The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1890-02-08
THE RAGING WATERS.
Great Damage Done in the William
etIe Valley.

The Oregonidn of Wednesday is almost
entirely devoted to tie unprecedented
high water in the Willamette liver.
Great damage has resulted everywhere,
and houses, mills and logs have been
washed down by the turbulent flood.
Ira Powers of Portland, lost SIS, 900 in the
destruction of one of his buildings and
Gov. Pennoyer is heavy loser in the
damage done to lis mill proper
erty. The following We quote from
Wednesdays oregonian regarding the
state of affairs in Salem and Oregon City:
From passengers and the Salem States
man the following particulars of this
memorable rise of the Willamette arc
obtained: The volume of water In the
Willamette at midnight last night was
PROBABLY as large as it was at its highest
point in 1861, although the height of the
water was probably from three to five
feet less. The most disastrous result of
the present flood, so far as Salem is con.
cerned, is the washing out of the second
pier from the Marion county side of the
big bridge to Polk county and the conse-
quent collapse of the two longest spans
OF the bridge resting upon 1t. What was
the pride of two counties now lies in
Kaiser's bottom below Salem. At lust
twenty minutes to two yesterday after.
noon the south one of the center piers on
the Marion county side swung around,
apparently from the bottom bent and
cracked just above the water line and
crashed to the bottom of the river, fol-
lowed by the two main spans of the big
bridge. The crash was awful.
1t is said that just few moments be-
fore the bridge fell there were seen two
men on it. They had heard tlmbers
crashing, and just as they stepped from
the last span going TO the Salem side 1t
fell behind them: Had they been one
step later in leaving it they must have
been carried down to immediate des;ruc.
ton. The ones who thus miraculously
escaped were Bill Cham bers, cabman,
and q young man named L. Goolsby.
They said they heard the timbers crack
ling and walked rapidly over the long
span.
The north pier stood half hour sway.
ing from the immense pressure below,
and then toppled over with a mighty
noise. The two spans that fell first were
800 feet in length, the east one being 27O
and the center one $50. They fell up
stream and were soon out of sight, beng
carried quickly with the current. Ali
Monday afternoon the frame approach
on the west was cracking and giving
way in places. Driftwood caught in it,
and the pressure was so great by 8 |
O'Clock that it too gave way and fell with
roar. This left nothing but the west |
span standing. 1t was 200 feet long, and
was supported by two piers at either end. |
1t stood the strain until IL 40 last night, |
when the iron and concrete piers gave
way beneath 1t, and it, too, was precipi-
tated into the waters beneath.
The following despatch was received
from Oregon City yesterday afternoon at
$40 o'clock.
Old residents of Oregon City say that
the water at this hour ls fully as high ss
it reached In 1861. The situation is seri.
GUS. A huge volume of water is pouring
over the banks of the river, undermining
the foundations of buildings and factories,
overturning offices, spelling machinery
and carrying destruction in its resistless
path. Tremendous waves ten feet high,
are dashing up between Cancma and Ore.
gon City. The breakwater is entirely
gone, the mill race, 1ume and basin is
completely obllterated.
The town presents an animated specta-
Gle. Men are rushing to and fro, women
whispering the latest news, laborers re-
moving goods to places of safety, while
above II all may be heard the rush and
roar Of angry waters. Above the falls
the water is still rising perceptlbly while
below the hidden cataract it is still rising
at the rate of two inches per hour.
The wheels Of the city are silent.
Labor In the various mills is entirely
while business is dead.
The box factory and office has been
destroyed The loss will be heavy, as the
company had on hand large stock of
boxes.
at 3 o'clock It became apparent that
The saw mill must go down before the
hood. The building creaked and groaned,
The timbers cracked, while the waters
aged through doors and windows with
force. At exactly twenty '
minutes to four the mill collapsed and r
vent down with frightful crash. e
The Ciackamas bridge, which was L
,rected in 1873 at cost of $4,000, has =
been swept away. n
The buildings and Office of the Oregon p
City Furniture Mills have been over. n
urned, but hopes are entertained that the
machinery, which is comparatively new d
md very valuable, may be saved. Il
The office of the Willamette Falls Ex.
elsior Company has just toppled over y y
mt still remains in place. The ware y
ouse OF the same company has been :. :.
moved on IT'S foundations since 2 o'clock. u
he Excelsior Company has lost eighty
ons of cottonwood. 4,
Sixteen houses Oh Goose Flat have been =,
urned completely ever and have been
wept some distance from their founda- Ia
ons. an
Water now is very near the weaving eli
,om of the Oregon City Wooden Mills. tn
he company has stored large quantities Co
valuable goods but much more lies
Ill in considerable danger. They have
zen compelled to remove the office to III
Ter quarters. ii
The electric light station still stands.
ne current does not seem to beat against l.
as strongly as against the other struc- ri
res. As to whether or noXthis build.
g will stand opinions vary, but the =
ances seem to be that it will survive
t flood.
THE FLOOD AT HILsBoRo.
A Hillsboro telegram last evening gives
e following account of the situation: To
The flood is the highest since 1861 and
s done great damage TO bridges. The Sta
,g bridge west of town is afloat at the Sol Ssa
rnelius end. The Chalmers, Ingles, Sta
idley, Jolly and Wooley bridges, north o,s
are gone. The Minto, Jack Sta Sta
D. Harris and Scholl's Ferry bridges, r
lth of towE, are greatly damaged, and or s
merous small bridges, fills, ETC., were &
-red away. An old wheat warehouse ing
the Tualatin, near Jackson bottom,
8 washed away. We ehave had no west n
und train for two days, owing to q ON,
'e-in near Portland and submerging of
track in the Wapato region. It ap-
,rs like series of Sundays here, with
mail by rail or carriage since Saturday. j.
IS afternoon local dealer arrived from To S
81 n