The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1876-11-28

Tus PREsnEr Ao.Iy T.. fT@hs.
up the valley has probably reached IL.
highest point ard viii now rscede
The oliest settlers -sy i j. the highs.
known since the country was settled ex-
cspting those Of - All -. < hcn the
water ro~e only = fe~ iucLe. higher
than IL stood yes,erday Il will prob.
ably be many years bafpFs similar
sessas g. that Of yesterday ~ill ~ W.
messed IN that section. for the pas: his-
tory Il The country proves that sach
great inun8atious are Of rare occur
renee ere The steamer Otter made
trip up the rIver yesterday ~ far a.
the fsenton damp. with number Il
gentlemen wbo went up :, VS.. the
scene of the fool. The Com !. with a
load Of freight and fifteen passengers
attempted - ascent the river .bou,
tho same time. on her regular trip. ',lt
on advancing short i .stancc
against the strong current. the
captain found i. utterly lmp~ss Die
10 proeeod fasihrr. ani accordingly
put about for -csttl. - ~.it until the
high water lad recedsd. I, "a, with
much difficulty that tho Otter &aoes-cfied
in making the ran against the force Of
the cufr,nt, which st time. forced her
back anil tested her capacity 10 the
utmost 4, the moath of the fiyer
they found the usually deep ehaauel.
obstructed with silt aud Sand. and be
fore getting into the maln channel Of
the river she run aground eyeral
times. The Duwamish river. Captain
Jackson says. Is twenty foei above the
low stage. The scene along the river
10 reported as the most novel aud conf
cal. The farm houses along the river
bottoms are flooded and nearly all VA
Gated, their occupants having been OBJ
liged TO take refuge OH the buhs. most
OF them being accommodated by their
more fortunate u ighbors. whose dwell
ings occupy elevated positions. The
dwelling house on the Terry farm was
standing IN the water five feet deep,
and the barns where the hay is stored
wvve all flooded. with the hay under
water two or three bales deep. The
poultry had taken refuge on the tops
OF tho buildings aud IN the trees. while
the stock was scattered around on the
highest knobs. whore they we're mostly
standing shivoring and cold. Ia the
water breast deep The cows were
believing. the pigs -quealing. the horses
nsighing. and the sheep blonting all in
the mos, pitiful strains. A number OF
men were AT work boating the sheep 10
tue long brigo across the swamp there.
which Is standing just out of the wa
ter. At McNatts place the cattle were
nil herded on a knoll IN tho woods
back Of the house where the water VA.
two or three fee, IN depth. believing
most pl,ifully. while two or three mcn
were endaavoring To carry hay and feed
10 them ~ canoe. Toe scenes ut all
the farms along thc river were similar 10
those above described The railroad
track from Henry Van As~elt's place mp
the valley. vas all Under water. AZ
Steeis place The water ~as up 90 a
level with the Hsn,en dumps During
the day Mr. Snithcrs made trip in a
canoe from his pIaC. down Ia Steel
along the line of the railroad II is
presumed that the ilont hs. been
greater on White river than on the Du.
vanish. which Is very probable 1t is
not possible at thiS time Ia form any
estimate as 10 the damage done, bu,
1t IL evidently Considerable. aud will bc
lar greater than tina. done by any pre-
vious freshet. tor the rcsson that there
IL much more property subject In dam
age than heretofore Most of the fences
will bo carried awsy. A great amouGt
1T hay. both IN stack and stored Ia
the barns will bc damaged OF lie
stroyed. and large quantities Of potatoes
aud other roots. vegetables and fruits
stored away in tho Collars and barns
will share the same fate. 4 great many
cattle. hogs. sheep aud poultry will un-
doubtcdly die from tho effects of con
tinued exposure Ia the cold and wet.
There will also be some damage done
90 the dwellings and their furniture
which has been flooded white the coun-
~ roads IN the valley are washed and
quilted out 50 ~ TO ronder them utterly
impossible. The indications are now
that freezing weather will soon set IN
in she mountains, aud there will ~ .
sudden fall in the water. Yesterday
afternoon il had fallen six inches on the
Dawamish bottoms.