The herald., 1894-06-07
OVERLOOKED COLUMBIA.
SAUVIES AND MEMALOOSE ISLANDS
SUBMERGED.
Prospects OF This Years Salmon Fishing
Destroyed-Serious Condition
of tho Bridges Mt
Portland.

PORTLAND, Ore., June 6.-Snake river
is falling and the Columbia stationary.
In this city the water will probably
reach the 33-foot mark by noon. On
Front street the water is deep enough
for the navigation of large sized river
craft. At Ash street it is ~ feet deep.
Many docks have disappeared to the
roofs and are only kept from floating
by heavy loads OF machinery, etc.. stored
there. On the East Side one can count
dozen buildings in the flooded district
ready to go down.
A telephone message received this
afternoon from the locks says that the
contractors have succeeded in strength
ening the bulkhesd so that it will not
90 out. They have had large gangs of
men working for six days and nights.
and large quantities of gravel, brush
and stone have been ueed. 1t is not be-
lieved that all danger is past.
News from down the Columbia river
shows q most deplorarle condition OF
affairs. Fishing hiss been suspended
and the great stream has flooded the
whole country on both sides. Houses
have been carried away, farms mum
dated and crops destroyed. There has
been great loss of stock. Anything APP
proxmating an estimate OF the damage
ia utterly impossible.
Ssuvies island ia entirely submerged
and its crops destroyed. The loss is
very heavy and will leave great many
in destitute circumstances. Suffer-
ing and want prevail among the
families OF many ranchers. Up the
Columbia the floods have destroyed
the prospects of this seasons salmon
fishing. All the fish wheels have either
been carried away or destroyed.
At The Dalles the river is 58.3 feet
above low water. The only houses
doing business are groceries and the
market. The water is nearly three feet
deep on the floor of the postofhce. A
swift current is running through the
town, and it is feared many buildings
will be washed from their foundations.
Hotels are in the water to the second
story. Thirty blocks are under water
and the rise OF few more fset will in
ndate the entire portion OF the town
er the bluff. Memaloose island, the
rial place OF Indians for many years,
is almost entirely under water and hun
dreds of skeletons are being washed
away.
At police headquarters this morning
Chief of Police Hunt detailed several
officers to visit the northern part of the
city in boats to seek out families in dis
tress. The poor, however, are mostly
being cared for in various parts of the
city by friends and charitably disposed
people. The suspension of operations
ON all the street car lines, excepting the
Second street road, is growing to be a
serious inconvenience to thosands of
people and particularly those living in
the east side suburbs. The companies
will directly and indirectly suffer loss
of many thousands of dollars.
Chief Engineer Buchtei this morning
caused another engine to be placed on
barge. This makes three engines now
every part of tbs flooded district.
This morning the Southern Pacific
overland brought heavy load of pas
sengers and mail. The Union Pacific
mail was sent in over the southern's
line, and there was fully ten tons of let
ters and papers from the east, which
have beer delayed several days.
The condition OF the Madison and
Morrison street bridges ia serious. The
pressure of water from underneath has
broken up the approaches on either
side. The draw of the Morrison-street
bridge is now being turned araund by
hand, while the lower part OF tie
draw is several inches under water.
Traffic is still going over the Madison
bridge, and since every other thorough
fare to the east side OF the river has
been closed, the traffic on this bridge
is enormous.
At 10 O'Clock tonight the river here is
stationery and will undoubtedly begin
to fall by morning. During 10 hours to-
day the rise was only one-tenth of
foot, and reports from Eastern Oregon
state that the Columbia and Snake
rivers are rapidly falling. The damage
will be apparent when the water begins
to fall. Nearly every dock in the city
has been foated out of place, and when
the water recedes they will settle down
and many of them collapse. Sawmills
are heavy losers by reason OF the i'm
mense quantities OF lumber and logs
floating out.
As far as learned, not life has been
Loaf in this vicinity. Tonight Thousands
of pleasure-seekers are out on First,
Second Third and Fourth streets in
boats. Many business men in the flooded
district will be ruined. They neglected
to raise their stocks or move out before
the water reached them, and when the
demand for boats and wagons exceeded
the supply they were unable to secure
assistance.
The Union Pacific is practically a
wreck between this city and Umatilla,
distance of 200 miles. Much of their
rolling stock is also damaged. In this
city many engines are standing in four
feet of water, and at The Dalles a num-
Der of engines arc sadeg water except