Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-02-02

ton more grave than at any time DUR
ing the past 10 days since the flood
first assumed serious aspect. The
inability of the pump at the foot Of
Fifth avenue to keep the sewer free
to its mouth is bringing the municipal
commission to realization that imme-
date action must be taken in order
to bring relief. Officials fear there IL
leak somewhere near the mouth Of
the sewer. AS soon as the water re-
cedes the sewer will be inspected.
Rock river is flooding lands for a
distance of IA miles from its mouth,
although the greatest danger to life
and property is near its mouth.
Purely Local Situation.
The situation is purely a local one.
j. NJ Sherier, government forecaster,
today said that the Mississippi river
both above and below here was fall
ing.
THE river today is the highest 1t
has ever been since April, 1897, when
1t went to ISL feet" Mr.. Sherier said.
There was rise of two feet since
yesterday morning. The situation here
is strange. There has been fall both
above here and below. At Clinton the
river is SO feet today and at Dubuque
S3 feet, at both places there being
sharp falls. At Muscatine the water is
116 feet There is difference of but
a day in the water between here and
Clinton, so that the river at this point
should be much lower here than it is.
Il have been told that there is an
ice obstruction below here. There was
a gorge which passed from the mouth
of Rock river to Peterson's island six
weeks ago when the cold weather first
began When the river was at nine
feet it was distinctly visible, but as the
water rose the obstruction was COW
cred. I suppose, too, when the ice
went out last week that some may have
lodged against the gorge. The cold
weather of the past few days tended
to tighten the gorge and caused the
river to rise"
Continued cold weather tonight with
slowly rising temperature tomorrow
is predicted by the local government
weather bureau, although 1t is not
thought that there will be thaw i'm
mediately. Should the snow and ice
melt the rise in the river would be in
creased and the situation would be-
come more grave.
The lowest temperature registered in
the past "a hours occurred at Z this
morning when the thermometer reg
istered degrees below zero.
Rumors Exaggerated.
The business section of Rock Island
at noon today was alive with rumors
that the Rock river bridges had been
carried away by the ice and high wa
ter. The stories were exaggerated.
The ice near the second bridge is per-
haps bordering on dangerous. but no
immediate fear is felt. Should a thaw
come while the river is at its present
stage damage might be done. but I'M
less the ice starts moving the bridge
! is safe. The ice is higher than the
floor of the bridge in some sections
and there is great pressure back of
] it. There may be some danger to the
second bridge also should thaw como
and the ice move out. The ice is piled
high near this structure The other
bridges, however, are in less dangerous
, position.
Rock Island police were sent to the
Rock river bridges today to watch the
river and to close the bridges if dan
ger appeared imminent.
Traffic Resumed.
Traffic on the Rock Island Southern
was resumed at noon today, and lights
were turned on in II cities, after pow
er had been off for SO hours because
of the dam in the Edwards river al
Gilchrist breaking at 1890 O'Clock
Monday night The break was re
paired at 11:25 o'clock this morning
and the power was turned on. The
first interurban on the Southern lef
Rock Island at noon.
, The cities which were in darkness
!. for two nights because of the break IL
the dam are Aledo, New Boston
, Keithsburg, Viola, New Windsor
| Alexis, Alpha, Sherrard, Reynolds, Pre-
! emption and Taylor Ridge.
| 1t may be that the ice gorge fiv,
miles below Rock Island will be dyna
mited in order to relieve the flood con
ditions here.