Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-03-21
Ice Gorge Near Cliffland
Bridge Floods Lowlands
and Drives Families tc.
Higher Places.
BRIDGE IN DANGER
OF DESTRUCTION
River is Rising Rapidly and
Merchants Near Stream
are Removing Products
From Their Cellars.

Walnut avenue below the packing
house, were driven hastily, from their
homes this morning by the great over
flow Of the river caused by the huge
gorge at Cliffland. So rapidly did the
water surround them that they were
compelled to wade and secure boats
for the moving of women and children
and also livestock. Four families on
the north side and one on the south
side of the river at Cliffland left their
homes also this morning in anticipa-
ton of the coming flood. The ice
gorge at Cliffland is assuming danger.
GUS proportions. Endeavors are now
being made to destroy the ice pack by
dynamiting. The river is backing UP
rapidly and if the ice is not started
soon, many other people in the South
Walnut avenue neighborhood will
have to leave their homes.
An ice gorge nine miles in length
which formed between Chillicothe aud
Eddyville last night is causing destruc.
tion and threatening the Eddyville
bridge today. The lowlands and the,
Flower sections Of EddyyiIle are under
4 water. The Eddyville bridge has beer
barricaded and no one is allowed tee
pass over, as the heavy ice is moving
within two feet of the floor. A levee
between Eddyville and Bridgeport,
one mile in length, built to establish a
road between the two places as well
as combat the high waters, is in
danger of destruction. The heavy Ice.
borne by the swift waters. Is under.
mining the levee and already the
floods are pouring through the dixie In
a number of places. Although this
Chillicothe gorge was broken this
morning after it's being dynamited all
night, the river still stands at the tnir-
| teen foot mark at Chillicothe and the
eighteen foot mark at Eddyville. The
business men on Main and Market
streets are moving merchandise from
the cellars as the river needs to rise
but one and one-half feet more to-
enter.
Water Came Suddenly.
| When the people of South Walnut
avenue awoke this morning their was
but little trace Of the water around
their homes. As il a wall had given
way, the floods rushed in and at 8
O'Clock, they were forced to make q
hasty retreat The men waded for
boats, the water reaching their hips
in many places. BY II o'clock this
morning the twelve families had been
1 moved and taken to the homes OF
friends. The water has now reached
the packing house yards. The fields
| to the south Of the plant were covered
by the flood in less than an hour this
morning Residents who live on The
rising ground in the lowlands south
Of the railroad tracks and Walnut
avenue, are watching the water close
| ly and making preparations to move
at the least sign of danger.
In the absence of County Auditor
James f. Stevens and two of the mem.
bers of the board of supervisors at
Des Moines, Deputy Auditor C. W..
McCarty secured George Zika Of the
Ottumwa Supply & Construction Co..
and number of the employees OF that
concern, who left this afternoon with
a quantity of dynamite for Cliffland to
try and save the county bridge there.
The familiarity of Mr.. Zika, who had
charge of the construction OF the
bridge, with the surroundings Of the
river in that vicinity, led to his selec-
ton in directing the work Of breaking
/ the gorge that formed there.
Gorge Caused Great Rise.
The huge gorge between Eddyyille
and Chillicothe sent the river to the
eighteen foot mark at Eddyville and
to thirteen feet at Chillicothe. The
| pile.up started at the Chillicothe
bridge and the ice for distance of
nine miles up the river was held In
check. Since the banks are higher at
Chillicothe than at Eddyville. the
water and ice pushed inland only In
a few places. Residents Of Chillicothe
were at work the greater part Of the
night and this morning dynamiting
the heavy gorge.
One charge this morning was 80
heavy that c.. r. Crabb of the Ottum-
wa boat house declares 1t shook the
windows Of his house. The water was
fast rising The backbone OF the gorge
was broken this morning and soon the
whole nine miles of ice started with a
4 rush. The bridge is still in danger and
no reports of decrease in the height
of the river have been received this
afternoon. Eddyville suffered the most
from the gerge. The water rose eight