South Bend, Indiana Flood
January 1847
FLOOD.
On Friday, Jan. 15, 1847, there was a sudden and
disastrous rise in the St. Joseph river. The ice
darning up the river caused it to back water,
and large quantities of ice coming down at the
same time soon raised it to a fearful height. As
soon as the danger was noticed nearly every
citizen of South Bend was down on the
semicircular flat where centered all the
interests of the manufacturing company, and all
worked in right good earnest and with a hearty
good will to avert the danger that was
threatening. At one time, in about fifteen
minutes, the water ran fully three feet, and
then nearly all despaired of saving anything. It
was then at least twelve feet above the usual
water mark and flooded the second stories of
several of the buildings. Everything portended a
complete sweeping off of the banks of the race
and the valuable buildings and factories built
between it and the river. The ice ran so thickly
and impetuously in the river and came booming
with so much force against the bridge that it
seemed almost impossible for it to be saved.
Says a local writer: “At this moment it was a
gloomy scene indeed, but yet the citizens
labored through, ‘hoping against hope.’ Finally
the ice choked up in the river, and at least the
head gates of the race were strengthened; the
force of the current seemed to be thrown more
and more against the other side of the river,
and the danger was materially lessened.”
History of St. Joseph County,
Indiana,1880, page 539
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Pictorial and
biographical memoirs of Elkhart and St. Joseph Counties, Indiana 1893
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