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INDIANA UNIVERSITY STUDIES 



over a vast area as in the preceding county, and was consequently 

 much deeper. At places the water was as much as thirty feet in 

 depth on the first bottom. Such was the case at Romona. This 

 great depth increased the head, reduced the friction, and conse- 

 quently increased the velocity. The result of such an immense 

 amount of water in such a narrow valley can easily be conjectured. 

 The valley was swept clean. A glance at the map will show the 

 conditions. 



Since the valley is narrow and meandering, the farm land is 

 not seen in vast stretches, but is in irregular patches of no great 

 extent. There is no such occasion for building levees as there 

 is in the preceding county. Again, perhaps, experience has taught 

 the farmers that levees and embankments do not avail much when 

 it is possible for the water to get thirty feet deep over the valley. 

 At least there are only a few, possibly two, places that demand 

 consideration here. 



The first is the Monon grade at Gosport. A glance at the 

 map shows that the railroad grade is in a curve across the valley. 

 The grade is from twelve to twenty-five feet in height, and the 

 only opening is at the bridge over the river, consequently this 

 grade impeded the water and ponded a great amount of it above 

 until it rose sufficiently to flow across. Eye witnesses said that a 

 fall of three to five feet was produced, and that the water broke 

 over in a mighty ripple almost a mile in length. The greatest damage 

 was done to the grade itself. It was more than half swept away, 

 the track being completely turned over with the ties on top of the 

 rails. It was ten days before it could be put in sufficient repair 

 for temporary traffic. The bridge was also injured by the river 

 bed being deepened near one of the piers. Below the embank- 

 ment the land was heavily silted. At the railroad bridge about an 

 acre was cut from one to four feet in depth. The railroad company 

 suffered the greatest damage here. It seems that there should 

 be at least another section added to each end of the bridge, and 

 to insure traffic against the highest floods there should be some 

 trestle besides. The grade was replaced just at it was before 

 the flood. 



The second place of interest in Owen County with regard 

 to embankments is two and one-half miles east of Freedom, on the 

 land belonging to Mr. Frank C. Dunn. Here the river makes a 

 complete semi-circle. It enters Section 23 flowing south, but soon 

 curves to the west, and in Section 22 has curved until it is flow- 

 ing north. Inside of this loop there are about two hundred acres 



