The record-union., 1894-06-04
The Situation at Portland Grow
ing More Serious.
GREAT DAMAGE TO RAILROADS ALL
ALONG THE LINE.
The Destruction Property in Colorado
Runs up to a High Figure-Not
Vestige of Placer Left on Clear
Creek-oregon Votes To-day for
state Officers.
Special to the RrcoRD-USroS.

EDeClai TO bne fSECORD-ONASN'
PORTLAND. June 3.-This has been
busy Sunday in Portland. All day long
merchants in the flooded districts have
been at work moving out goods or rais-
ing them on platforms above the water.
The river confines to rise, and every nour
renders the situation more perllous. Inc
weather has become cooler west OF the
Cascade Mountains. but no reports can
be had from Eastern Oregon and Wash
ington, the source of all the flood. Iele-
graph wires north and east are prostrated
and it is impossible to obtain any news OF
the situation along the Columbia River.
The river here is thirty one feet above
low water, and every twenty-four hours
adds to it from eight to twelve inches.
Three-fourths of the wholesale district is
under water from two to ten feet, and the
water is fast encroaching upon the best
part of the retail district. Hundreds OF
small houses on the flats, which are sur
rounded by water up to the second story,
have begun to turn over, and further
rise of foot will take them out. Many
merchants are unable to get lumber with
which to build platforms where they can
keep their goods above water. Every
available boat in the city has been hired,
and boatmen receive from 81 to 81 90 Tor
their services.
The Western Union Telegraph Office is
surrounded by six feet of water, and IN
order to keep up communication with the
outside world the battery has been moved
to the second story. On the west side OF the
river the water extends almost TO Wash
ington street, on Sixth, within one block
of the 0regOnidR building, on Sixth and
Alder streets.
This evening the water has reached the
first floor of Lipman IL Wolfe, the largest
dry goods store in the city. On the east
side many Of the elevated roadways lead
ing to the river are submerged, and the
Madison-street bridge at the south end OF
the city is the only bridge open to traffic.
A rise OF six inches more will shut Oft the
gas supply of the city. The Union depot
IS two feet under water, and the Union
Pacific car shop at Albina is surrounded
by five feet.
The Southern Pacific is the only rail-
road running trains into Portland, and
they are compelled to stop at the south
END of the city, being unable to reach
either of their depots. The Union Pacific
is hopelessly tied up both by rail and
boat
An effort was made to-day to take the
steamer Harvest Queen up the river over
the falls at the Cascades, but as there is no
the attempt was successful. The North
ern Pacific makes regular trips with the
transfer boat Tacoma between this city
and Kelso, Wash.
1t is learned from persons arriving here
by boat that the storm last night did great
damage along the Northern Pacific be-
tween kalama and Tacoma. Houses and
trees were blown down, and at Chehalis
and Centralia much damage is said to
have been done.
In this city a hard rain fell most of the
day, which prevented sightseers from
visiting the flooded district i'll as large
numbers as on the past few days.
Labor is in great demand here, and men
are getting from 90 cents to 81 per hour.
The flood will Interfere with the cleo
tion tomorrow, as many Of the polling
places are under water.
No estimate of the damage by the flood
is possible, but it will be something APP
palling when reports from the upper and
lower river are received. The Dalles,
town Of 1900 people, cannot be reached
by wire, but it is known from the hight
of the water here that nearly all the busi-
ness portion of the town is under water
There is strong current in the Column
bia at that point, and great damage has
certainly resulted.
IN COLORADO.
DENVER, June 81. E. Murden. Con-
tracing Freight Agent of the Union Pa
cific, is in the city, having walked all the
distance from Central City to Golden.
Mr.. Murden said: mo one can conceive
of the destruction in that part of the
country. The mine in Central City is
flooded, and there is not vestige of
placer mine left in Clear Creek. Between
Central City and Forks Creek there are
twenty-eight washouts. averaging from
two to fifteen feet in width. Between
Idaho Springs and Golden there are
thirty-siX washouts. The mining men
in Central City estimate the loss to the
country at $500, 600. 1t is not known when
the Gulf Will commence running trains
again to Central City and Georgetown,
but il may be week or ten days yet. OF
course this estimate is based on the as
sumption that the creek viii not again
rise"