The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1876-12-16
rmE DAILY IyrcLIIGEyrER &.
County and City Official Press.
Saturday, December 16.
THE WINTER FLOODS.

Every eight or ten years our river
valleys are visited by an inundation Of
such volume as to cause not little in
convenience and in some instances con
siderable loss OF property. Probably
these periodical freshe.s do the more
mischief on account Of their infrequen-
cy, II the general overflow were rs
inevitable and regular in its advent os
the winter frosty snap. farmers would
be certain to take such precau,ion as
would place them out Of reach OF any
damaging results from its approach
The floods in this country. even the
worst Of them, are affairs Of very little
consequences compared with those that
ere cxperier ced in the valleys Of Cali
fornis aud many sections ii the Eastern
and Southern States We DO not have
Ia deal with inundations that rise
twenty feet or more almost ut bound,
as it were. and sweep cities as well as
farms as is the casa in many of
the most wealthy States both Of the
Union and in Europe.
When the water does not get above
the immediate banks of the river more
than once or twice in ten yeas and
then only by little. farmers grow
careless in regard to the necessity of
preparation. After the waters subside,
on the occasion of an exceptional over
fow-such as that which has just gone
down and its predecessor of 1867
they reflect that they probably have a
future immunity Of about ten years
and may be more. aud hence the mat
ter Of precaution may safely DO post.
poned indefinitely. As years go by the
matter passes from their thoughts. and
"as it was in the days of Noah the
Hood came and found them unready,
80 it is in this generation"
After all. If properly anticipated.
these floods are really more potent
auxiliary to industry than enemy. Only
bridges and log booms must be built in
respect 10 dimensions and strength with
view to these contingencies. Fences
must he set into the ground in such a
way - not 10 float off on the current.
Barns and buildings must be set above
tho high water mark Like the genial
forces Of the fire and the storm. .he
freshets when held under control may
bc counted as not the least SER
vicesble among our natural allies in the
creation OF wealth, Leaving in their
course fertilixins deposit of sediment.
they constitute tho great restorative Of
tho fields, and prevent that impover-
ishmeut and abandonment that so early
overtskes other agricultural districts
that are not favored with such vista
tions.
A. in the beginning. Chaos evolved
Order. SO the meias of progress has ever
been the growth Of systems Of beauty
and utility out of precedent destruction
aud desolation. 1t was 10 the ministry
Of this rude agent that Old Egypt
owed its distinction as the "ennary Of
ths world,n end Alexandris became the
uistress Of Eastern commerce. The
h4entae Milo mud. washed down from
the Abyssinisu mountains. not ouly built
tn inperishabls pyramids on its banks,
bat nourished the grandeur of the Ro-
man Empire The winter food is en-
titled to be looked upon as bsusque
at benevolent genie who comes aud
shg3ngs back to the farmer free re-
nswsl of the oopy-hold to his acres
which he has unconsciously aliened
away in his crop of wheat, hay or veg
etables.