River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1884-09-11
TUESDAY NIGHTS STORM.
Great Destruction Wrought by Wind
and Water.
Clear Lake Nearly Wiped Out Of Exist
ence by Cyclone,

On TUESDAY evening luis ScCtiUu WoS
visited by The severest storm ever ex-
perienced here. Rain commenced fall
ing early in the evening but no appre-
tensions of danger were felt until iattr
when the clouds gathered in deep dark
masses and the rain fell in torrents
driving all in doors. Soon the roar
of the stream was heard above all the
noise of the falling rain and those on
the banks of the South Fork went to
their doors to see the state of affairs.
The lightning seemed incessant,
lighting up the scene with an almost
succession of flashes. The stream soon
overlooked its banks and rushed down
the valley with the bosom of destruc-
ton,
Soon Burnett's dam went out under
the tremendous pressure of the waters
and then it was noticed that the
bridge was yielding. No alarm was
felt at first as it was known that the
abutments were exceptionally strong
and heavy while the iron superstruct-
ure seemed built to defy the elements.
At length however the south abut-
ment undermined by the sweep of the
water fell with a crash into the
stream and the iron trusses fell into
the water badly twisted. The stream
now reached from the south side of
the bridge to the hill on the north
side flowing over the roadway with
irresistible force, two men who
were greatly alarmed. being cut off
from the shore by an impossible waste
of waters and the stream flowed over
the floors of their room,
Wednesday morning the waters had
fallen sufficiently for travellers to visit
the ruins of the bridge which present
ed scene of desolation. The road
bed on the north side of the site of
the bridge was either quilted out or
covered with mass of broken stone
and drift of various kinds which had
been brought down by the flood.
Phineas Flint was picking up the car
casses of his sheep which had been
drowned, and Mr. Wood was looking
UP the remains of runaway bridge.
The damage to the town from the loss
of the bridge and repairs to the high
way will not fall far short of one
thousand dollars. G. z. Burnett has
lost his dam and the under part of his
staye and feed mill was also G realty
damaged.
The old mill built by Mr.. Short at
an early day was destroyed by the
flood and his dam carried away. The
Barker Mill lost its fiume and pen
stock or large part of it; damage
about $500. Further reports give the
information that every bridge on the
Trimbelle in this town has been car
ried away or greatly injured, among
them the new bridge erected near
Forestvilie last year. A great deal
of damage was done also to the roads
in different sections of the town.
The slaughter house and yards near
the lime kilns were also overlooked
and considerable loss incurred.
Pratt & Thayer lose about two hun
dred dollars in hides carried away.
Mr.. Drewke lost cow. Toby Lord
lost sixteen hogs valued at about fifty
dollars. Other parties have lost con-
siderable in various ways but the
items cannot be obtained in season for
this paper.
The damage on the North Fork is
slight, the storm seeming to vent its
fury on the divide between the South
Fork and the Trimbelle.
Fortunately Notwithstanding the
severity of the storm no lives We're
lost although two buildings, the juno
ton Mills and Mr.. Nathaniel Wales
barn were struck by lightning little
damage being done however to either.
THE STORM ELSEWHERE.
The town of Clear Lake was almost
D,.i n 1aff To
Mr.. f. J. Burhyte assert that most of
the village is in ruins. j. w. Perley
writes on the 10th; sThe cyclone pass
ed south of Perley, but laid most of
Clear Lake in ruins. Peleg Burdick's
wife, AL. Saunders and Willie Kava-
naugh were killed. Walter Lewis and
two girls badly hurt. Both churches,
six stores and many houses lay fiat"
W. Ii. Mann writes from Clear Lake:
eff there are any carpenters in River
Falls who want work send them up
here. Clear Lake Is all blown down,
not store left, and all the mills dam
aged some"
The town of Marine, q few miles
above Saltwater, is partially demolish-
oil nv .ha storm and a number of per-
sons seriously injured.
Half of the village of Clayton was
blown down by the cyclone, which
struck the town about p. m.
White Bear got severe shaking up
by the wind. The Duluth railway
sheds were demolished, and a large
number of trees blown across the
track between White Bear and Dell
wood.
See the La Crosse Business College adver-