New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1881-04-27
NEW ULM AND VICINITY.
THE GREAT FLOOD.

NEW ULM AND VICINITY.
THE GREAT FLOOD.
The Minnesota and Cottonwood
Rivers ON a Rampage.
Little did we think q week ago that
the Minnesota and Cottonwood rivers
would reach such magnitude as they
now present. After the ice went out
week ago last Monday, the former
kept steadily growing until the high.
est water marks of previous years are
several feet under water, and at this
writing TUESDAY a. M the river is
still rapidly growing.
The lower bridge across the Cotton
wood was swept away last Wednesday
but the upper bridge, near Mander-
fields, quite unexpectedly stood the
force of the seething torrent nobly,
and aside from a few braces which
were swept away by the ice, the bridge
remains intact. The water in this
river raised five feet on Thursday
night aad on Friday morning the wild
rush Of the water could be distinctly
heard in this city, three miles away.
A rumor reached us early in the
morning that the dam of Frank &
Benzin's mill had been washed away,
but this proved to be untrue and it is
thought that so far the dam has sus-
tanned but little or no damage; al
though it is fourteen feet under water
and its exact condition cannot be deter
mined. On Saturday there was eight
feet of water in the lower part Of the
mill but no damage was done thereby.
The otherwise insignificant Cotton
wood, when the water was at it's high.
est point, presented a grand sight as
the mad torrent rushed down towards
the Minnesota at the rate of fifteen
miles an hour. The river extended
from bluff to bluff and large trees
were made to sway to and fro rs if
they were mere reeds. Many trees
were uprooted and carried away by
the unresisting torrent. We -laye
been informed that the Leayonworth
mill has been swept away, and that
Franks Mill below Iberia has suffer
ed severely, but we cannot say upon
what truth the report is founded. A
special telegram to the REVIEW from
Springfield last Saturday, says: "Flat
is flooded and over a mile of track and
the bridge west of the village is gone.
kitzan's house and Larson's barn have
also been washed away, and others in
the village are threatened. Boyer's
Bladd's, Larson's and Aarnes
houses are flooded The rail.
road company has suffered Sc
verely by the Cottonwood and othe,
small streams west of here. Severa
other bridges west of Sleepy Eye be
sides the one referred to by our Spring
field correspondent have been washed
away, and communication with Mar
shall by rail has been entirely cut of
since the fore part of last week. The
trestle below New Ulm has also sus
tanned considerable damage from the
Cottonwood, and no trains crossed the
bridge from Friday morning until Mon
day evening. Two bents of the trestlt
were washed away, and on Saturday ;
pile driver was brought up from Owa
tinna and new spiles were driven Il
temporarily repair the damage. Or
Sunday the chain broke and the ham
mer was lost in the water, and anothe
hammer was brought up by specia
engine on Sunday evening and the worl
was completed byMonday forenoon. TIL
Cottonwood reached the highest poin
at eleven o'clock on Saturday nigh
which it has reached since 1862; bu
we are told it was still over a foot be
low the high water mark of that year
When at it's highest, the water stood
80 feet above the low water mark
Since midnight Saturday the water il
this stream is slowly receding.
The Minnesota, while it has not cur
rent enough to do much damage, ha:
made it exceedingly uncomfortable fol
mary people living along the low bot
tom lands. Louis Sharon, the Red
stone ferry man, has his house dashed
to his ferry to keep it from floating
away, end his household effects are
loaded onto the ferry. The house is
tipped to one side and no doubt consid
erably damaged. G.. Kuehnel opposite
the city has about seven #. of water OF
the first floor of his brick dwelling
house, and himself and family
have taken refuge in the second story
They have two boats and will move
out should their position become pre-
carious. The house of F, Kotke is sub
merged, and, as he isvery old and feeble
and the city mayor neglected to respond
to his call for assistance. much of hi!
household effects are In the building il
4 very much damaged condition. Aug
Nehls moved his house on Friday ontt
Il high noll, and the place where his
hOusestOod is now covered with six fee
Of water. The Engine room and base
ment of the Eagle Mill are flooded; tn