The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-06-15
TWO FLOODED DISTRICTS.
Severe Results on tho East Side and
at the Depot from Ysstsr.
days Storm.
Residents on Sixth Avenue Conn
pslled to Vaoato Their
Houses.


- SUU00O lWW0 IA VuU ou3tW VVoHW
Causes Damages Amounting 70 ssv-
oral xhonssnd D0llsvs.
"a few days ago Weather Observer Glass
received 4 circular lsttsr from Chief Har-
rinRton, Of Uncle Jerry Rusk's weather fac.
tory, instructinR him to advise the depart
mont Of she meeting In his vicinity Of any
national convention or other large gather
ing. The circular concluded wish the staks-
mont that the information was desired 20
the buseau could make aocurats prsdio-
tions. Unfortunately the circular was re-
esived too late for Nj. Glass TO notify Chief
Harrington Of the meeting Of the supreme
lodRe. A. o. U. w. Whether that IL the
cause Of the unprecedented rains. or other
wise. Mr.. Glass refuses TO commit himself.
At any rate the fair weather clerk must be
Away on his vacation and the gentleman
who turns on the spigot has done 80. and
apparently gone away and forgotten all
about il.
The forecast made at WashinRton for tho
weather in Helena yesterday was fair and
warmer. II held good until about n p.
NJ. whom clouds began 10 eomo mp in the
south, and soon spread north. east and
west. II threatened all afternoon. and
about six p. M. the heavens opened, espe-
cially on the east side of town. The rain
oame down In sheets and in ten minutes all
the ravines south of Broadway and east Of
Davis street were raging torrents, pouring
their foods down Broadway and Fifth
On Fifth avenue, just east Of
Davis, there are two houses that set in 1
big lot. about forty feet below the level Of
the street. One Of them, that nearest
Davis street, 10 protected by a big stone
wall. The other has only q portion of a
stone wall in front of IL, the other
part having been washed away by
. torn last July. About 6:2O yesterday
the water coming down the ravines forced
their way to Fifth avenue, cut under the
sidewalk in front of the residences referred
to. in q twinkling carried away tons and
tons of dirt and almost before it can be
told the water was Eve feet deep in the
lower portion OF the lot. SubmsrRinR the
lower part Of one Of tho houses. a child
narrowly escaping drowning. tho food then
rushed into the rear Of q row Of bricks
facing on Sixth avenue. The row referred
to consists Of hve houses, numbered from
602 TO 511. They have English Easements
and most Of them are oocapied by two fam
lilies. But one OF the gentlemen living in
the Easements had time to remove his fur
niture before:ths deluRe came. He lived in
the house or the corner Of Davis and SUI
feted the least of any, tho water not get
ting deeper than a half q foot in his rooms.
At 500 and I'll, however, the water was 1t
least four feet deep. and furniture Of all
sorts was floating around in the rooms OF
the two tenements for two hours after the
storm ceased.
The damage would have been much
greater had II not been for the heroic work
done by w. E. Bolton and Dr.. A. @. Sand
berg. These gentlemen live on the west
1ids OF Davis, xnd when they saw this prs-
dicament their neighbours were in they took
axes and shovels and went to work to make
a channel for the water TO the Dry Rulch
tiume. The water was then seven feet deep
IN the rear Of the lot, but Mr.. Bolton
suit of clothes, he had the satisfaction of
knowing he had saved his neiRhbors from
greater damage. He cut away an embank-
ment five feet high, and just % soon "a this
had been done the water passed into the
fume. Thu damage to houses and furni-
amount 10 at least 81, 600, beside the great
Inconvenience the people who wore COM
PEELED to find new quarters were put to.
A veritable river ran through the heart of
the sixth ward last evening. The greatest
damage done was the flooding of . I've
ObOAy oASoA NwCkk1uk VI xJOulAOE 3V0AO6
near the corner Of Sanders street. The
lower part was occupied by Charles ]. PEI
terson and his wife and infant. Four feet
of mud and debris cover the floors OF these
lower rooms. : The garden surrounding the
house, which was n Of the prettisst in ths
ward, has . huge rent through IL as if
plowed out by q hydraulic mining pipe. |
Three trees eight feet high were swept away
as IT they we're but twigs. The food of
water spread out somewhat after passing
the Montana Central bridge, adjoining Pc
iSasep dsm non's sf sn ill., shS b nSr . d Il aad so 1ps
yards and outhouses with water. The
Northern Pacific grade held the water
for awhile, making q large lake in the vicin-
ity OF the railroad telegraph office. Its
heiRhth was marked for q foot or the south
side of the office.
John F. Bowers, who lives on Boulder
avenue near Peterson's house, saw the food
come. South of Boulder avenue il = small
Rutch draining the country between Len
nox and the city. Tn guloh empties into q
Ia ge wooden tiume near Boulder avenue,
which runs north to the Northern Pacific
tracks where it connects with a culvert. MI.
Bowers was washing his hands n looked
out of a window toward the guloh. He saw
that n small foot bridge short distance up
the gulch was covered with water. In mn
instant, it seemed, a wall of water ten feet
high swept over Boulder avenue and into
tho lower story of Peterson's house. The
fume. which has two sharp bends in il, be-
came ohoked and could not carry the water.
On Lyndale venue . section Of fence was
torn away and thrown across the avenue.
Another piece Of fence was swept 100 feet
below the avenue. Yards were filled
with the tlotsam and jetsam brought from
above. The flood lasted for about thirty
minutes and created considerable excite
ment and apprehension.
Peterson and his family escaped without
injurv. Denver Dayton and J. $. Bowers
saved a few of Peterson's household ef-
fents. The lower part of the house ia badly
damaged. Poterson's entire loss will prob
ably figure mp $1,000. A week ago be
broke his right leg while driving q wagon
for H. Nicholson q Go. Matt Jahr, o loco
engineer. gave Peterson and his
shelter.
Ofiser FLYNN aud Mr.. Day,on made an
of the fiume after the flood. 1t
quite apparent that il vas inadequate
carry off such a volume Of wee al
though II Is about six feet bv i've in size.
The Northern Pacific yard ia filled with
passenger coaches. No. l of Monday and
l of yesterday came in and were ubsn-
doned. Twenty through bound passengers
are awaiting the opening Of the road.
THE RAILRO AID SITUATION.