Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-06-08
RECORD OF HAVOC
Made by the Oeluging Waters
ofthe Frazer.
PEOPLE FIND REFUGE ON RATS

Lost and the Country Full of Scenes of
Misery and Devastation - Story of .
Steamer Trip in Which the Vessel
Steamed Over Submerged Railways.
VANCOUVER, B. c., June s.-The Fraser
river is still rising at Westminster All
the Canadian Pacific passengers who left
for the east and since then returned to
this city, having found it impossible to
get through the mountains. There are
half dozen breaks of a serious nature
along the line and the track cannot he
opened for a week. A more serious inter-
ruption than. previously reported is due
to cloudburst in the vicinity of Lytton.
The burst swept the railroad for nine
miles from the sawmills flats to Lytton,
where the approaches to the government
suspension bridge, on the old Cariboo
road, were carried away. The waters also
swept away the iron bridge at Ashcroft
and the Canadian Pacific railroad bridge
near Spencer station. The water tore
down the mountain gorges with incredu-
lous velocity and sent the river leaping
over its banks in a boiling and seething
current
Stories of Death and Devastation.
Men who returned from upper river
points bring sad stories of DEATH devasta-
tion and desolation. Settlers may be seen
at every station floating on huge RATS
made out of the wrecks of farm build
ings, on which they have their families
and their cattle. The government steam
ers are rescuinG these as rapidly as possi-
bic. One of these RATS was relieved of it's
burden by the steamer Glayds. On the
raft were Il man and his wife and two
children. One of the children was an in
fant, the other years and 6 months old.
The horses and cattle constantly threaten
ed to oyerturn the craft, for they were
moving from side TO side in their effort to
secure food. But there was none for the
animals, and what little there was for the
human beings WAS nearly exhausted when
the rescue was made The younger child
may die of exposure 1t is stated that
there are thousands of families similarly
situated.
Many Scenes of Misery.
A newspaper correspondent, who re-
turned from trip above Port Haney on
rescue steamer. reports terrible state of
! affairs III the upper river Herds OF half
| starved cattle. tied on RATS, with no one to
guide the insecure craft, were seen. just
above Port Haney some desperate rancher
had been playing cards with fate and had
bet his all to win or lose on the last card
by sending his little stoct. adrift at the
mercy of the tide. Two houses tied TO
swaying RATS glided 10y. Families were
1T the doors with excited faces, but ap-
parently safe. a red handkerchief was
| furiously waved short distance off and
the steamer hands were soon lifting out OF
the boat an exhausted, starving farmer
and his wife. The woman had tainted for
want of food. y moment later the steam
er was again hailed. A man from shore
| called out that he had seen raft with two
| bodies on it.
| Sailed Over Railway Tracks.
| After many other exciting scenes the
| steamer sailed over the Central Pacific
| railroad and tied up at Wharnock railroad
| station, which was half under water The
| people OF Wharnock told numerous tales
of wholesale havoc and ruin. At Aatzic
| two houses and a store floated out toward
the steamer, but the people of the town
were too desperate to ask Tor assistance.
At Mission City the steamer bumped into
a barn covered with chickens. At
| Sumas the greatest suffering was re-
| ported. Many requests for assistance
We're made. AS the steamer swung out OF
| Sumas Indians We're seen holding a bar
| becue. An OK had been dragged from the
river and the half-starved redmen We're
devouring ii. The Indian ranches have
| been swept away. and, with nothing to
| cover them but Blankets the Indians are
| bivouacking upon the mountain sides and
| seizlng carcasses as they pass by. At
| Chilliwack City nothing can be seen but
the tops Oh the houses.