Evening journal., 1920-03-13
SUSQUEHANNA
ICE JAM BREAKS
Following Incessant Bomb
ing, Gorge Breaks
With Roar
STREAM is CLEAR
NOW FOR SHIPS

PORT DEPOSIT. Nd, March is-A
deep. heavy rumbling like a distant
peal OF thunder which grew louder
until Il became terrific roar, fol
lowed by a peculiar swishing noise as
# battery OF locomotives had opened
their safety valves, swept across the
Susquchanna river about noon yester-
day and the next instant the fee gorge
which has menacedzthis place for more
than a week broke It's confines and
started for open water.
II was not pretty sight as the
blaokened and ragged cakes OF Ice
shot past the barrier which had held
them prisoner, leaping crafty into the
air and the next instant sinking sink
ing from sight below the surface the
surface the swirltng. muddy water,
but it was a magnificent spectacle OF
the great brute strength and irresisti-
bic forces which nature can bring TO
bear.
The massive cakes OF Zee some Of
which weighed tons, rolled over and
over like huge schools Of porpoises as
they raced toward the railroad bridges
which span the Susquehanna at Havre
de Grace and above. Soon the air was
filled with noises Of these huge cakes
being burst apart as they were hurled
against the sharp edges OF the abut-
menis OF the bridges. built to with
stand just such an assault by the ice.
The shattered pieces were tossed into
The air and dropped back TO become
a part OF the big field which raced
through the comparatively placid wa
ter below the bridges toward the bay
The whole river was a tumbllng mass
~ swiftly moving ice, often hidden
beneath a heavy fog which covered
the river like a white blanket ONLY
at intervals. when the fog lifted, could
the ice be seen.
Residents in this section give un-
stinted credit % army airmen who
bombed the gorge almost continuously |
since last Tuesday. They believe the |
terrific conclusion caused by the i'm |
mense bombs so weakened the gorge
at rs apex that II fell easy prey 10 |
The warm sunshine OF the last two
days and the warm rain which fell
Yesterday morning The cakes OF Ice
as they tossed down the river seemed :
10 bear marks OF the bombs In the
black and dlscolored spots which Gov
cred a portion OF their surfaces.
There was practically no damage |
done by the gorge when II broke
loose, for the reason that while the ice
IN The river was piled high Il had not
toppled over on the low lands nor on
the railroad tracks which parallel the
river. Some logs and trees. which had
been caught In the Jam farther up the
river, We're released and kept pace with
ne ice cakes The ice piled up along
ne shores cannot cause any damage
and win soon melt.
No boats were damaged FOR the rea-
son that the river has been frozen an
proXlmaiely three months, and while
several were caught in the freeze. wa
icrmen, anticipating the running OF
The ice. for the last two weeks have
been cutting them free and hauling
them ashore.
There Is still considerable ice in the 1
upper part Of the river, az point i5
miles above Port Deposit and betweeni
McCalls Ferry and Pesquea, Pa. The
gorge between these last two points
rose so high yesterday afternoon that
y covered the railroad tracks for coin
distance and warning was
spread to prevent any trains from
starting for points IN Pennsylvania
over this division.