The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1904-03-26
"Cecil Wing"
Fifty Years Ago.
p. c. RICKETTS,, Editor.
February II, 1857.
THE DISASTERS AT PORT
DEp0SIT

DEPOSIT.
"Whig of Fifty Years Ago." the follow
ing report of tnc effects of the breaking
up of the ice gorge at Port Deposit dur
ing the week beginning February 9th,
1857. is reproduced in this weeks issue
The fight Of the people of Port" to the
hills gave rise to the poem, "The Charge
of the Ice Brigade" unpublished last
week.
Port Deposit. Wednesday, T. NJ.
February 18th, 1887.
Mr. Editor On account of your invi-
tation in your last issue and for other
reasonS. | will lay before your readers
an account of the late flood and its con-
sequences with as much accuracy as pos
Sible. One of the other reasons is, that
| heard "Jcnus" would not be able to
devote HE time to it, and another is. that
several inaccuracies have been published
i'll the Baltimore papers.
The first rush of ice was on Monday,
9th inst. ut noon, Occa&ioned by the
back ice coming down upon us, the vast
quantities of snow all along the hills and
mount aims contiguous to the SuSquch-
anna being melted by the 'warm Spell'
poured into the river and raised the ice
above all distractions 81 that il had free
course as far down as tide WAITER
Here came the impeachment; if the river
from Port to Havre de Grace had been
A.. Il nod
contained during the winter, this back
ice would readily have cut it's way
through, Il speak comparatively but,
unfortunately for us, this ice was enc
solid sheet. clear hard and CLASSY vary
ing from IL to % inches in thickness;
resting against the island below and
stretching its arms into all the covess,
thereby rendering it impossible to be
moved in a body.
The ice did not cut down further than
the upper wharves ut neon on the 9th.
The flood came down about dark raising
and looscning the ice and bearing it down
stream with rushing sound that nome
can realize who have not been present at
such scenes. This back ice not being
sufficiently strong to break through our
five mile cake. run beneath some distance
about 10 p. m, to the top of the wharves
and driving ice in by the acre ON the
shore All night the water rose. driving
men, women and children to the hills for
safety. men in boats We're going up and
down the street taking goods and fami-
lies from their houses. many of them
from the second story. Tuesday morn
ing opened on Il wreck never before wit
pnC.s,.1 iI ,.ui. yilln,,. hut tho \NnISt WA =
yet to come. The water. again checked
in its course. backed: then came the
grand ruin. | will not attempt to give
things in their regular order, but will
commerce ut the bridge AID give the de
tails rs near AZ possible from thence TO
the southern limits of the corporation;
finishing with Il few of tn" many incid-
cntS attendant on the dclugc.
The remaining SPANS of the SuSqueh-
anna Bridge. next the Hartford shore.
were swept away; one span stopped Il
moment Opposite Port and was cleared
of everything by the ice save the frame,
which went Scudding like the "Flying
Dutchman'' under bare poles To the
"pcnny Shoals below IIavrc de Grace;
another WAS broken to fragments by the
ice and rocks and scattered over the
river; from Kclr'S Island to within three
spans of this side the bridge is gone.
Each ran w! built separately. without
joining 1hn>" r'Nt to- il, IN order If part
should he carried away the remainder
might he saved There alr two of them
near what we call the white Perch
Rock" two httwrcn that and SteelcS
Island. and another near Rock Run back
Of $. K. Cal>au X COS store. The bridge
over the run which bulnI~ the cOrDolYl-
ton north. WAS moved from its abut-
merits. til" water there rising higher than
the first floor Of the mill on the upper
side of the street. McEsl>. Steele n Ruth
and $. X. Carson n COS stores wer"
flooded. damaging some of their goods;