Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-09-18
Frightful Destruction of Prop
erty in the Chippewa Valley.
-Four Hundred Houses Swept
Away in Eau Claire.
Railway aud Highway Bridges
Carried Away by the
Angry Floods.
The Flood ait Eau Claire.

Oh dlut CtGbE, d tributary VI Jut
Chippewa river, went out late last
night and the water in the Chippewa
rose rapidly. This with the floating
logs carried away the upper bridge of
the Wisconsin Central railway at
Chippewa Falls and also the lower
bridge between there and this city.
The Chicago, Milwaukee 81 st. Paul
bridge and all the city bridges here
and the city bridge at Chippewa Falls
were all carried away.
The st. Paul 81 Omaha bridge at
the latter place has not yet gone, but
there is no telling what may happen,
as the water continually gets higher
The st. Paul & Omaha railroad banks
are badly washed The water is flood
ing the streets of this city, doing great
damage. The Eau Claire and Chip
pewa rivers are higher than ever
known before The water is flowing
over the principal streets. Many
buildings on the lower streets are
floating away, Half a million feet of
logs have broken from the boom near
the Eddy mills and are floating down
the stream.
ST. PAUL, Sept 1.-THE latest from
the flooded districts in Wisconsin in
dictate the waters receding at Chippe-
wa Falls, but rising at Eau Claire,
where the water is four feet deep in
the Western Union office
EAU CLAIRE, Sept. 11.-Both the
Chippewa and Eau Claire rivers began
falling at noon, after reaching theun-
precedented height of 20 feet-three
feet higher than the great flood of
1880. Every bridge on the Chippewa
has gone out-fve railroad bridges
and five wagon bridges In this Coy
the loss to property IS appalling. No
satisfactory estimate can be m de at
this time. In and between Chippewa
Falls and Eau Claire the loss will not
fall short Of a million and half dol
lars.
The Eau Claire Gas company lose
$50 tons of coal and all buildings,
valued at S45, 600. Business houses
on all sides of the two rivers are sub
merged Great apprehension is felt
lest when the water recedes the foun.
dations may be so much impaired as
to crumble the walls. In this city
over 400 houses have been swept
away Only one life lost so far as
heard from While these dispatches
are being written three buildings on
Bridge street, on the west side, have
fallen. They belonged to Fred Bon
nell, A. d. Chippel and j. f. Ewing,
EAU CLAIRE, Wis, Sept. 1.-THE
water in the Chippewa river has fall
en- about three feet since noon. 1t
reached the heighth of four feet and
seven inches higher than the great
flood of 1880. All the low portions
Of the city have been flooded. Near
ly 400 dwellings nave been swept
away or wrecked, and 1 900 people
are depending upon the neighbors
who live out upon the high
ground for shelter and food. Tonight
relief committees have been organ
lied and hundreds of people are being
fed in the court house and gospel tent
of the Y. NJ @. A., while the most
destitute are being taken care of in
private houses. The east and west
sides of the Chippewa, which divide the
city, are entirely cut off from
communication with each other, ex-
cept by way of the Omaha railway
iron bridge, which admits
passage of lost passengers. 1t is stu
ated far up the river, that walk of
4 miles is necessary in reaching the
business portion of the east side.
Almost every family in this city loses
something. The Chicago, Milwaukee
and st. Paul r. II. Co. s loss III the
Chippewa valley is not less than
half million dollars Lum-
Der companies all lose very heavily,
but the heaviest losses are suffered
by the poor people, who have had
their homes swept away. The news
paper otiices'have all been flooded
and no paper has been issued to-day
or will be tomorrow, except
the Leader, which was issued on
a small sheet printed on a
Job press instead of the regular size.
Only one life has been lost IN the
flood here. A man named Epler was
drowned while trying to rescue his
sick wife.
Mayor Davis has telegraphed TO
Waoasha for steam ferry boat
which viii come up as soon as the
stage of the water will permit. Work
will be commenced upon the bridges
to replace those swept away as soon
as the water goes down.
LATER ACCOUNTS.
EAU CLAIRE, Wis, September Is.
There is little change in the state
of affairs. The river has fallen only
three feet since last night. The water
is still filed with floating logs, wreck
ed houses and other evidences of des-
troyed property. Two men were
drowned last night. The loss in the
Chippewa valley is now estimated at
81, 600, 600. The worst has doubtless
passes, but the destruction to property
is still going on. A number of houses
have fallen to-day. The gas works
are totally wrecked. City officials
and inanciers say the city of Eau
CIoira IL 0fq1lyr yyronlre1 6aopcioIl,-