The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-06-08
HAVOC OF THE FLOOD
ENORMOUS LOSSES THROUGHOUT
THE FAR NORTHWEST.
villages Under Water and Some
Lives Reported Lost-FnIse Rumor
Concerning an Excursion Party.

VANCOUVER, b. c., June IA report
was received here to-day from the Fraser
river country stating hat every member of
a Raymond excursion party of about forty
persons. which left Boston May IS. on q
trip through the Canadian Rockies. had
been killed by a railroad accident In the
mountains. The report said that a cloud
burst had washed out the tracks. that the
train Of palace cars had been wrecked and
that only one person. the porter. escaped
death. Later information, however. stated
that the story was untrue. The excursion
party is at Fields. b. c., where 1t Is wait
ing for repairs to the roadbed, which has
been badly damaged by the floods. The
party is composed Of wealthy people from
New England and New York.
Reports of damage by the flood still con-
tinue to pour in. Kaslo. b. c.. was swept
almost entirely out of existence Sunday.
1t is said the wharf and stores were car
ried into the lake. and that several per-
sons are missing. No particulars are OBJ
tainable. The telegraph wire is down and
trains are not running.
All the Canadian Pacific passengers who
left for the East Sunday and since then
returned to this city last night, having
found it impossible TO get through the
mountains. There are half a dozen breaks
of a serious nature along the line and the
track cannot probably be opened for a
week. A more serious interruption than
previously reported is due to the cloud
burst in the vicinity of Lytton. The burst
swept the railroad for nine miles from the
sawmill flats to Lytton. where the ap-
proaches to the government suspension
bridge on the old Cariboo road were car
ried away. The waters also swept away
the iron bridge at Ashcroft and the Cana
dian Pacific railroad bridge near Spencer
Station. Men who returned last night from
upper river points bring sad stories or
death. deva station and desolation. Settlers
may be seen at every station floating on
huge RATS made out OF the wrecks OF farm
buildings on which they have their families
and their cattle. The government steam
ers are rescuing these as rapidly as posi-
BILE. One of these RATS was relieved Of It's
burden by the steamer GLADYS, To-Day. On
the raft were a man and wife ana Two
children, one Of them an infant, the other
two and a half years old. The horses and
cattle constantly threatened to opertnTn
the craft, for they were moving from side
to side in their efforts to secure food. BUT
there was none for the animals ana wnat
little there was for human beings was
nearly exhausted when the rescue was
made. The younger child may die or ex-
posture. Some idea Of the horrors may Dc
Judged when IL is stated that there are
thousands OF families similarly situated
A neWspaper correspondent who returned
this morning from a trip above Port Haney
on a rescue steamer reports a terrlpse
of half-starved cattle tied on RATS, with
no one to guide the journey OF the craft,
were seen Above Haney som oespelats
rancher had played cards with rate y
had bet his all TO win or lose on the last
card by sending his little stock adrift at
the mercy OF the tide. TWO houses tieo 70
---s-- ~ -1fIo7 In 70 miles were ar
the doors with excited faces, but apparent
ly safe. A red handkerchief was waved a
short distance of, and the steamer nanas
hausted. starving farmer and his wife The
woman had tainted for want or food. a
moment later the steamer was again
hailed. A man from shore had called out
that he had seen a raft with two bodies on
1t. After many exciting scenes the steam
er sailed over the rai nf,an @ ahd ,e vas uP half ar
under water. At Mission City the steamer
bumped into a barn covered with chickens
greatest suffering was reported. Many re-
quests for assistance were made. AS the
steamer swung out of Sumas a band of In
dams were seen holding a barbecue. An
OK had been dragged from the river and
the starved red men were devour1ng II
The Indian ranches have been swept away
for hundreds OF miles, and with nothing 10
cover them but blanket the red men are
bivouacking upon the mountains and seiz-
ing carcasses as they pass by. At Chill
OLlll OOdla Ot = otN NN( n ~~
houses.
Loss of S5,OOO,0O0.
TACOMA, Wash, June. Railroad
men and others are beginning to estimate
the damage done by the floods throughout
the Northwest. A number of conservative
men nave placed the amount in the neigh
borhood of 10000 90. 1t is estimated that
the floods and washouts of tracks and loss
of L sineSS will cause a loss or AT least
$4,000 each TO the Great Northern and
Canadian Pacific roads. and nearly as
much to the Northern Pacific. Railway
men here think IL will take the Great
Northern and Canadian Pacific a month
to finally repair their tracks. and the
Northern Pacific nearly as long.
shut on from the East.
PORTLAND, Ore, June mo estimate
Of the damage done by the floods along
the Columbia and willamette rivers can be
made. 1t Is certain to run into millions.
The entire Northwest, including Idaho.
Washington and Oregon and British Co
lumbda. is virtually shut of from the East
by the floods. The Canadian Pacific roads
have been washed out for hundreds or
miles, ard it viii require weeks to repair
the damage after the water goes down.
This city still has connections both ways
on the Southern Pacific, but the maids are
badly DELAYED. TIE Northern Pacific makes
connections through Puget sound and this
city by means OF the transfer boat which
northern Idaho the Greet Northern and
Northern Pacific has been washed out FOR
miles, rendering the roads almost useless
west of Idaho. The Union Pacific Is partly
Railway and Navigation C~ompany's road.
which is the western connection OF the