The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-31
HEAVY RAINS THREATEN
REPETITION OF FLOOD
Danger, Seemingly Impending, Is
Averted, However, and Citl-
zens Are Relieved.
EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE
Railroads, Steam and Electric,
Are Heavy Losers-Road-
beds Destroyed.

With the memory of last Fridays, Sat
urday's and Sundays floods wildly in mind
and with the havoc of those floods still 10
be seen on every hand, citizens were
alarmed for several hours yesterday after
noon at the prospect of a repetition of the
destructive work of the waters. The pour
ing rain that lasted for the greater part
of the morning and we'll into the afternoon
gave promise of another siege Of high
water.
White river remained at about five feet
above low water mark up to late yesterday
afternoon, the point to which it fell Tues
day. Yesterdays rain made no appreciate
change in its volume.
Two districts that are suffering especially
from this source that section of the
city lying east of White river and between
Fall creek on the north and Michigan street
on the south, and large territory on the
West Side, south of Washington street, and
stretching west and east of Harding street.
Residents of both districts appealed to
the city engineers and the street commits
sioner's departments for relief, but little
could be done for them, as there Is I'M
perfect drainage at both points.
In the district in the vicinity of the river,
the creek and Michigan street, the sewers
were running full, but in spite of that fact
the rain caused the water standing on the
surface to rise perceptibly. The continued
presence of this water is causing endless
inconvenience and some little suffering.
Threats were made TO tap the large in
tersecting sewer to gain relief, but they
were not carried out. A gang from the
| street commissioners Office gave the dis
trict some help yesterday afternoon.
MAYOR SIGNS ORDINANCE.
The territory on the West Side is in a
| bad situation, as the nearest sewer to 1t is
on West Washington street, and there
seems to be no way in which drainage can
be brought about The continuance of
rainy weather will make the situation even
worse. bringing the threat of contagion
| from the muddy, stagnant water.
Both the engineers and the street COM
| missioner's departments are making haste
| to repair the damage done by the flood,
undertaking different tasks as they seem
most important. Funds are now available.
as the mayor yesterday signed the ordi-
nance passed by the Council in special ses-
sion on Tuesday evening, making a special
appropriation of $4,000 for flood repairs.
Some of the first things to be done will
| the levee and the culvert on Southeastern
| avenue east of State street.
Pogue's run will be cleaned out thor
| oughly by the street commissioners de-
| partment, so that there will be less danger
| of its overlooking in the event of another
| heavy rain. Street Commissioner Herpick
expresses himself opposed to the project
| of running immense sewer along the
| course of the run, as it would be impracti-
cable. He suggests. instead, that the run
| be widened to uniform width of about
/ forty feet, and that substantial high walls
| be built on both sides and that the bottom
| be concerted, if necessary, to make it of
sufficient depth and reliably secure from
| overflow.
Mr. Herpick has been instructed to COL
| lect all the building blocks which he can
| find in private hands, and 10 return them
| TO the contractors that the city insists
| must repair the damaged streets. A great
| many of these blocks were taken in by
| persons who intend using them for fuel,
| ana these will be forced to give UP the
| blocks, even if it is necessary TO seek the
/ aid of the police.
WATER CONDITION IMPROVED.
Although the city's water supply is not
back 10 its normal state, the condition of
the water is greatly improved, and the
| water company promises that but few
days more will be necessary to rid the
mains of the muddy river water.
Railroads and traction lines are getting
| back into their usual order, although sew
eral of them are still experiencing diff
Guilty in getting cars through to their desti-
nations. The Indianapolis q Northwestern
| traction line expects to be running through
some time to-day, the Shelbyville line is
still compelled TO transfer passengers al
Sugar Creek and the Martnsville line was
| not able to get to Martinsville yesterday,
but expects TO do so to-day.
Traffic over the /. & V. Railway was re-
| sumed yesterday, but it is expected that
the recent rainfall will seriously hinder the
work of repair and delay the completion
of large portion of the work until next
week Many points in southern Indiana are
still inaccessible
officials of the Indiana Union Traction
Company have announced that their losses
caused by the flood will amount TO almost
100000, including loss of business and de-
struction of property. Among it's losses was
the demolition of a steel bridge at Peru
and the destruction of considerable right
of way by the overflow of the Wabash.
| Fl OOD PROUTDENTJ4T