Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1894-06-13
THOUSANDS OF HOMES GONE,
Steamers Searching for the Dead
and Succoring the Living in
Frazer Valley.

Vancouver. 3. c., June 7.-Another
waterspout occurred last evening in the
upper Frazer River Valley, and the hor-
rors of the great flood are increased to-
day by the vast volume of water that is
sweeping through villages and over
ranches that have escaped disaster in the
previous inundation. Hundreds of square
miles of rich lands and scores of towns
are flooded. The valley Of the Frazer is
turned into great sea, through which a
current sweeps that bears on 1T the
homes and other property of the resi-
dents of villages, hamlets and rural dis
tricts. Steamers employed in the work of
rescue pass for miles over what few
weeks ago was a territory rich In agrl-
cultural and manufacturing promise.
Men returning from upper river points
bring sad stories of death, devastation and
desolatiO1. Settlers may be seen at every
station ating on huge RATS made from
the wrecks of farm buildings, on which
they have their families and their cattle.
The government steamers are reSculng
these as rapidly as possible. One of thes'
rats was relieved of its burden by tn.
steamer Gladys to-day. On the raft were
a man and his wife and two children, one
of them an infant. The horses and COWS
constantly threatened to overturn the
craft in moving from side to side in their
efforts to secure food. But there was
none for the animals, and what little there
was for the human beings was nearly eX-
hauSted when the rescue was made. The
younger child may die of exposure. Some
idea of the horrors may be judged when
it is stated that there are thousands of
families similarly situated.
"A newspaper correspondent who re-
turned this morning from a trip above
Port Haney ON rescue steamer reports
a terrible state of affairs in the upper
river. Herds of half-starved cattle tied
on RATS, with no one TO guide the journey
of the insecure craft, were seen. Just
above 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 stock adrift at the mercy
of the tide. Two houses tied to swaying
RATS glided by. Families were at the
doors with excited faces, but apparently
safe. A red handkerchief was furiously
waved short distance off, and the steam
er hands were soon lifting out of the boat
an exhausted, starving farmer and his
wife. The woman had tainted for want
of food. A moment later the steamer
was again hailed. A man from shore
called out that. he had seen a raft with
two bodies OMIT. Details Of many TRACE
dies will never reach here.
After many exciting scenes the steam
er sailed over the Central Pacific Railroad
and tied up at the Wharnock railroad sta
ton, which was half under water. The
people of Wharnock told numerous tales
of wholesale havoc and ruin. At Hattie.
two horses and a store foated out toward
the steamer, but the people of the town
never spoke, never mov-d, and they were
too desperate to ask for assistance. At
Mission City the steamer bumped into a
barn covered with chickens in all stages
of starvation.
At Sumas the greatest suffering was re-
ported. Many requests for assistance
were made. AS the steamer swung out
of Sumas a band of Indians were seen
holding a barbecue An OK had been
dragged from the river, and the half
starved red men were devouring it. At
present no stop can be put to such revolt
ing Spectacles, which are said to be com
mon all along the river. The Indian
ranches have been swept away for hun
dreds of miles, and, with nothing to cover
them but blankets, the sufferers are biy-
ouacking upon the mountain sides and
Selling carcasses for food as they pass
near them.
At Chilliwack City nothing can be seen
but the tops of houses. The entire popu-
latiOn met the steamer at the foot of
the principal street.
1t was reported last night that a Ray
mOnd excursion train from Boston had
been wrecked and every person on board
killed. The report is untrue, as the train