The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-27

Northwestern avenue the water backed up
10 the south until il reached 20 the In
dianapolis Ges Companys station putting
ii out OF service, up TO the level OF the
tracks of the Big Four. and stretching as
far south the plants of the Polar Ice
Company and the Commercial Electric
Company. The Northwestern-avenu car
line was submerged for half a mile. as was
the Indiana-avenue line 10 it's west
From the Indiana-avenue bridge thu food
spread TO the northwest TO meet the river,
completely surrounding the north pumping
station OF the water works. so that it's
fires had TO be extinguished and all pump
ing stopped. From the bridge directly out
the avenue, the flood OF water stretched
to Cerealinetown. apparently TO a point just
at or beyond the Belt Railroad. Cars ran
on this side only TO the bridge.
WHITE RIVER RISES RAPIDLY
Swollen by the great flood OF Fall creek
and other tributaries all the way TO its
source, the waters of White river rose
rapidly all day. until last night at . o'clock
Ii was sixteen feet and six inches above low
water mark, within nine inches OF high
water mark. At points all along it's course
the stream spread over the lowlands. some
times to a distance of a mile and two miles
from its bed
Down in the city at a point near the place
where New York street meets the river and
near the cotton mill that stands the
east bank the levee broke and acres of low
land. dotted with of well-built
houses, were inundated TO depth OF sew
eral feet. forcing the Inhabitants TO seek
quarters with friends outside OF the flooded
district.
At other points to the north of Michigan
street, water was pouring out into the
streets from the drain-pipe gratings. back
ing up from the river. AT dusk il looked
as though blocks OF that section might be
flooded before many hours.
Bridges along the river and rall creek
trembled before the fierce sweep OF the wat
ers and several OF them threatened 10 so
down. A part of the old Washing gton-street
bridge, which the city was about 10 repair
for vehicle traffic was swept away about
one-third of the distance from the west end.
Piers under the Northwestern-avenue and
Capitol-avenue bridges over Fall creek
were torn away, and those structures
threatened to go down stream with the
flood. The Thirty-eighth-street bridge over
Fall creek. near the fair grounds. was
swept completely away yesterday MORN
ing while the old Schoield dam above it
was expected TO go at any time.
FALL CREEK SITUATION IMPROVED.
Late last evening the situation along Fall
creek was somewhat improved. as the
stream had fallen considerably from the
high point reached during the afternoon.
But the river was still rising. and no pre-
diction could be made TO the point 1t
would eventually reach.
No estimate of the damage done by the
flood can be made at this time. as the prop
erty loss is something which IL will take
weeks to accurately compute. 1t
thought last night that the loss must GER
tainly amount to several hundred thousand
dollars, falling as, greater calamity be-
cause of the fact that few houses were
insured against water or flood.
The general situation throughout the
county is equally bad with that in the city.
with the exception that the more sparsey
settled character of the flooded district
there makes the loss to property much less
than in the city. Traffic of all kinds is
impeded by flooded roads and washouts.
Interurban roads all at the mercy OF
the foods, while even the railroads are
sufferers.