The Red Cloud chief., 1916-01-27
TOWNS ARE FLOODED
PROPERTY LOSS AT JOLIET, ILL.,,
Is ESTIMATED AT
100000.
MANY DRIVEN FROM HOMES
Heavy Rain and January Thaw Causes
Millions Of Dollars Damage at Chi
eago and Suburbs--Part Of Fox
River Valley inundated--Peoria Hit.

Joliet. Ill.,. Jan. 24.--With six feet
Of water standing in the streets In
the residential district OF Joliet, and
several hundred families driven from
their homes, this city IL paralyZed by
the food waters of the Desplainos riv'
CT and Hickory creek. Property dam.
age IL estimated at more than $1,000.
900.
All electric lights were cxtinguished
and street cars were stalled Only
few lines In the western part OF the
city could be operated.
Railroad traffic also was tied up by
the inundation of the yards. hundreds
of freight cars on the Elgin. Joliet u
Eastern railroad were held up when
the yards were flooded. The yards
cover almost twenty-five acres and
were flooded to depth Of four feet.
More than 1000 persons were driven
from their homes and sought refuge
In police stations and hospitals. FAC
tories employing more than 5000 men
were compelled to close when the wa
ter flooded the engine rooms.
Chicago, Jan. 24.-lIundreds OF per-
sons were driven from their homes.
hundreds of Easements flooded, and
southwest section of the city is under
flood which swept Chicago and Its
suburbs as the result OF the January
thaw and heavy rain.
Property damage will run into the
millions. according to police esti-
mates.
Fire companies in all parts of the
city responded to calls for help.
Many families living in basement
apartments sat on tables and boxes.
AZ the chairs and other furnishings
fiOated about the homes.
Water six feet deep was reported In
several parts of the city.
Aurora, ILL.,. Jan. 24.-The Fox river
overlooked its banks here as the re-
suit of an all.night downpour. The
northeast section of the city Is under
water. Several thousand persons live
in the district.
The water rose eight feet In the
night and ia still rising. Sewers could
not carry, the water of forty.five miles
Of paved streets, and thousands Of
Easements were flooded by water
which backed up In drain pipes.
At Moosehcart, seven miles nortf
of Aurora. where are the national OF
fees. home for orphan children and in
dustrial school of the Loyal Order O
Moose. q squad of men worked des
talk ~ al ,
a dam which holds in check an artiii
cial lake a mile long.
The lake is above the school, bu
the buildings are protected in a meas
ure by an intervening deep and wide
ravine. which points toward the rive
half a mile away.
Peoria, ILL.,, Jan. 22.-Rail, telegraph
and telephone service in and out o
Peoria Is badly crippled. the result o
storm which swept this section
Thirtysix head of cattle on the WI
son farm and twenty-five head of cat
tie on the Strauss farm In the Kicka
poo bottoms were drowned before the
could be moved. The T. p. & w. raj
road bridge over the Illinois river q
Peoria dropped over foot. A 20
passenger train has been marooned a
day at Edwards. 20 miles from her,
NJ. & st. l.. trains are unable to &,
out of Peoria. Miles of track hav
been washed out on other railroad
and scores OF bridges along highway
destroyed by ice.
The principal danger spot In JOLT,
was in the district known as BrooklyI
In that section the water rose to
height of six feet and swift exodus
Inhabitants began at daybreak.