Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1882-12-22

nisLes rs the following graphic account
of the recent overflow of tie Umatiila
river at Pendieton:
During the early part Of the present
week contiaued warm rams caused a
sudden and unprecedented food, which
has made sad havoc in our midst. On
Wednesday il was observed by many
that the river wes rising With unusual
rapidity, and a. night closed in the va
ter was so high that many felt appre-
tensions of small food, such rs has
been experienced before. but it is safe
TO say that no one had the remotess idea
of the fearful scene which the dawnln2
of another morning would reveal. As
the evening progressed, however, many
OF the residents living near the river
became apprehensive, and sought shell
ter IN some more secure place. ZONE
would not believe there Was any danger
and remained in their houses until but
short time before they were swept
away by the raging food. Several fam
lilies were carried out by strong hands
after the water had surrounded their
dwellings and every moment therein
was one OF peril. The river rose rapidly
and steadily during the night and III
the early hours of the morning the
main portion of lhe town was IN the
midst Of rushing torrent of water.
People were hurrying to and fro. seek
ing safety for themselves, or looking af-
ter the safety of friends and neighbors
during all the latter part Of the night
and the early part of Thursday. The
water reached its highest point about
ak o'clock IN the morning, and re-
manned nearly stationary for three or
FOUR hours, when ii began to 90 down.
and the food abated almost az rapidly
AZ it had risen. At this period some es-
innate OF its magnitude may be formed
from the fact that on Court street above
Main, 1t was from two TO three feet in
depth. In the Willard House it was
about eight or ten inches. In all build
inQs below Court street it WAS of course
proporti0nately higher. 1t ran too with
great velocity, and in many places the
attempt to Cross the streets at the high
est points was extremely perilous. Late
IN the night the main portion of the
bridge was swept away. Articles of all
descriptions, furniture, hay, farming
utensils, live stock and wrecks of
houses, could be seen sweeping past in
| the dim dAwninR of the morning. II is
| reported that one house was seen float
ing down with lights burning inside.
Many residences Of the town are swept
away or left in shapeless ruins. How
many Of such there are it is impossible
yet to saw, but il IL thought that about
twenty houses are carried away or to-
tally ruined, while scores of others ars
more or less wrecked and demolished.
| Among those whose houses are entire
ly destroyed with all their contents are
those of Mr.. S. NJ. Pennington, loss esti-
mated at 5000, DIR. w. Dickerson, j. X.
| Hayes, 4. u. Richards, Ben. s. Bur
r0ughs, Henry Bowman, loss estimated
ut $1,000; one of Mrs. Sanfords, the
tenants of which, Mr.. Vim. Leverins
and Mr.. Demert, lose everything they
had in 1t, Mr.. Chrisinger, DIR. Aubrey,
and others of which we have not had
time to learn. In fact the whole lower
portion OF town Is wreck, only three
buildings remaining on their founda-
tons, those of Mr.. McCarrol, Geo. Beut-
10 and Prof. Arnold. whose loss to fur
niture Is about $1,000. Yesterday after
noon tho half of the brewery building
across the river fell. A portion of Shar-
on's mill fixtures, and great quantities
Of lumber and material are destroyed.
Nearly all the fences and portion of
the sidewalks throughout the town are
completely wrecked. Houses, barns and
buildings of all sizes and descriptions
which are not washed entirely away are
in many cases moved from their founda-
tons, sometimes turned around, or
tilted up on one edge. Streets are
washed and filed in places so as to be
impossible. Tinbers, sidewalks, bales
OF hay. fences, trees, wrecks of wagons,
and articles of all sorts of descriptions
are heaped up on Water street in indis-
criminate ruin. At this hour but little
can be learned; these are only stray
fragments cleaned from the margin OF
the wreck. What the aggregate loss will
he 1t Is impossible as vet to form any an
proximate idea. Nome place il at less
than 100000, and some men of good
Judgment with whom We have talked.
think that 81 100000 would not repair
the damages. As far as il ia known no
lives were lost, though there were some
narrow escapes. Yesterday morning DIR.
Aubrey and Fount Perry and their fam
lilies found themselves going down
stream, but fortunately lodged against
a big tree. Cutting a hole through a
siding, they climbed the tree, from
which all were safely rescued after sew
eral hours by boats. Tho scene in town
during the day was one never to be for
gotten. Through all the streets, under
aud between and around and through
all the buildings in the business part Of
town the mad and muddy torrent was
rushing with fearful velocity. Men with
teams and on horseback rushing through
tha HnfNd ~ orp do &c
others on foot wading up to their knees,
sometimes, where the force of tho cur
rent was checked, up to their breasts,
We're wading alaag and across the how-
ing strsets. Dozens, craZed with ex-
citement and liquor, were shouting and
reeling along the inundated sidewalks.
Animals mad with terror were bowling
ana bawlinR. But amid all the excite
ment ana recklessness, we hear of no
one that was robbed or seriously injured.
me hotels and restaurants furnished
sucn TOURNAMENTS as they could. and
exefted themselves IN all possible ways
TO provide for the multitude. The MP
per rooms Of substantial buildings were
crowded with anxious families whose
MONIES were invaded by the merciiess
Hood. One large crowd congregated at
s&Ae Sv"As uOubcs 6uotuer IN the upper
rooms OF Alexander 4 Frazer's building
and another in the bank building and
other safe places.
We learn from reliable authority that
the storm at other points has been as
bad AZ here. The railroad bridges are
not washed away, but are more or less
injured, necessitating the labor of sew
cral weeks before trains can run again.
All other bridges on the Umatilla are
doubticss swept away. On the q. r. 4
y. Co.'S line, between the Dallea and
PORTLAND. are no less than twenty five or
thirty very bad washouts, which il win
take weeks to repair. The China camps
below here ON the river are all svepe
away. Three trains at Horseshoe bend.
about twelve miles below here. are cut
on ON both sides. Kelly with his gang
OF white laborers, passed all day yester-
day and last night in the tree tons, while
the Hood roared beneath then. Brad.
ley and his gang are QuArtered on the
roof OF Mr.. Bakers house In Hnnuv
Canyon. We shall be able to give more
minute details hereafter, though com.
munication from outside points will be-
CIT OF for SOME time. No STAGES are
running except the Heppner stage. which
arrived last night, the water in Mckay
creek coming over the seats. THOUGH
this has been severe blow 70 the town.
II IL no worse than has happened in