What basically happened is a work crew broke through an old service tunnel (one which was already leaking and which the city had failed to maintain), and the Chicago River began to flow into it.
“Insurance battles lasted for years, the central point being the definition of the accident, i.e., whether it was a “flood” or a “leak”. Leaks were covered by insurance, while floods were not. Eventually it was classified as a leak, which is why many residents still call it the “Great Chicago Leak”.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_flood
What basically happened is a work crew broke through an old service tunnel (one which was already leaking and which the city had failed to maintain), and the Chicago River began to flow into it.
Plus the Great Chicago Fire said to have been started by Mrs O’Leary’s cow knocking over a lantern in a barn.
Fire: 1871 Flood: 1992
I didn’t mention the fire half, because the Mrs. O’Leary’s cow trope is, well, a trope.
I’d never heard of it…
“Insurance battles lasted for years, the central point being the definition of the accident, i.e., whether it was a “flood” or a “leak”. Leaks were covered by insurance, while floods were not. Eventually it was classified as a leak, which is why many residents still call it the “Great Chicago Leak”.”