The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1890-02-08
A FLOOD.
TheRain Descended inCopi:
ouS Quantities.
Creeks FleOdel and Roads Washed Out
Damage to Railroad Bridge.

Friday the atmosphere assumed a
gloomy hue, and the rain poured down in
Wcbfoot style. At first twas thought to
be only light shower, but hour passed
after hour, and still the heavens were
opened, and seemed 10 pour of their
abundance upon the well saturated earth.
Streets became flooded, and crossings
were almost smpassable for pedestrians.
The rain continued Saturday in unabated
fury, and Mr.. Sam'l L. Brooks, our
meteorologist, informed US that 2:53
inches fell in thirty hours, the heaviest
fall experienced here for fifteen years.
Mill creek gathered all Its factors of ven
geance, and was raging torrent. Gar
dens, which had been sale for yesrs from
overflow, were several feet under water,
the Columbia. To cross the street in
places one had to wade through loot of
water, and in some instances cellars were
drowned out, and residents were forced to
wade IN in gumboots to save vegetables
and other articles stored.
The anger Of the heavens still continued
during Sunday, and old residents stood
aghast and exclaimed, are We to expert
ence our highest water in February in
stead of June. In the afternoon Mill
creek bridge leading to the shops began
to show signs of weakening, and it be
came necessary to cut the dam, erected
for skating purposes, to give the flood of
water which had accumulated chance to
escape. Already the raging torrent had
washed through a place about six feet
WIDE, and this acting on bent of the
bridge had lowered it about two feet.
Fears were entertained that the other
bents would share the same fate. At this
.juncture, Mr.. c. J.. Crandall-who erected
the dam-and Mr.. Eastwood, one of his
employees, went to work to cut the crib
blng loose. They worked faithfully for
some time, but could not destroy the
planking which stopped the flow of Water.
Mr.. n. D. Wires, one of those fearless en-
gineers who takes his life IN his hands by
reason of his vocation, climbed out on the
dam and attached large cable to- it.
Everyone watched him with brcathless
anxiety, for if it broke away be would be
swept almost to speedy death. The
switch engine drew the cable tight and
tore off the post, without any further
liberation of the imprisoned waters.
Again Wires climbed out on the dam, to
where the break had been first made, with
axe in hand, and commenced to cut away
the Instructions. He was soon joined by
another fearless man, who helped him in
cutting away boards. The two men
worked for fully half hour on this dam,
with nothing but an inch plank between
them and the frightful torrent below and
the seethlng foaming waters above, ap
parently oblivious to their own danger
and the hundreds who watched them from
the other railroad bridge. The cable was
attached, and this time large portion of
the dam was hauled away. Again these
men worked On the remaining part of the
treak water, until the pent-up fury of
the maddened flood found vent, and no
further. damage was apprehended to the
bridge.
BY reason of the detached bent, no en-
g1nes were allowed to cross the bridge,
and will not until this damage is repaired.
The turn-table connot be used by reason
of it being unsafe, and engines cannot be
turned until the bridge i, repaired. This
IS a serious inconvenience; but the com
pauy must suffer 1t with other injuries
mere serious. Last night red or danger
lights were placed on the bridge, and no
trains were permitted to cross. "a q -
To-day the rain is very light, and it
may be considered the storm is over, which
will be welcome news to oil concerned.