The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-05-20
A PLAGUE OF WATER.
Duwamish and Black River
Valleys Overflowed.


especially the south winds. have rapidly
melted the snow in the foothills drained
oy the Green. White and Cedar rivers,
and. - . result, the Duwamish river va.-
ley Is almost wholly under water, al
though the water does not reach the
height attained last November by At least
I've feet. The water in White river Is not
yet high enough TO do any damage. though
. continuance Of warm, wet we,ther -
likely 70 cause . nood.
A large slice OF the county poor farm -
IN danger Of being washed away BY the
high WAGER in the Duwam!sh river. some
time ago the owners Of the Allen & Nell
con sawmili, below the poor farm and on
the same side OF the river. drove . row OF
piles in the bed Of the stream opposite the
farm In sianting direction toward the
mouth OF their log boom. On these piics
they fastened boom stricks. This was
constructed for the purpose OF diverting
saw logs over 10 their boom. The present
high water has brought down large
amount Of driftwood which has lodged
against these plies and formed . wingdam
which directs the entire current of the
river against the poor farm bank, and as
sandbar ia> forming behind the piles tho
current threatens TO be permanently al
tered ana tlae county building endangered.
The county commissioners yesterday
notified the owners of the mill 10 imme-
diateIy remove the obstruction in the
stream. piles and all.
Ii 10 thought that many OF the farmers
on the Dnwasnish viii. LOSE their entire
crops Of hay and hops. but on account OF
the continued wet weather proven ting the
planting OF gardens by the large farmers
the loss Of the vegetable crop will be main
ly confined 10 the truck gardeners in the
neighborhood Of Bsaun's brewery and the
residents OF River Park. Henry Wistern,
whose farm is eight miles south OF town,
has 100 acres Of timothy and ten acres OF
hops which have been under water for four
days and which wil probably be ruined.
The farms OF +. McNast. I. Samson. I.
Mckinley, John Brown. Dan Shea. +.
Terry and G. Card are covered with water
TO depth Of six to eighteen inches, and
whatever crops are on them damaged to
. considerable extent.
The county road along John Burns
place is impossible for some distance, be-
ing under water to depth of fifteen inches.
The Duwamish bridges, however, are in no
danger, the driftwood having been almost
entirely carried away last winter On
Black river several hop fields will be badly
damaged, as tho current here is much
swifter than that OF the Duwamish.
A PosT-fsrEirIoEscKR reporter sester-
day made trip up the White river valley
- FAR as Kent and made careful inquiry
~ TO the condition of the farms lying
near the river. The state Of affairs
n 10 1v
90 serious as on the Duwamish,
the damage by water would be very light.
Tho river is hardly bank full and at noon
yesterday was falling slowly. Near
Oriiiia some blowing was being done on
land lying close to the river.
II have not tho slightest anticipation Of
any damage to hops from this fre.het, but
the continued wet weather has prevented
the sowing OF grain" said Thomas Aivord.
. weil-known White river farmer. "Yes;
the meadows overlooked may suffer some
from tho sand settling on them.
have lived near Kent for thirty
four years and the river has
often been higher at this season, but
the first of May has never found so much
snow on the foothills. nor SO low down as
this year. and n week of warm weather
with south winds might cause dangerous
rise. The water was ut least five feet
higher In November last than ut present"
q. Proctor. who lives near Black River
Junction. has lived on White river since
1867. and says that he has often seen the
water higher in June. lie says tina, he
has heard of no damage to hons in the
White river valley, and that the principal
loss will be from the water retarding the
cultivation of bottom lands.
{. L. Fleming. of Springbrook, has often
seen water covering the hop fields at this
season. and thinks no injury will result. If
the water goes down within ten days Mr..
Fleming says tina. tho soil Of the White
River valley Is quick to dry on, after the
water reeejes, and no injury would result
II the water should rise still higher.
q. q. Cannon, of Slaughter. aud ". J.
sh,nn. Of kcat. both express the same
opinion.