The record-union., 1894-05-30
FLOOD IN PORTLAND.
The Willamette River Rising Half
an Inch an Hour.
WHOLESALE BUSINESS PRACTI-
CALLY ABANDONED.
The Puget Sound Region Almost Cut
Off From Raiiroad Communication
With the East-Nater Higher Than
Ever Known at Spokane-Many
Houses Undermined and Settling.
special to the REcoRp-uNIoN.

| special TO the fSECORD-UNION.
PORTLAND, May 29.-The Willamette
River continues to rise at the rate of one
half inch an hour. First street is now
flooded to the depth of several inches
between Washington and Burnside
streets, and at several low points the
water is encroaching upon Second street.
A further rise Of six inches will bring
the water up to the record Of June, 1876.
Merchants are busily engaged in moving
| their goods.
| Reports from the Upper Columbia are
to the effect that the water is still rising.
At Umatilla rise of three feet since yes
terday is reported.
The wholesale business in this city is
practically abandoned.
Union Pacific trains are indefinitely
delayed. Passengers on the Northern
Pacific arrived here at noon by boats
from Kalama.
Ample time has been given TO protect
property, and little damage will result
unless the water rises to an unprecedented
hight.
The Union Pacific passenger train due
here yesterday morning is at Grants.
The East bound passenger which left
here last night is at Bonneville. There are
several washouts between Bonneville and
Cascade Locks. Three miles east of Ar
lington, about 200 feet of track is out in
one place, and at Castle Rock there is
bad washout The wires are down west
of Grande, and no reports as to the con-
dition of the track can be obtained. A
boat will be run from Portland to Bonne-
vile tonight with passengers and mail.
These will be transferred to the Wash
r1f1 tl<a-- thn n.t-
age River over the Cascades and thence
to the Dalles.
The Northern Pacific tracks are under
water at both landings OF the Tacoma
ferry, and both passengers and mails are
being transferred by boat at Kelso on the
Washington side and Columbia City on
the Oregon side. McGowan's wheel,
costing $4,000, is a total wreck, and it is
in imminent danger Of being swept away.
1t is reliably stated that should the water
rise another two feet it will entail great
loss.
The river at o'clock tonight stood
81. IA feet above loW water, and rising at
the rate of one foot in twentyfour hours.
Reports from Eastern Oregon, Wash
ington and Idaho, show that the temper
ature has risen there, and that the snow
is melting with great rapidity. When
the water already in the Upper Columbia
reaches here it will raise the Willamette
to a greater hight that ever before known.
The damage in this city has been light SO
far, with the exception of the loss caused
by suspension of business in many
wholesale houses on Front and First
streets.
TRAINS BLOCKADED.
SEATTLE, May 29.-The Puget Sound
region is almost cut off from railway
communication with the East The
Canadian Pacific, Northern Pacific,
Great Northern and Union Pacific are all
blockaded on account of tn floods. On
the first-named road the waters of the
Frazer River are higher than have been
known for twenty years, and vast ex
pause of territory is under water, much
damage having been done to farmers and
to the property of the railroad. The
bridge across the Columbia River at
Revelsoke has been washed away. The
Great Northern line will not be in rum
ming order for several days, but Skagit
River is falling rapidly, and the wash
outs on the coast lines will be repaired IL
day or two. No train arrived to-day
from the East over the Northern Pacific.
In the immediate vicinity of the city
the high waters are rapidly receding, and
no further damage is anticipated.
MAILS DELAYED BY FLOODS.
TACOMA, May 29.-The mails for the
entire State are greatly delayed by the
floods. To-day's overland train on the
Northern Pacific did not arrive and is re-
ported to have been abandoned in Idaho,
bridges having been washed away where
the road crosses Clark's Fork. Railroad
men say tonight that the Great Northern
and Canadian Pacific are both in SINH
lar condition. The Northern Pacific re-
ports all streams falling except the Co.
lumbia and officials say trains between
here and the East will run regularly
within a day or two.
HIGHEST WATER EVER KNOWN.
SPOKANE. May 29.-The river rose
three inches last night and is still rising.
The Dennis and Bradley bridge is given
up. 1t is expected to go at any moment.
If it does, it will take with it the olive
street and Washington-street bridges.
Many houses are undermined and set
Ting.
The water is four and half feet higher
at the new water works site than ever
known. Work is abandoned altogether.
The Union Pacific bridge still stands,
but it is expected to go.
The Union Pacific and Great Northern
tracks are inundated. Traffic is sus-
pended.
WORK OF n TRAMP.