The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-02-07
4HB MELTED SHOWS
Swell the Willamette and
Columbia Rivers in Oregon,
CAUSING DISASTROUS FLOODS,
a Portion Of Portland Under Water,
Tho pcrilOns Position of MANY
lI0nscs-Tclcsrnph Communi.
Ifr cation Entirely Shut or

PORTLAND, OREGON, February 0.-Thi
morning the river at this point Is at
standstill and 1t ia hoped that no iurthe
rise will occur. At Corvallis aud Orcpo,
City the river is reported falling n. the
rate Of one inch per hour. The water IL
the city Of Portland is the highest known
since 1876, but so iar it has been confined
to a comparatively small district, and
although causing much inconvenience
has cansed no serious damage. The
water last night was twenty-eight feet
above high water mark and extended
four square miles back FROM tho river
front to Third street. The flood has been
caused by the simultaneous rising of tho
Willamette and Columbia rivers, which
arc usually at the high stage several
months apart. The main flood has been
in tho Willamette, but the usual stnpe
OF water in the Columbia prevented tie
former river running of as it usually
does.
More serious damage has been occa.
stoned throughout the Willamette val.
ley than here. Bridges were carried
away at Salem and Oregon City, and
many small houses built near tho river
were washed away. Communication
with these points is very uncertain and
the full extent OF the damage isa matter
OF conjecture.
A large part OF the territory flooded in
Portland Is low ground not occu-
pied by buildings, but in the business
street submerged, where the lower sto.
ries OF a number OF blocks are flooded.
the subsidence OF the water may reveal
unsuspected damage to the structures,
as strong current is running.
The greatest danger apprehended lis
TINT one or both OF the bridges crossing
the Willamette river, wooden struct.
ures, may be carried away by the high
water and drift wood. Should this han.
pen it is feared that the steel railroad
bridge would go out as the stage OF water
Is too high 10 permit OF any drift passing
under it. Aside from these contippen.
cies the real damage to the city will be
trifling.
The flood in this city came with I'M
expected rapidity. Up to noon yLster.
day the inundation on Front street was
from midway between Morrison and
Aldertown 10 B street. On Second
street the water reached from Washing
ton down to a street.
at no place, excepting in a few iso.
lated spots, was there depth beyond
three feet. Ali the stores in First street
in the flooded district, have their per.
ishable goods raised few inches above
the floors. The temperature is exceed
lngly mild. From Morrison to A street
not single first floor in Front Street is
Tree from the flood.
Many Of the buildings in the flooded
portion OF the city are frail, nearly nil
being Of wood, and number are even
now showing signs OF collapse. The
entire population OF that section has
moved to higher quarters. Many OF
these people stuck to their homes until
to do so any longer would have been to
risk their lives. A lwo.story wooden
house on First street was tenanted by
two families. Tie people on tho lower
floor were speedily driven up stairs,
where they remained until afternoon.
Then the house began to shake, and
William Strawn, occupying the upper
tioor, determined to save his wife and
three children. BY this time the water
was fully three feet deep on the ground
floor, and boatmen were rowing about
Offering to carry waterbound residents
to places OF safety. Strawn hailed one
Of these men, who pulled over to the
doorway and waited for the people to
embark. In all ten persons were im-
prisoned in the house, and the boatman
decided on making two trips, his craft
being too small to accommodate all ut
once.
The Lewis family was first loaded into
the boat and carried away, and then
Strawn helped his three children on
board the boat. They were followed by
the mother, and then Strawn proceeded
to get on board. He is large man, and
the first attempt he made to get into the
boat tipped it over. All iloundered in
the water for minute or two, and in
the excitement a two-year.old babe was
almost drowned. Another family further
down the street insisted on loading a
bureau into the boat which had been
hired. The result in this case was also
an upset, the piece of furniture floating
away before. its owners could get hold
OF it.