Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1867-07-24
THE FRESHET.
Damage at St. Cloud nnd the
eauk Valley.
The Flood mt Minneapolis and
-. Paul.

From the ST. Peul Press. 2lst
The account Of lthe. .freshet in yesterdays
issue, chronlcled such great damage, aud
SO much OF it was based on the statements
Of persons who were IN high state Of ex-
citement, that it seemed as If it must have
been rather sensational. The news rece:v>
ed during the day, however, and the condi>
ton Of the river at this point, showed COM
clusively that the reports had been too care
fully weeded aud scrutinized, the flood be>
ing greater than even street rumOr had
mGde it.
The desolation at ST. Cloud and along the
Sauk Valley is frightful, and from the re.
ports received yesterday, this IS by for the
greatest calamity which eas befallen that
section since it's settlement. The follow
ing graphic account from the St. Cloud
Times. gives full statement Of the condi-
ton of affairs on Friday morning:
This city Is IN great excitement this
(Friday) morning, occassioned by sud.
den and most unexpected rise in the Miss
sissippi and its tributaries. The storm Of
Wednesday night was followed by constant
tall Of rain continuing all day Thursday.-
The river raised four feet from Thusday
evening to Friday morning, The total rise
in the swift current here, since Wednesday
oight exceeds eight feet aud the waters in>
crease. The river 10 now four in>
ches higher than il vas in 80 and
is nov rising At the rate of ono inch
aod . half per hour. The bridge at the
mouth Of Sauk river 10 gone, the Watab
river 10 gone. Tobey 4 Co.'S and Btide-
mans boOms are gone. Wright's ferry is
broken. and Wilson's ferry is gone, and
ruin and devastation have spread widely
along the Sauk Valley, There are over one
hundred teams waiting for Government
freight here, and more blank faces are 10 be
seen than at any time for years. Great
tears are entertained for the safety of the
crops along the bottom lands throughout
the Sauk Valley. The crops throughou,
the valley were never looking finer than up
to wednesday last, aud everyone was Joy
Gus over the prospect. How much damage
to crops will result from this flood is i'm
possible now to estimate The hay crop
wili suffer most, and must inevitably fail
Sas ns rlIs Of the real necessities Of the people
scroll saws pity. We learn from Mr.. Stearns
thaC tse river is now fully Two feet higher
than he has ever known.
A note received At this office last picht.
dated st. Cloud, July Goth, Z A. NJ, states
that every ferry 10 dow !. that it 10 daneer~
Gus to cross the river in boats, and that the
water ct Bridgman's mill, at that time IL
feet inches above the low watsr mark Of
1866.
The river at Minneapolis 10 reported two
feet higher than anv recorded high water
At that point. Al Minneapolis and St. An
thony. the citizens are in painful state Of
apprehension, and it appears from oil ac>
counts. that they are making the most
strenuous efforts 70 save - much Of their
property as possible. Our special corrsspon.
dent gives the pssticulars, up to An
The rise q this point has been wonder
fully regular, the TIVE inch IN nour rate of
FridaS having been maintained without in>
tsfmissiop, until 6 P. N, at which time the
total rise was seven feet. II is nov 4. \.
and the marks on the bridge show that it 10
still rising, though it will be will be inpos>
sbls to give the rate, the data given here
being obtained at H;lrs warehouse, where
record is kept and the rise measured every
hour. All that portion Of the warehouse
door which was not coversd with coal, 10
afloat for the fourth time this year. The
lsvee is reduced to . narrow roadway IN
front Of the warehouses. and is win not b
at I'll surprising II to-day ssss The waass
higher tAas e has bssn THE ysas.