River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1894-05-17
RIVER FALLS, WISCONSIN, THURSDAY, Il.

ness. The immense Eagle Rock a
bove the Junction Falls, weighing hun
dreds of tons, that had withstood The
floods since Noah was shipwrecked on
Ararat was carried from its everlast.
ing moorings and stranded against
the bank a hundred feet below. The
long railroad bridge over the mill pon6
seems to be in good condition except
the bank II the south end several feet
of which was washed out. Immense
heaps of drift remains against the
pilings on the upper side. The bridge
a mile above the city was not so fortu
torn up, the track dislocated and one
hundred feet of the road bed at the
south end washed out, the track and
ties remaining suspended above the
water
Coley Krauth had large ice house
full of the winters crop near the
Omaha track opposite the Prairie
Mill ten rods from the bank of the
river. This was undermined by the
flood and the north half of the build
ing with its contents helped to swell
and cool the flood. Further north
and just below the dam the bank was
washed away still further distance
| Notwithstanding the fact that much
of this bank was composed of rock
Krauth also had large hennery near
his ice house; the buildings, hens,
chickens and eggs were carried away
along with the site. n. A. Thelander
also Lad an extensive poultry plant on
the fiat near the railroad bridge,
stocked with fancy and expensive
breeds. Most of the site on which his
buildings were located is absent on a
journey to the Gulf and his chickens
will no more return home to roost"
unless they be the alternatives"
There were, fortunately, but two
dwelling houses in the city menaced
by the flood, and these two in the fiat
below the Greenwood and above
Fosters saw mill. The first of these
was occupied by Charles Eichmann
and family, consisting of a wife and
four little girls. The whole family
were asleep at two O'Clock when the
City Marshal and posse rescued them
as the water was two feet deep in
their sleeping rooms. In the lower
house lived Sven Bolander with a
family of nine persons. This family
were for long time in great peril,
and it was not until five O'Clock that
they were placed out of danger, at
which time the food had sensibly sub
sided. Their rescue was accomplished
not without serious danger TO those
making the heroic attempt. The
cries of the imperiled family were
heart rending and heroic efforts
were made to save them. The only
way of reaching the house with the
least possible chance of salvation was
from above as nothing could withstand
the force of the current, and a boat
would be instantly dashed to pieces
by the Coating timbers or rush to
momentary destruction over the dam.
To those looking upon the rush of the
roaring food loaded with swift swirl
ing tim bers as it passed around this
frail structure freighted with the
precious burden of nine human beings,
neighbors and friends, it seemed to
their agonizing helplessness miracle
that the house was not swept along
with the tremendous force of the
waters TO swift destruction. Had the
building been swept down as were the
starch factory and saw mill it is more
than probable that all would have
persisted, as within thirty rods were
three falls and. below these the river
is filled with huge powders. The ex-
PLANTATION of the stability of the build
ing is not difficult to see at this
writing. The dwelling is an old two
story structure and stood upon the
east bank of the river but a foot OF
two above the ordinary level of the
water few rods above the dam of the
saw mill and in direct line with the
saw mill. The bank of the river was
washed away for several feet under
| the house, and the occupants say the
building rocked as if it must surely
overturn and go over the dam. There
| is, however, a fringe of trees, in
L IL rods xgiAn ahnrn fhl
house on the river bank which divided
the wreckage from above so that the
building escaped the shock of the
wrecked tim bers, and low area OF
| fiat extends off TO the east and back
around to the south giving chance
| for two currents, the house standing
| between where the waters were more
quiet. To this condition the people
owe their safety. But constant efforts
were made to take the family out OF
the building for it was a most perilous
position. Finally strong rope one
| thousand feet long was secured, made
| fast to the bank above the house and
near the beginning of the line OF
trees, ficating along from tree TO tree
and securing the rope at intervals the
work of rescuing the imprisoned
family was finally accomplished in
safety.
No previous inundation of the
Kinnickinnic has been so disastrous
in its consequences TO the city ano
vicinity as this one. The water rose
below the Prairie Mills to the height
of TEN FEET in one hour. The
wreckage is now strewn over the flats
among the brush and rocks for miles
below: in several places there are piles
of indiscriminate material rising tc
the height of twenty feet. The low
grounds along the banks of the
river are a desolate waste of rocks and
sand.
SOME ESTIMATED LOSSES.
City of River Falls, .......... $4,000
| >. j. Mealey, ....-..... 1890. o,Oe
Geo. Fortune & Co, 4,OOl
w = Armetronu a "a 3 ION