The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-30
ENORMOUS FLOOD DAMAGE
SHOWN IN aREPA|R LIST"
Statement of City Engineer to
Council Indicates a Loss Of
Nearly $500, 900.
WATER is STILL MUDDY
Clear Fluid for Drinking Purposes
Is Not Yet Available for
Citizens.

A better and more comprehensive idea of
the extent of the damage wrought to the
city's public works by the floods of last
Friday Saturday and Sunday can probably
be gained from a perusal of the statement
of the probable cost of repairs, made TO the
Council by City Engineer Jeup last night,
and found in another column, than by any
other means.
This statement shows that the total
amount of damage in every section of the
city, widespread and probably without
equal in the city's history, will amount TO
about $4,000, or perhaps nearly 100000
when the water has entirely receded from
flooded districts and careful survey of
the floods work can be made.
Large sections OF the city are still under
water. in points where imperfect drainage
will not permit the water to run off and
the residents must wait for it to dry up.
But in larger sections that were inundated
the people have moved into their houses
and are engaged in the work of cleaning
from them the coating of mud and slime
that was left by the water. Cases of ac-
tual suffering are few, but such as there
are the Charity Organization is caring for.
White river is practically back in it's
banks, as are all it's tributaries and the
smaller streams of the county that fol-
lowed with destructive work in the wake
night the river only five feet above
low-water mark, or about twelve feet and
a half below its highest point Sunday night.
AT the water works pumping station it
predicted that it would fall to four feet
by this morning.
The water works officials promise that
the north pumping station, which put
completely out of operation by the flood
from Fall creek and afterward from the
river would be operating pump yes
terday morning was fulfilled. The city is
a f1al for
although the quality of the water is but
slightly improved over what it was when
the creek and the river overfowed into the
gallery or reservoir at the north station.
Clear water cannot be expected for sew
eral days at least, and ii is possible that
1T may be week or two before the city
mains are completely clear of river water.
The gallery must be pumped entirely clear
! of the muddy river water before it can
again be filled from the water company's
wells. The city Board of Health again
insists that the water must be boiled to
avoid the danger of cantagion.
With the partial subsiding of the water
I. many of the smaller animals in the men-
agerie were either drowned by the flood
or killed by exposure. The bears and the
deer are the only animals that remained
unframed. Four of the five wolves and
nearly all the foxes, coons and other
smaller animals, well as the birds, are
dead
| Normal conditions are again restored to
the city street-car lines, but the inter
| urbans still suffer from food conditions.
| Imperfect schedules are still in force, and
must be for some time on almost all the
| roads, until bridges and culverts can be
| rebuilt and repaired. The Indianapolis q
Northwestern does not expect to get cars
through before the end of the week; the
Martinsville line hopes to get to Martins
| vile to-day, but running only as far
as Centerton yesterday; the indianapolis,
| Columbus d Southern runs TO Franklin but
no farther because of the demolition of the
| bridge over Blue river, and the Mobiles
| vile line is cut entirely off from the city.
! Cars between indianapolis and Anderson
are running regularly.
OF the railroads entering the city the c.,
| III. * D., Lake Erie q Western and the
| Big Four running before the high
| water the Monon still uses the Big -Four
| tracks to Colfax and thence the Vandalia
to Frankfort before il can get on its own
| line while the Pennsylvania trains are
running on schedule with the exception of
the 1. & ", which will try to get a train
| through to-day.