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