The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-06-08
AT A STANDSTILL.
Northern Rivers Cease to
Rise.
ALL DANGER IS NOW PAST.
No Estimate of the Damage Can
Yet Be Made.
ALL DANGER is NOW PAST
RAILROADS HAVE TO BE REBUILT
1t Will Be a Week Before the Water
Is Out of PortIand'S
Streets.

PORTLAND. Or. June THE river here
attained its maximum height at midnight
and is now on the standstill. Reports
from the Upper Columbia say that the
waters are falling.
The situation in the city remains about
as yesterday.
The telegraph wires are again prostrated
between here and Puget Sound.
1t is reported that the Postal Telegraph
COmpany's cable across the Columbia
River has been swept away.
The people generally are arriving at the
conclusion that the flood has come to stay
for some time. and are making prepara-
tiOns accordingly
No accurate estimate of the damage by
floods along the Columbia and Willamette
rivers can be made. 1t is certain, how
ever, to reach into millions OF dollars.
The entire Northwest, including Idaho.
Washington, Oregon and British Colum-
bIa, is virtually shut off from the East by
the foods.
The Canadian Pacific, Great Northern,
Northern Pacific and Union Pacific roads
have been washed out for hundreds of
miles, and it will require weeks to repair
the damage after the water goes down.
This city still has connection by way of
the Southern Pacific, but Eastern mails
are badly delayed. The Northern Pacific
makes connection between Puget Sound
and this city by means of the transfer
boat which runs from Kelso, Wash, to this
city,
In Northern Idaho the Great Northern
and Northern Pacific have been washed
out for miles, rendering the roads almost
useless west of Idaho. The Union Pacific
is DaralyZed from UmatNa west and the
Oregon Railway and Navigation Com
pany's road. which is the western connec-
tion of the Union, will have 10 be practi-
cally rebuilt from Umatilla to Portland, q
distance of 200 miles.
The Upper Columbia is now falling, but
the river here remains stationary. 1t will
require at least a week for the water TO
get out of the streets after it begins to re-
cede, as at many points on Front street
the water is ten feet deep. The streets
adjacent to the flooded district, which now
| includes three-quarters OF the business
portion of the city, are alive with vehicles
of all kinds hauling goods out Of the water
For several days the air has been full of
rumors which tell how whole towns on the
Upper Columbia have been washed away,
and that the stream is full of floating
buildings. Reliable information obtained
from travellers who have recently come
over the water route show that the con-
dition of affairs is greatly exaggerated.
Among the passengers on the steamer
Dalles City. which arrived from the Cas-
cades tonight, was Rev. G. NJ. Irwin. the
| newly elected Superintendent of Public
In 10 soil ha Aon
| by the flood at The Dalles has been greatly
said of all other points except Grants
! Station. which is really in imminent dan
ger of being completely swept away.
Pilot w. Fl. Pope of the Northern Pacific
boat Tacoma says: At places the Colum-
bia is a sea from fifteen to twenty miles
wide, the lower portion OF Kelso is covered
with water and several houses thereabouts
have floated away. During the week the
Tacoma has passed about dozen floating
houses.
Clatsakanie River and Beaver slough are
so swollen that Captain George NJ. Shaver
of the steamer Sarah Dixon saves time in
making his trips by crossing the prairis
instead of winding up the crooked slough
and river.
There Is from ten to fifteen feet of
water on the prairie, and it has caused
considerable damage" said Captain Shaw
er. 1.-The food has swept away between
twelve and fifteen houses and barns. We
passed two-story house which had gone
ashore on Bachelor Island. Kalama. St.
Helens and Rain ier are under water, and
passengers are landed and taken aboard in
small boats.
Woodland, a small town in Cowlitz
County, Wash, is entirely under water
and the inhabitants have taken to the
hills.