The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1885-07-09
ME COTTONWOOD.

THE COTTONWOOD.
Although the river was not as high as
it has been known TO be yet its banks to-
day were washed by torrent of seething
water, carrying brush, chunks, logs, and
occasionally strong trees that had been
uprooted by the flood, The river was
so high that the dam was almost cover
ed, while just below it in the whITl of
ehullienI water great mass of drift was
collected, which rolled about in the
water at a surprising rate. Occs-
sionallY large log would come
over the dam, shoot under the drift and
scatter the collection of drift wood.
Large logs two and three feet in diane
ter would at times shoot up from be-
low and protrude out of the water ten
or twelve feet like some great sea mon
ster. A good skiff that had been Ioosed
from its fastening was carried oyer the
dam and IN less than two minutes was
ground TO pieces In the seething mass
below. A large number of men and
boys collected on the bridge and watched
the driftwood as it floated down the
stream, making long. black streak In
the middle of the river as far as one
could see. Below the bridge a number
of men were busily engaged collecting
driftwood.
A report from Plymouth says that the
approaches to the new bridge now being
built over the Cottonwood are rapidly
washing away and the river rising very
rapidly, but that the rise Is not yet as
great as has been known before.
Just before going TO press the Cotton
wood river was within about foot of
the lower windows of Soden's mill and
was till'rising Al the rate of about four
teen inches per hour. The river at the
dam now scarcely makes ripple in the
stream as the water rushes over il.
WEST OF EMPoRIA.
The local train east to-day at moor
brought the report OF excessive rains
along the line OF the Santa Fe west Of
Emporia. All thu streams are greatly
swollen. and at Howell, few miles Yves
of Dodge City, about Il hall mile of TRACK
is washed away and three bridges are
} down. This will delay the c9nnoubal
train 50 that it will not rass through
, Emporia for the east until sometim,
during the night.
The property of Edward Lewis al
the corner of Market street and Fourth
avenue was inundated aud the base
ment story flooded with several inche
OF water.
Some colored people who lived jus
i, south OF the lumber yard of Evans
Thomas last night found the water risin
, IN their house and were compelled
. vacate the premises.
Sidewalks and bridges ia various parl
: of the city were carried away many hui
dred feet.
A few minutes before IL o'clock la
night a News reporter heard that Ty Ter
:, lumber yard was ON fire and immedIst
!, ly repaired to that locality and saw
THE FLAMES BURSTING UP
= TO an alarming extent in the rear OF Il
yard, but they Were almost immediate
quenched by Mr.. Boyd, G. T. Barwlci
night Waterman, who had discover
the fire and ran to the spot and quench
:. it by buckets of water from the po
through which he had to wade 10 get
the scene. Meanwhile the alarm b
been given and the department. promI
ng ly arrived but no water was thrown a
nc
CINE house. The fire originated in
h shed surrounded by dry lumber 8
was ignited by the lime in barrels VIII
became heated by the contact with
rising water, which had never b
Of known 20 have risen to that height
tore AS q number of citizens "
working and watching about the &C
of the outbreak, flames were noti
shooting mp near j 5. Wa;son's !
coal Office and the hose cart was az
called out. 1t was no easy mattel
Y Sr y reach
THE SECOND FIRE
except by wading through water al
three feet deep. Dan Hammond,
WAtson's clerk. nov ever, reached
place and put out the ia
with q few bucketfuls OF "
A This fire originated 10 substantially
same manner as did the first one, 1
Stacking lime IN barrels. Near
burning barrels we're large quantiti'
plAsterers' hair and barrels OF plast
M Paris a watch was set here all q