Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-02-07


running of as il usually does. More seri-
Gus damage has been experienced through
out the Willamette valley than in Port
land.
Bridges have bsen carried away at Salem
and Oregon City, and many small houses
built on the river banks have been washed
away. Communication with these points
is much interrupted and the full extent of
the damage is matter of conjecture.
The water is still rising at Portland, and
reports from above give no hopes of ces-
sation for twelve hours. The topography
of the city is such, however, that the spread
of the water will be limited to small area,
except the streets mentioned from Front to
Third inclusive. Most of the territory
flooded is low ground, and the greater part
of it is not occupied by buildings. The
greatest loss is anticipated should the food
increase
The carrying away of bridges crossing the
Willamette, and the consequent probable
destruction of the steel railroad bridge, ex-
cite the gravest apprehensions, and the sub
sidence of water may reveal unsupported
damage to the foundations of the buildings,
as strong current is running. Aside from
these CONTINGENCIES, the real damage 10 the
city is thought 10 be trifing. The isolation
of the city from communication during the
last three days was not caused by the floods,
but by landslides along the Columbia river
obstructing tracks and destroying poles and
telegraph wires. The only trains running
out of the city are to Tacoma. The only
other travel is by boat on the Columbia
river.
The details received in Portland of the
accident to a construction train on the
Union Pacific, near Cascade Rocks Sunday
morning, state that the train consisted of
an engine, tender and ceboose. The latter
had on board thirty five men. The engine
had almost cleared the trestle when the
underpinning of the second and third
vents, which had been weakened by the
food, gave way.
The engineer felt it and pulled the throt-
tie wide open. He just managed to clear
the weak part with his engine, but the ca
boose and tender went down forty feet be-
low. Eight men were killed instantly.
Their names are: Jerry Casey, Andrew
Frost, Fred Marthough, Theo Skolohimo,
August Carson, Charles Restoff, John
Schraeder, Henry Cronche and Wm. Cole.
Coles body was buried beneath the debris
and could not be gotten out until yesterday,
when it was pulled out with ropes. Eight
cen other men were more or less seriously
hurt. Some of them are expected to die.
The water reached its highest point-2S
feet inches--at o'clock this morning.
Since then it has fallen four inches in the
channel. This is the highest water il the
history of the city.
The water falls slowly In the streets and
is not perceptibly lower, but is running
through the streets with a less rapid cur
rent, ana is free from heavy driftwood.
The only loss in the business district
will be from the pressure of water on the
ground floors of the buildings, which will
be trifing.
The most serious loss will be the destruc-
ton of bridges, which seem TO have been
swept away everywhere. The largest towns
in the valley are well above high water.
and only the small and unimportant build
ings have been carried away.
The interruption TO travel still continues,
but the Oregon Railroad and Navigation
Company has established a steamer service
to Cascade Locks, above which trains are
running.
Between Cascade Locks and here there
is a succession of land slides, entirely
obliterating the track in same places.
The Southern Pacific sent out train on
the branch line west of there out got no
further than McMinnyille, fifty miles from
here No trains have been sent out on the
main line.
The Northern Pacific is running to Ia
coma and is carrying the mails. 1t is ex-
pected that the railroad blockade to Cas-
cade Locks will continue for some days
aid that between here and San Francisco
for weeks, as the track and roadway has
been entirely destroyed for considerable
distance.
Meager advices from Ashland state that
the Southern Pacific Railroad bridge across
the Umpqua river has been washed out
and il Cow creek canyon the railroad track
has been virtually wiped out. Many
smaller railroad bridges between here and
Ashland are washed away and the COM
pany does not attempt to send out trains.
On the west side of the Willamette river
trains are running as far es McMinnville.
The Union Pacific is blockaded by heavy
slides between this city and The DalIes,
and no trains are expected TO be running
for several days.
The Northern Pacific is still running.
At Salem sixty houses have been swept
away and many persons driven from their
homes, though, so far as known, no lives
have been lost.
Along the river bottoms considerable
live stock has been drowned, and large
quantities of grain and hay destroyed. The
damage TO this city will not be so great as
at first anticipated The docks and
wharves, while being submerged, have
stood the strain of the current, and now. as
the water is decreasing, it is thought the
danger is over.
The Columbia river, at Vancouver,
Washington, is falling. AT Eugene City,
Oregon. the large wagon bridge near
Springfield went out to-day; alsoia part of
the bridge near that city, causing loss of
about $4,000.
A few small buildings and large amounts
of cord wood, fencing and other material
has been washed away, snd the aggregate
of the losses will foot up many thousands
OF dollars.
At Roseburg, Oregon, no trains have ar
rived since Friday, and shortage of pro-
visions is feared unless communication is
restored soon. The bridge across Greek
creek and the woolen mills have been to-
tally destroyed by the flood.
Portland at Midnight.
PORTLAND, February 6th.-Although the
water in the principal business streets is
still knee deep all danger of further dam
age is over. The water resched its highest
point-26 feet inches-this morning. and
was at standstill until o'clock this even.
ing when it began to fall rapidly.
Engineers examined all the city bridge
buildings this evening and reported them
to be safe. The wholesale district is sub
merged, and the loss to business men in
this city alone will be fully million dol
lars.
The water to- day is foot higher than in
the great flood of 1861. 1t is thought the
aggregated loss by water and snow storms
will reach $5,00O,0O0.
Scott River Booming.
YRRKA, February 6th.-Scott river and
all its tributaries raised rapidly last Sunday
and Monday, flooding the island and a
large part of Scott valley and Fort Jones.
Many families were taken from the houses
in wagons. 1t is beliyed no loss of life oc-
CURED, but large number of stock is
probably lost. Colonel Stones Scott valley
stsge-line crew started to break a road
through the snow on the mountain for the
stage, but the water prevented going fur
ther, except on horseback.
Supreme Court Commissioners.
SAN FRANCISCO, February 6th.-The Su-
prems Court handed down decision this
afternoon in the case of Morgan VS.. r. Y
Haine ct al, sustaining the decision of
Superior Judge Wallace as to the validity
of the appointment of Supreme Court
Commissioners, and declaring that they
are legally entitled to hold said office.
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