The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-02-08
West indianapolis Would Be at
Mercy of Flames-Huge Pipes
at Morris Street Broken.
BRIDGES ARE CRUSHED
Westinghouse. Gorge Almost De
molishes Old Bridge-Sand Boat
Sweeps Through Trestles.
BRAVE WORK OF WOMEN
Gorge Stacks Ice Against New
York-St. Levee and Plays
Havoc with Households.

All that part of Indianapolis west of
White river lying helpless in the event of
flre, with not drop of water TO quench a
serious blaze. the work of the city and the
Indianapolis Traction and Terminal Com
pany at repairing bridges completely un-
done. large sections of the city cut off from
continuous street-car service, no bridges
for vehicle traffic for the same sections,
and a property loss of several thousand dol
lars-ths tells, in brief, the story OF the
work of destruction wrought by the thaw
that came as a result of the almost unpre-
cedented warm weather of Friday and Sat
urday
With the remembrance of the damage
done by White river and Fall creek in the
floods and ice jams of two weeks before
vividly in mind, the result of last week s
thaw was awaited with anxiety by the
city authorities and thousands of residents.
When darkness came down on the city last
evening il found their worst fears realized.
The situation fraught with the greatest
peril that came with the high water and
ice in White river yesterday, the carry
ing away of the eight-inch main of the
Indianapolis Water Company, the sole
source of supply for the entire section of
Indianapolis lying west of White river. This
main lay on the bed of the river at the
| Morris-street bridge, and on it rested the
whole burden of supplying water to the
west and southwest parts of the city, be-
cause the twelve-inch main that had
| crossed the river at Washington street was
carried away by the high water and the
| ice of Thursday, Jan. p. The Morris-street
main was thus left the only one, and this
was carried away about O'Clock last even
| ing at the same time that all of the treStle
work under the west span of the Morris
street bridge was torn away by the break
ing of the ice gorge that had formed at that
WITHOUT WATER SUPPLY.
AS soon as the break in the main was
discovered and the leakage was stopped on
| the east side of the river the city authori-
ties and the officials of the water COM
pany set to work TO provide way by which
the section of the city thus cut off might
be supplied with water. 1t was decided that
the thing 10 do was TO lay a water main
on the floor of the new West Washington
street bridge to connect with the mains
west of the river at the point where the
old main Joined. Work on this main was
10 begin at as early an hour as the material
and the men could be gathered. At the
best, however. the work could not be COM
pleted In less than twenty-four hours. so
that West Indianapolis and the West
Washngton-street district will be without
water until this evening or later.
Very early yesterday morning. close on
tbe heels OF the violent thunderstorm and
its torrents OF rain, the waters of White
river and Fall creek began 10 rise steadily.
and fee in the two streams began to break
up and come down. GOrges were formed
i'm a number CT places. and the situation
seemed full Of menace TO property and
lives.
At O'Clock the gorge that had formed
at the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. bridge across
Fall creek broke. tearing away all OF the
trestle work under the north span OF the
| bridge The stream cleared of ice, but for a
short time only. and within a couple of
| hours another large gorge forming.
This second gorge broke at about IL a M
CARRYING away all of the trestle work un-
der the south span Of the bridge Street
car and vehicle traffic over the bridge was
| completely stopped. and the situation that
confronted the authorities was worse than
| that which had been mended but a short
! time before. The Indianapolis * North
| western Traction Company was not slow,
CONTINUED ON PAGE u. COL 81