The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-06-06
II u
Cascade Locks Stand the
Flood.
BUT ARE YET IN DANGER.
Columbia and Willamette Rivers
Continue to Rise.
LOOKS LIKE AN INLAND SEA.
In Many Places Only the Tops of
Trees Show Above the
Water.
LOOKS LIKE AN INLAND SEA.

PORTLAND, Or, June 5.-Slowly and
surely the water of the Willamette River
at this point continue to rise, and the in
dica tions are that it will continue for sew
eral days to come. This afternoon the
river stood 50 2-10 feet above the low water
mark. At Umatilla the Columbia River
stood 81 5-10 above, and at Pascoe 81 feet
a bove.
There yet remains snow enough in the
mountains to keep the rivers at their pres
ent height for several days to come, even
though they should risen higher
1t is impossible to approximate the
amount of damage inflicted upon this city
as to property and loss of bust
ness. The entire wholesale district is
flooded to the depth of from six to ten feet.
The damage to the river front alone will
be nearly a million dollars. There is
scarcely wharf or warehouse from the
| Madison-street bridge to Steffen's boat
yard that has not suffered TO more or less
extent,
Merchandise of all kinds is stored in
many places, which are in hourly danger
of being submerged or tilted over into tie
river. BoaIs are continuously moving
goods to more secure places. In many
instances merchants have been compelled
to move their ods several times TO keep
them above water. Wherever it is pos
sible buildings In the submerged district
are being vacated. Every available store
room or office building up town has been
utilized.
The First National Bank, Portland Ma
tioDal, Bank of British Columbia, the
London and San Francisco, the United
States National and the Merchants Ma
tional have all moved to higher ground.
Rats and flatboats piled high with goods
of every description are being poled
| through the streets to the waters edge for
transportation TO higher ground, where
business is transacted with great incon-
venienee.
To those out of employment the food
has proved a great benefit; hundreds of
men find work in building and propelling
boats and RATS and assisting in moving
goods. Many families living on the lower
ground have been forced 10 taRe refuge In
the upper stories of their homes, and in
many instances their situation is a desper-
ate one.
The railroad situation remains I'M
changed. The Southern Pacific Is the only
line running trains into the city. The
| Union Pacific is unable to establish its
river service between here and Umatilla
! The Northern Pacific is still Drin ging its
trains to the city from Keso on the trans
| fer-boat Tacoma. Steamboat men report
! they observe many barns and outbuildings
/ ofl "a hae
| As means of insuring protection from
! fire in the flooded district, Chief Buchel OF
the Fire Department has secured an
! eighty-foot barge on which he has fitted a
stationary engine capable of throwing
three powerful streams. for use in sub
merged districts. 1t will be stationed just
1 outside the dock line with the tug James
| B. Stephens as a tow and will be ready for
use on both sides of the river.
! The dashing of the waves caused by
| boats against wharVes has naused a great
! deal OF damage.
The water has reached the basement of
! the OregOnian building, Sixth and Alder
/ streets, but is being pumped out as fast as
/ it runs in. On First street il reaches to
| Taylor; Washington street is covered to
| Fifth. The Chamber Of Commerce build
! ing is entirely surrounded aud the first
! floor is covered to a depth of one foot
While the city is confronted with dis
aster, adjacent points are having a similar
experience. Columbia Slough presents
a scene of desolatoD. Many families
were forced to abandon their homes.
! Chicken-ho uses, barns and other small
buildings have been carried away. Tops
of houses and trees are seen just above the
water.
The lower portion of Vancouver is sub
merged, and steamboats, land at Fourth
street.
At Troutdale the water covers the Union
Meat Company's ranch, and operations in
the slaughter-house have ceased. Cone
sawmill between Beaver and the Sandy is
almost completely covered. The big boom,
which is about 1000 feet long, still holds.
but there is apprehension it cannot stand
the strain much longer.
West of Troutdale all the bottom lands
are under water, and a large plumber OF
farmers will lose their crops, besides saf-
fering other damage.
Hood River will experience great loss.
Its immense strawberry crop is ripening
and there is no means of Transporting 1t to
market. The locks of the Cascades have
stood the strain so far, but there is great
danger that they will be swept away.
Should the water break over the bulkhead