Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 72, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 March 1913 — IROQUOIS RIVER A RAGING STREAM [ARTICLE]

IROQUOIS RIVER A RAGING STREAM

■I Water Almost as High as Record Before Stream Was Dredged and Much Damage and Suffering Have Resulted.

SCHOOLS DISMISSED ■wi . j Water Surrounded Steam Pipes and Condensed Steam, Making Heating Impossible; Stiver Bridges Endangered and Approaching Grades Submerged; Flood Conditions Prevail in Northeast Section of Renqselaer; Railroad Washouts in Southern Part of State Cause Annulment of Train Schedules. WATER REACHES HIGH WATER MARK At just 3 o’clock this after noon Louie Ramp called The Republican to inform us that the water had reached the high water mark at the planing mill. It had raised 3 inches since noon. At the Washington street bridge the water‘had apparently not raised that much, but this is readily possible as the water seems to be backing up from below and the effect has not reached so far upstream. The Iroquois ditch has continued to rise since Monday morning and by 9 o’clock this Tuesday morning on .the weak end of, the Sharp photograph gallery, which has generally been accepted as being the high water mark, was exceeded and the water was still rising. The current of the stream is not as swift as it was Monday, probably owing to the flooded conditions existing below, where broad expanses of water serve to check the rush of the waters from above. The hardest rain of the storm period occurred Monday night, when the. precipitation exceeded that of either Saturday or Sunday. The official measurement of waterfall as kept by the U. S. weather bureau sub-station at St. Joseph’s college, as as follows: Sunday—l.2o. Monday—l.l4. Monday night—l. 80. The measurements are officially taken each afternoon at 5 o’clock for the 24 hours preceding, but the later measurement was from 5 o’clock Monday evening until 7 o’clock this Tuesday morning. The total precipitation for two and on©half days was 4.14 inches, which is a big rain, although no more than has occurred within the same or even a less space of time during recent years, but at a time, doubtless, when the ground was not so thoroughly soaked as /it was at this time. While there has been some suffering from inconveniences caused by the flooded conditions in the east part of town and from thi flooded and submerged grade, on roads leading to Rensselaer, this city and surroundings are evidently, in fortunate circumstances, compared to the terrible conditions prevailing in the southern part of the state, wh*re the streams are much worse swollen than they are here and where the lands are lower and there are more poor people with homes in the lowlands. The failure of Indianapolis newspapers to reach her© today, because of'washouts at Broad Ripple and other places and the fact that no information can be procured by telegraph because of broken wires, there is no information as to the extent of suffering and the damage to property along the Ohio river and at other places, but it can readily be surmised that there will be both suffering and extensive damage. The worst condition here exists in the northeast part of the city, where the water stands at a depth varying from a few inches to three or four feet, and where many of the houses are surrounded and can only be approached by means of boats or with vehicles. A number of the houses have foundations high enough to keep the floors dry, while others are not so fortunate, and in these <feses the people have either been compelled to move out or to move to upstairs looms. Probably the home of Marion Cooper, northeast of the stockpens, is in the deepest water, and he is reported to have moved to the up-

stairs rooms A boat is kept anchored to the rear of the house and, Marion has to row about a block before he can reach terra firma. Lee Richards, who lives on the south side of the track,, was one of the first to abandon his house, moving out Monday, when the floors of his house were submerged. The railroad grade held the waters from the north in check and many acres were flooded, the water reaching a depth of several feet. The stockyards, the Standard Oil tanks, the cement tile factory, and several residences north of the track were surrounded. During Monday night the water reached such height that it began running over the tracks near the stockyards and the section hands were soon on the job to prevent a washout. A lot of telegraph poles that had been unloaded jusjt north of the track came into good use in this connection and were distributed along the grade and helped greatly in preventing a washout. The water finally washed a narrow space through the grade, however, and it was decided to give it this means of escape under observation and to support the grade on each side and the plan seems to have been the best one under the circumstances. It had been reported that the water north of the track was being fed from the IroquOis and that the water was overflowing the banks at the railroad bridge and flowing to the west in the ditch along the track. Investigation, however, proved this not to be the* case, for at the maple grove the water was flowing across the road to the east. The supply, therefore, came from the north, evidently from the farm lands that are higher and followed the natural watershed. The wholly inadequate sewer that is in the old Make-em-self channel performed Its task to, the extent of its ability and the surplus waters sought the old and natural charinel and courted toward the river. Franklin, Main, Weston and Cullen streets were flooded in its course and were impassible for pedestrians without rubber boots. The Van Rensselaer street crossing, however, was &1I right, as at this juncture the large culvert permitted the water to pass beneath. The electric light plant is on the bank of the old ditch and the waters began to flood the engine room and the big wheel pit and the employes found that it was impossible to pump the water out. It had raised to a inches and there seemed every probability that the plant would have to be closed down until the waters had subsided. Then Superintendent Chamberlin decided to try out a new plan of water disposal and he planted a steam pipe into the waste sewer, where the water was backing up and turned on the steam. Greatly to the relief of all it worked perfectly and not only forced the water away as it sought to back up but also permitted the drainage of the water from the floor of the furnace room. Another steam jet was set to work in the wheel pit and worked equally well. The difficulties affecting the heating plant for the school buildings however, could not be overcome. The big tank into which the exhaust steam passes is on the east side of the furnace room and is submerged with water which condenses the steam and makes heating impossible. Schools were closed at about 9:15 o’clock, when It was decided that it would endanger the health of the students if they were kept within the buildings. The carefree girls and boys accepted the announcement of suspension with evegy Indication of delight and upon their release set up shouts of appreciation that made the water surrounded eity have some local indications of a May-day picnic. Probably the point of greatest attraction along the river was the lower bridge, spanning the stream at College avenue. The waters crossed the south grade Monday evening and within a few hours had x backed up the low street known as Austin Circle, forming a bayou that extended almost back .to Milroy avenue and the four or five houses on the street occupy the narrow peninsula between the bayou and the river and every inch raise encrouched upon their domain and threatened to transform the peninsula to an island. W. J. Wright's barn was surrounded by

water and untenable for horpe hostelry purposes. The water raised to within a few inches of the plank flooring of the jgridge at College avenue and thoughts were entertained that the bridge might be carried away. Large timbers occasionally floated down the stream and hit the bridge with sufficient force to jar it perceptibly. At the old mill stand Hamiltoii & Kellner had a large supply of cut and split wood and some of this floated away, probably several cords being lost in this manner. A. L. Willis, who lives near the lower bridge, with spear, pitchfork and grappling hook, landed a good many pieces of wood. .Boys found pleasure in helping him at the task. The Donnelly planing mill was surrounded by water and Louie Ramp states that it lacked at least three Inched of reaching the high water mark of a former year. Across from the planing mill the water almost reached the foundation of Dr. Loy’s residence, while his pretty little Mansford roofed garage was surrounded by several feet of water and was no doubt saved from being carried down the stream by a large rope cabje, one end of which was tied to a sturdy oak tree. The fortunate veering of the main current to the west, which occurred after the water became higher, also served to protect the garage considerably. The report that Burk’s and Pullin’s bridges, north of town, had been washed out are not true or were not up to 3 o’clock this afternoon. Caddie Caldwell, who lives on a farm belonging to J. J. Hunt, near the Pullin’s bridge, called The Republican office by phone this afternoon and stated that his house was surrounded by water, but that he had waded over to the land and went along the bank to within about a hundred yards of the Burk’s bridge. The grade was submerged on both sides, as also was the bridge, but the bridge was still holding, although almost two feet under water. The iron bridge over the Iroquois river east of Werner Miller’s farm and commonly called the Stackhouse or Pullin’s bridge, was all right, although the grade ’ was under water. Thfe frame bridge over the Gifford ditch east of the iron bridge was in very bad condition and expected to go out almost any moment. The Interurban bridge put in over the Big Slough south of town, has beeu patially carried away and the grade of the road im impassable at that point. V Serious Railroad Troubles. Railroads are coming in for much serious trouble and reports from the southern part of the state indicate a condition that is certain to cripple train service for many days, and in some cases to cause abandonment, for the present, at least. from Chicago have gone through to the south, as far as Monon, at least, while No. 31, due here at 4:40 this morning, went to Lafayette and thence over the Big Four to Indianapolis. The Monon tracks at that time were passable to Lafayette, but since then the grade between the. Wabash river and the Monon shops has gone out, a quarter of a mile of track being washed away. The repair of this will require many days and it is probable that there will be no trains from Lafayette for several days, depending upon the length of time It takes for the waters to recede. At Broad Ripple, north of Indianapolis, 1,000 feet of track on the Monon has washed out, while more track has washed out at the little town of Pittsburg, near Delphi. A freight wreck on the C. H. & D.; near Millersburg, will hold up traffic from Cincinnati for a long time as there Is a washout both in front and rear of It and the wrecker can-’ not reach it. A half dozen other washouts are reported on the Louisville division, while French Lick and West Baden cannot be reached at all. To the north the situation Is not so serious and trains have been crossing over the Kankakee river all right. The water Is very high, however, and abandonment Is not a remote possibility.

Western Union wires are down and telegraph communication is impossible except by means of such wires as the Monon has, which do not supply news service The Republican is Indebted to Agent Beam for the report of the railroad conditions. Basements In many parts of Rensselaer are filled with water. Furnace fires in many instances have been abandoned. Fruit and vegetables stored in cellars have been carried to upper floors. The basement In the new high school has about 16 Inches of water, covering the floors of the manual training And gymnasium departments. Smith of town over the Howe ditch at the big slough the water is over the grade and parts of the grade are thought to be washed out. Travel to the south Is made by way of the Hoover bridge Andrew Kahler was forced to move from his residence. It was reported that Mrs. Lida G. Monnett and daughter were In danger at their country homeland Dave Warner

and Fred Hemphill went to them in a motor boat to oiler their aid but they stated that they were not at all alarmed and would not abandon their home at this time. The water in the Nagle neighborhood is said to be much higher than ever before — Phone 18, and let your wants be known through our classified column.