St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-09-15
The Damage Done at Eau
Claire and Chippewa
Falls.
The Cities Working with a Will
to Repair the Damages SuS-
tanned by Inundation.
The Damage Not so Great as First
Expected, and No Outside
Help Needed.
lspecial Telegram to the GIobe. !


in few days will have returned to its nor
NAL condition. The streets are compare
lively quiet to-day, but tomorrow work will
be resumed clearing away the debris, and in
few weeks Eau Claire will present its old
time appearance. The river has probably
permanently changed its course, and will
probably flow over some of the streets.
The people of Eau Claire have gone to
work with a will, and on every side can be
heard expressions of hope. 1t seems to be
general feeling that the damage by the
food was not so bad as it might have been.
The city loses heavily by the damage to
streets and the bridge swept away, and it
will require time and large amount Of
money to repair them. Some of the streets,
like First avenue, will probably have
to be abandoned. The individual losses are
not so great as might have been expected,
and many Of the sufferers lose very small
amounts. While this is true, those who lost
the least amount of property will probably
suffer more than the heavier losers, as they
are principally among the working classes.
These people lived principally in the Fifth
ward, which suffered severely during the in
undation. Very little was saved by this class
Of citizens.
The heavy losses as reported in the GLOBE
yesterday are substantially correct, but it is
impossible at this time to form q correct es-
innate Of the individual losses. In the ex-
citemcpt attending the flood, and the reac-
ton following, it is natural for the sufferers
to place higher valuation than is really
necessary to cover the damage sustained.
Conservative business men and close OBJ
servers place the damage in the city
at from $4,000 to $500, 900, includ-
ing the city bridges. The total loss
in the Chippewa valley, including the dam
ace in the city, will probably not exceed
$1,000, 600.
Shawtown this afternoon presents a scene
of indescribable confusion. The streets are
flied with lumber, logs and debris and
houses are scattered in every direction. The
Shawtown planning, grist and saw mills were
left standing, although the lumber was dam
aged considerably. The resident portion of
Shawtown was not injured. The Empire
Lumber company will suffer less than was
expected. OF course, the Wilson mill, which
fell in Saturday night, is total wreck. Some
of the machinery can be recovered, but the
loss is great.
In West Eau Claire the streets are torn up
and filed with debris. Some portions of the
town are yet covered with water. Many pri-
vatc houses and several business houses and
shops were greatly damaged. On Magora
street the damage was also very great. The
east side of First avenue, including all Of
the houses, was swept away and now forms
part of the river. Second avenue is filed
with debris of the food which is being re-
moved as rapidly as possible. West avenue
was also damaged. The gas works were on
this street, aud were entirely swept away.
On Thursday, on the north side, the Chip
pcwa had swept in as far as the Omaha rail-
way embaukment, half submerging a score
OF dwellings located in the vicinity. From
Main street, on the north side, Barstow street
was covered with water, joining the Eau
Claire, and the cross streets were filed with
logs. Most Of the Phoenix Manufacturing g
compauy's buildings were partially sub
merged, the water at the iron foundry reach
Ing to the caves. The lumber, dry kiln and
barns were swept away All the stores on
North Barstow street from Main TO Eau
Claire, and on all cross streets for block
east OF Barstow have their easements filed
with water. The st. Paul depot was sur
rounded 10y water, the tracks being COW
ercu and the approaches to the east cut
of. At the rafting sheds of the Eau
Claire Lumber company the water reached
the caves.
On the east side the Eau Claire embraced
south Barstow as far rs Gibson street South
River street was embraced in the Chippewa
as far south rs Nugget square. The water
extended up Kelsey and other cross streets
as faras Bdrstow. At the corner of Kelsey and
River street there was two or three feet OF
water. The sidewalks on both sides of south
Barstow street, as far north as the Opera
house, were ahoat, and at the Opera house
the water extended across Barstow street
nearly to Farweu. The water poured In al
the back of the Opera house, over the stage
and into the parquette, filling 1t until the
dress circle was hidden. In the lower part
OF the Third ward the water backed up from
the Chippewa river and spread VI
south Farwell to the park, covering
the east half Of the park
with three inches of water. Many of the
easements in this portion of the town were
filed with water, and few of the houses
were partially submerged. The water ex-
tended from the south up Barstow to within
block of the park. South Of the city.
along the course of the Little Niagara, the
back water formed lake nearly three miles
long by 4 mile and half wide.
on the north the iuroads of the flood were
almost as great The Pioneer mills were
surrounded by water, and the cars on tn,
spur track were covered. First and Second
avenues through their entire length became
a part Of the river, the water reaching foo
over the top of the iron railing at the cas-
side OF the court house grounds. On Bridg,
street the flood reached as fal
IS Third avenue. Shawtown was EN-.
braced in the Chippewa river, and all the
saw mills were partially submerged. Tn,
water from HaifmOou lake reached eastward
70 Fifth avenue on Niagara street, and or
the other streets to Seventh and Sixth ave
pueS, covering the Intervening property
with from one to four feet Of water. The
whole Of Meuomouie street formed por
ton OF the river.
All ot the streets described above vet beal
traces Of the inuudstiou. Sidewalks are
piled in the street aud logs and lumber arr
scattered around prumisciously. In looking
over this scene 1t Is no wonder that men
lose their heads auG estimate the damages
at thousands instead OF hundreds and mil
lions Instead Of thousands. Work viii be-
gin at once on the streets, aud in a few day:
they VIII be cleared up.
-It Chippetra Falls
Especial Telegram to the Globe.
CHIPPEWA FAIIs Wis Sent l4-Th,