The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1894-06-20

PKICE, FIVE CENIO.
Union office the business has all been
moved upstairs and into other streets.
The Office ON the ground floor, is now
in about three feet of water, and the
long counter stands almost on its end
in the middle OF the debris, tilted over
against half d dozen Instrument tables
that lie broken up against Dispatch
er's desk. To look at this place and
think that 1t is the handsome and i'm
posing looking Office Of two weeks ago,
| is almost an impossibllity. Everything
is turned green and white, and mildew
rests thick on the walls. The expensive
ly fitted up Gem saloon, containing some
of the handsomest bar fixtures in the
city Is badly wrecked, and looks the pic
ture of desolation. The tessalated floor
is stained black, and the woodwork for
four feet up is ruined. Stuart & Thom-
sons stationary establishment is sim
ply a covering for two feet Of Shiny
water Tons of material-note paper,
books, magazines and envelopes, have
been destroyed, either by the dampness
or by actual contact with the water
Stubbs' hardware store is another
wreck, and the damage to goods will
amount to a considerable sum. The
present value Of many of the articles in
jured is nil. In fact, though l suppose
there will be big series Of flood sales
extensively advertised before long, the
truth of the matter is that the water
has either ruined goods completely or
left them intact, and there is very little
warrant for the statement that so much
store material has been partially
damaged. Indeed the very destructive
work of the water on whatever 1t has
touched has led firm Of chemists in
town to analyze the material deposited
by the food. They expect to find the
presence Of some peculiar mineral sub
stance. Sichel & Meyers handsome
cigar store is one Of the best fitted up
establishments of its kind in Portland,
and, of course, the flood has done its
work only too well among the many
beautiful and artistic things with which
the building is filed. Thanks to prompt
packing and precautions taken in time,
much valuable stuff was saved from the
place, but a good deal of loss has, not
withstanding, been entailed on the pro-
prietors, who have the longest cleaning
up job In their history before them. The
Goodyear Rubber Co., A. p. Hotaling
Co. and Lang & Co., wholesale grocers.
are three Of the heaviest losers along
this route. In the Vicinity of the foun-
tain in front of Meyer, Wilson's Office,
the scent Is one of desolatlon, and store
after store is completely gutted This Is
the region of cheap clothing, pocket
knife and watch bargains, and lottery
tickets, and the flood seems to have
made q clean sweep. The city at this
spot falls quite low. and no doubt 1t
was this that brought the river to the
doors of their houses before the mer-
chants realized their danger. Then, It
was too late to do anything. whichever
way 1t happened, the flood spared moth
ing, and trunks, valises, shoes, straps,
cheap Jewelry and perfume, besides
thousands Of other articles, are worth
now about penny on the dollar and
dear at that Further down still the
grade Of stores gets cheaper, and they
ri q nj
too, everything has been swept away.
The sight becomes more and more
wretched as we proceed, till at last
First street mingles its waters with
those of Front, forming the lake men
toned in my second letter, and making
a fitting termination to this scene OF
and destruction.
This meeting of the waters" where
the combined filth and debris Of Gil
san, Front and First flow together with
. gentle splashing. and where you can
get clear view of several acres OF the
most grusome scene ever looked at with
In the boundaries Of city, is alone
worth the trouble OF a visit. were 1t not
for the constantly increasing danger one
would run In the shape Of some deadly
epidemic. For at this spot. as It is the
1reariest, so 1t is the fllthiest. 1t Is.
too. worst Of all, in the centre Of
thlclSly crowded poor population. Hun
lreds Of small children live almost with
N a stones throw Of the spot, and al
-eady the police are kept busy forcibly
the little ones to give the
'ever-breeding lake wide berth.
Speaking Of the police. It may be said
hat throughout the food they have
lcted. individually and collectively, with
no little foresight and prudence. or
necessity they have been compelled to
work without instructions many times,
md to exercise their discretion far more
han they would be allowed to do under
ordinary circumstances. To their credit
I must be said that during most try
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