Gov. James Thompson asked President Reagan Thursday to declare 17 townships in Cook and Du Page Counties disaster areas, after federal officials determined that the recent flooding caused at least $77 million in damage to homes and businesses.
A preliminary assessment found that more than 16,000 homes and businesses were affected, Thompson said, adding that damage to public property could raise the toll by up to $20 million.
A presidential declaration of disaster, Thompson said, would make flood victims eligible for federal disaster relief, including grants to the poor, low-interest loans and temporary housing and employment assistance.
But the Du Page office of the Emergency Services and Disaster Agency released figures Thursday that conflicted with that estimate. The agency contends that $154.4 million in damage to 12,032 homes and 317 businesses–and $162.4 million total–was done in Du Page alone.
Gregg Durham, assistant director of the state disaster agency, said the discrepancy was not significant. ”Frankly, this happens every time,” he said. ”Damage assessment is more of an art than a science.”
Durham stressed that what is important is that, either way, the numbers should be high enough to qualify people for federal aid. Thompson said this year`s flooding caused damage ”much more extensive than the flooding of last October,” when about $34 million of property was ruined.
Shortly after last year`s floods, President Reagan declared Lake and McHenry Counties and nine townships in Cook County disaster areas. All but one of those townships, Northfield, made the list again this time.
If a disaster is declared, Thompson said, ”we should get help centers open early next week.” The magnitude of the damage has led officials to agree to try to process some claims by phone, he said.
Behind the governor as he announced his request was a graphic reminder of the waters` effect: At the end of Bobbie Lane in unincorporated Maine Township stood an immense mound of flood jetsam, everything from soggy newspapers and carpets to TV sets and washing machines.
Immediately before and after the governor spoke, township crews used heavy machinery to maneuver the debris, which residents had placed in front of their homes, into the pile. Township Supervisor Paul Halverson said his crews already had removed more than 40 dump-truck loads from township streets and alleys.
Along with Maine Township, other Cook County townships on the governor`s list are Elk Grove, Hanover, Leyden, Lyons, Norwood Park, Palatine, Proviso, River Forest, Riverside, Schaumburg and Wheeling. The Du Page list is Addison, Bloomingdale, Downers Grove, Wayne and York.
The list ”does not preclude the addition of other areas,” Thompson said. Durham said Milton Township–which includes Wheaton and Glen Ellyn and which Du Page officials said should have been on the list–probably will be among the first added. ”You can look at every township named,” Durham said, ”and anticipate that a township touching it is going to be named.”
In his press conference, Thompson pointed out that ”these are very preliminary estimates . . . as much as we could accurately verify,” and said about Illinois that ”We don`t fudge. We don`t inflate. We just tell them the damage and ask for help.”
At its board meeting Thursday in Chicago, the Metropolitan Sanitary District voted to help itself. It will spend up to $500,000 to repair damage at its pump-ing station at Lawrence and Francisco Avenues. The station flooded with 20 feet of water after its power went off and pumps shut down.
Board President Nicholas Melas said the process will take three weeks, but that the Deep Tunnel should be able to handle sewage and rainwater that would normally be pumped from the wounded station–as long as there is not another extraordinary rain. Forecasters predicted light early-morning thunderstorms for Friday, then a hot and humid day.
The cleanup process continued in Elk Grove Village, too. The head of the village`s public library said that the library plans to reopen some services Monday, despite losing 25 percent of its 100,000-book collection Friday, when the swollen Salt Creek filled the first floor with about three feet of water. Thursday, the library still looked as though a gang of grimy literature-haters had been let loose. The first-floor carpet was covered with piles of muddy volumes that had been swept from the bottom shelves, and where there weren`t mildewing books, there was a layer of thick grey silt.
”This is like coming to a wake. It`s really sad,” said Trudy Di Salvo, a computer operator at the library who wore latex gloves as she tried to clean up.
Administrative Librarian Mark West, who runs the facility, estimated total damage at more than $2 million–$300,000 more than this year`s budget. He was unsure how much insurance would pay.
But, with the worst of it over, he was able to find humor in the situation. ”At Rotary today,” he said, ”I introduced myself as the submarine commander.”
CHART: DU PAGE COUNTY FLOOD DAMAGE
Homes Businesses Cost
Addison 2,641 35 $50,300,000
Aurora 0 0 0
Bartlett NA NA 100,000
Bensenville 600 100 14,300,000
Bloomingdale 550 43 7,500,000
Carol Stream 850 5 9,900,000
Clarendon Hills 0 0 0
Darien 0 0 0
Downers Grove 46 0 467,000
Downers Grove Township 198 18 817,000
Elmhurst 3,100 NA 33,600,000
Glen Ellyn 213 4 926,000
Glendale Heights 250 25 2,000,000
Hanover Park 1,225 NA 2,200,000
Hinsdale 238 2 785,000
Itasca 50 0 NA
Lisle 7 NA NA
Lombard NA NA 800,000
Milton Township 216 NA 3,100,000
Naperville 5 0 60,000
Oak Brook 200 10 5,700,000
Oakbrook Terrace 215 11 1,800,000
Villa Park 21 9 11,200,000
Westmont NA NA NA
Warrenville 12 1 405,000
Wheaton 500 50 2,500,000
West Chicago 21 0 45,000
Willowbrook 0 0 0
Wood Dale 808 4 12,200,000
Unincorporated 61 NA 854,000
Total homes $128,421,980
Total businesses 26,014,860
Forest preserve 115,000
County property 1,182,222
Municipal property 8,022,472
NA
Not available
Chicago Tribune Graphic; Source: Du Page County Emergency Services and Disaster Agency.
