IL rid
Itself OF large quantity of lee, but 1t
remained for yesterday to clear out
a lot more, accompanied by q freshet
OF no mean magnitude and with some
very picturesque features.
Here are some of the things the food
did Ii backed up the south long race,
which supplies the city pumping
station, causing the water to overflow
the race bank, overrun tie park drive
above Market street and actually How
over the high retaining wall which
extends from Market street bridge TO
the first dam. The overflow was over
a small section Of this wall. which is
slightly above the level of the park
drive, and the mark of the waters
height still remains on II tree that
stood in its path
1t made Il raging torrent of tho
Brandywine, washing out the race
banks on both sides of the stream
between Market street bridge and the
third dam. 1t was nine feet above the
level of the third dam, IA foot short of
what it was in the food of four weeks
ago. 1t entered the Lea Milling Go. q
flour mill, below Brandywine bridge.
1t flowed over the wharves of Charles
M. Grubb and the Jessup d Moore Co
1t carried great quantities of lumber
down stream including fence rails and
trees, and oyerfiowed the bank in
Kirkwood Park some distance back of
the retaining wall. Up to noon it had
not got across Thatcher street, which
is the only protection the Eleventh
street bridge district has from the
rushing torrent in time of food, but
some of the people there were appre-
hensive, as the tide was rising and it
was feared that matters would become
more serious. All of the low lots and
marshy places in that section of the
city arc well filled with water, chiefly
the result ofs rain and melting snow,
and that circumstance is causing some
Of the residents annoyance, in the
shaps of wet collars and damp houses.
TIE greatest trouble was above the
city proper. At Rockford the water
Bancroft q Sons Co., causing partial
cessation of operations for time, and
similar inconvenience was experienced
Brandywine Park was badly washed
in places. The level section south of
Clayton street was flooded, the water
entering the pavilion, and many
movable objects were carried off.
The flood is the result of the heavy
rains and the melting Of large quantities
of snow. Much of tho ice that was not
brought down by Saturdays freshet is
now coming down, having started about
u O'Clock Tuesday. Some of the ice
is believed TO have come from the
neighborhood of Chadd's Ford, where
it had gorged in the previous freshet.
The stream rose and seems to have
knocked down some fences above here
from the quantity of rails in the
hoatage. Then, too, many of the trees
that were wrecked by last Fridays
sleet storm are probably in the large
number forced to make mad rush
towards the sea. Trees and heavy
branches came whirling down yes
terday, their limbs seemingly waving
wildly as they were twisted and tossed
about by the current or by instructions
which they met. Heavy logs rolled
along striking saplings which for
moment checked the advance and then
bending backward under the weight of
the logs and the power of the current
freed them for their further course
Thick cakes of ice pursued q choppy
line OF advance, turning over and over
as they struck trees and rocks, and
jumping beneath low bridges.
At the third dam the water lacked
about IL foot of its height four weeks,
ago, but the food then was of water
not accompanied with ice, and hence
did little damage in the park. Yes
terday, the water covered the Jessup
d Moore road and Glen avenue ON the
north side of the stream. At this dam
is the headgate of the south long race,
whence the city gathers it's water
supply from the Rraniywine. AS
President Alfred Belts of the Water
Department suggested, the city is now
ice water, for the stream
did not content itself with flowing
down the customary channel, but |
leaped over its banks and took in the |
city race, so that the ice cakes were
able to follow the course of the race |
down to and past the point whore the
water flows into the pumping station. |
Tho great sweep of water dasbing |
over the dam took in also the headgates |
Of the Lea Milling Co. at the north |
the dam the muddy water dashed up |
in wild spurts and then flowed on in
rapids that were no mean representa-
ton of the rapids at Niagara Falls
At the city headgate the ice blocked
and pieces of wood were captured by u
crowd of small boys A short distance
below the dam, footbridge had been
wrecked and the remnant of il was
Kept from floating away by means of
wire tied to Il tree. Nearby one of the
wires that supplies current to the
electric lights in the park was down.
4 few yards further down the water
lad made cove up to the footpath.
AT jackson street, rope had been
led to the foot bridge to prevent its
1oating away. At this point the stream
included both races This is near where
,he second dam used to be, but no
emblance of it was in view yes
erday.
Near the foot of Adams street is a
,ench, the seat of which was covered
With water. Damage has been done to
he race bank adjoining the wall be-
ween Adams and West streets, the
water having washed it out in some
'laees. Striking the piers of Washing
on street bridge the water dashes in
0 high waves and rush madly on over
he remnant of the first dam Below
Vest street, the water oVerflowed the
ark drive on account of the jamming
# the ice in the city race, which
acked up the water. Near the entrance
o the driveway, the water got so high
S to flow over the retaining wall itself
nto the Brandywine.
What damage the ice legions did
hove Wilmington is not reported.
With the freshet'they probably damaged I
ONE crops and fences, as already sug- {
II | .