The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-22

r,le who had already gathered on the shore.
The report was circulated I'm some manner
that one man was still aboard. and party
with rope and tackle was preparing to start
down tie river when one Of the members
learned that every one was accouhteo TOT
apolis Aquatic Club. which was fastened 10
its moOringS by tWO-1nch cable. was
wrenched from its resting place like
piece of straw and hurled out into the rag
ing waters. where the current was about
forty miles an hour.
The gigantic pleasure craft was carried
over the dam. and after furious race
down the stream lodged against the west
abutment Of the wagon bridge. The waters
were so high that the top OF the boat rose
above the floor OF the bridge. and the ter
rife force Of the avalanche OF water ana
ice strfkine. the boat broadside threatened
its instant ruin. Added 10 the danger from
the ice and water the boat caught fire. and
at that time IL seemed an impossibility 10
save It.
Denny Sullivan's Toulouse was wrested
from its nOOrings and thrown out into the
whirlpool with little ceremony. IL went
over the dam, and the waters seemed 10
laugh In gIee and roar the louder at its
destruction. 4 short distance below the
street-car bridge the Toulouse lodged
FIRE. Only a few moments were required 10
reduce the Toulouse 10 ruins, ano the loss
TO its owner was about S6l5. fully InsuredI-
rams steam yacht Pauline" were mOored
in the canal and We're at no time In great
danger from the flood. The owners or ootn
boats however had taken the precautions
10 have men there TO look after their prop
'erty and that they were properly and
safely taken from the point OF danger In
case necessity demanded
The houseboat OF the Aquatic Club seems
20 have been following trail Of bad luck
Last fall IL broke from its moOrlngS on
the night of the regatta and with hundreds
OF people on board. sank its nose into the
mud along shore The damage 10 the boat
at that time was great. but IL was raised
and again foated the same proud old craft
as IL was before the accident
CANOE CLUB SUFFERS.
The Canoe Club at Riverside Park suf-
fered greatly from the ice gorge. One of
their lighthouses was lifted from its founda-
tons and borne down the raging stream and
few moments later the bathhouse went
after the boathouse in what seemed 70 be a
race for some distant goal The huge dock
of the Canoe Club threatened TO give away.
and under the direction of +. E Marshall.
the custodian OF the club, two heavy cables
were fastened TO the dock and securely
dashed to some trees on the shore in hope OF
saving the dock from the fate or the Datn
end lighthouses. One Of the cables snapped
and broke like piece Of string moment
after II had been put on but at Z CLOCK the
dock was still IN It's place. The CUSTODIAN
expected every moment. however. TO see II
break from the shore and plunge into the
whirlins waters which seemed bent on It's
destruction.
At 100 o'clock Custodian Marshall saw
out in the river partly hidden by the
house or the top of a large boat and 1t was
on fire. He called 10 see II the passing
object carried any human beings with II
in its mad flight down the stream, but the
grating and grinding Of the ice and the
roar Of the waters drowned his voice. The
extreme darkness rendered a clear view
OF the object impossible. but whatever IT
was IL went at the rate OF about thirty
miles an hour down the White river inn
bedded I'm the huge cakes of ice and light
ing its way by its own fire.
A season Of the coolest weather that In
dianapolis has known in some years. fol,
lowed by sudden aud decided thaw. caused
dangerous ice gorgeS that formed IN White
river and Fall creek yesterday morning.
For weeks the White river has been
frozen from bank To bank with ice from six
10 sixteen inches in thickness. Yesterday
morning the great mass Of ice in the river
below the Riverside dam and on Fall creek
above the Northwestern avenue bridge
broke UP because of the sudden rise in the
water. and was carried down the two
streams at about the same time. Great
masses OF ice weighing hundreds of tons
crashed into the Northwestern-avenue
bridge and the bridges across the river, for
a time threatening 10 carry away the Fall
creek structure the Michigan-street bridge
across the river. and the WashingtOn-street
bridge. built about year ago TO accommo-
date traffic across the river during the con-
.tfuction OF the new stone and steel bridge.
Danger to the Northwestern-avenu
bridge subsidized shortly before noon. when
the gorge broke and allowed a great mass
OF ice TO float away down the creek Be
fore that time the ice had been heaped
cake upon cake nearly to the level of the
bridge floor. Contrary to all expectations,
but little damage 10 the bridge was done
when the breakup came and only a part
OF the wood work that had been built under
the bridge TO strengthen il for the passage
of the Indianapolis & Northwestern heavy
tnterurban cars was carried away.
The bridge proper remained intact al
though weakened somewhat by the carry
Ing away of part of the supplementary
work City cars were allowed TO run over the
bridge, but for the sake of making the
safety of the passengers absolutely sure
they were compelled to walk across. In
terurbdn cars were not permitted TO cross,
but were held In North indianapolis. Those
who rode In them had 10 go TO or from the
city by the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. line.
ICE PILED ON BANKS.
For some distance above the bridge ice is
piled on the banks of the creek where it
was left by the subsiding of the water after
the break in the gorge. Cakes of ice are
heaped against the sides of the barn that
stands some distance back from the stream
about a hundred yards above the bridge on
the south bank. and If the pressure of Ice
becomes much greater the building viii
probably be demolished Fall creek is
swollen to many times its normal volume,
and the muddy current sweeps along at
what seems terrific speed.
The freeing of the gorge at the North
western-aVenue bridge only served to in
crease the danger to the river bridges. al
ready great. The Tenth-street iron bridge,
because of its substantial construction.
In comparatively no danger. but grave
FEARS were entertained Tor the MlCn1Sdn-
street bridge, which is old and very weak.
Ice collected above 1t. extending for
eral hundred feet up the river, but UP to
late hour last night the bridge remained
intact
Chsef interest. however. conferred at the
Washington-street bridge. which seemed in
imminent danger of being carried away sew
eral times during the day. When the ice
first came down the river IN the morning
and lodged against it, street-car traffic over
Al was stopped Immediately. and passengers
were compelled 70 walk across the river
the new bridge where a temporary foot
path was constructed TO accommodate the
crowds.
Street cars ran 10 the bridge on both sides
OF the river, and passengers We're provided
with transfers for their continued trip. The
temporary wooden bridge TO the immediate
north was ropec of from the public. and
police were stationed at either end all day
20 keep the crowds back.
When the ice first lodged against the
wooden bridge it seemed for a time that
the structure would surely be carried away.
Men were Immediately put 10 work TO dis
lodge the gorge. piece by piece. and allow
the great masses of ice TO float down stream
gradually. but this work proved of little
avail. as the ice accumulated much faster
than il could be wrenched away.
The construction OF the bridge which is
built on wooden piles standing very close
together. made the difficulty of dislodging
the masses OF ice much greater.
Several times during the morning the