Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1894-05-31
FLOODS.
The Missouri River Threatens to
Wash East Atchison Away.
STORES AND HOUSES BEING MOVED.
The Northwest Suffering from Flood
Caused from Melting SnOw-Damage
TO Railway Property and Farm
Lands Great.


forty-eight hours ending at o'clock
yesterday evening the Missouri river
has risen nearly feet at this point.
The rise was very sudden and great
damage is being done to property in the
vicinity of East AtchiSon- During past
twelve hours the stream has cut away
nearly 200 feet of adjoining land near
that town, and the work of destruction
continues. The town of East Atchison
has been protected heretofore by a
strip of land known as the point,
and which extended for several yards
into the river This point has been
cut away. however, and the main cur
rent of the stream strikes the town al
most directly from the north 1t Will
probably be only a question of few
hours until the current has full sway
at East Atchison from this direction,
and then no power on earth can save
the place from being swept away.
Great excitement prevails there, and
great many persons have moved to this
side of the river for safety.
Store buildings and houses which
stood in the north end of the village
are being torn down or moved by their
owners. Probably as many as dozen
buildings We're moved yesterday, and
the work will continue throughout the
| night. LaborerS and teams from this
| city as well as from the country sur
rounding East Atchison have been sent
| there to assist the citizens in removing
/ their houses.
Just north of East Atchison there are
three lines of railroad paralleling each
/ other-the Rock Island, Santa Fe and
/ Hannibal & st. Joseph. The river has
cncroached to within less than 80 feet
| of the tracks of these railways, and it
| is proba BILE that trains will be COM
| PEELED to stop passing over them.
Several days ago a large force of
men were put to work by the
railways rip-rapping the bank in an
effort to stay the encroachments. This
was discontinued Saturday for the
reason that no bank could be secured
to continue the rip-rapping and also
that the stream washed it out almost
as fast as it was placed there. 1t is
thought nothing can be done now to
prevent the cutting, and citizens are
either preparing to leave the place or
else standing idly by watching the
river on its mission of destruction.
PORTLAND INUNDATED.
PORTLAND, Ore, May 2S.-The entire
northwest is just now suffering from
disastrous food caused by melting
snow in the mounta in ranges. The
| Willamette in this city is now % feet
above low water mark and is rising at
the rate of = inch per hour. At the
Da1les during the past twenty-four
hours the Columbia has riser feet,
which means foot and half rise at
this point during the next twenty-four
hours. The water yesterday reached
Front street and all day long merchants
on the water front were moving goods
to upper stories. In Albina many small
houses on the flats are under water and
the occupants have moved to higher
grounds.
The Spokane river and Coeur d'AIene
are higher than ever before known, and
immense damage has already been done
to railroad property in western Wash
ington and northern Idaho. All rivers
and streams flowing into Puget sound
are swollen, many of them beyond their
banks. The damage to railroad prop
erty and farming land is very heavy.
ANTHRACITE MINES FLOODED.
PHILADELPHIA, May 2S.-The anthra-
cite coal trade, like the bituminous
trade, is at a standstill, though from
vastly different causes. The floods
throughout the anthracite regions
have flooded many of the mines,
forcing a suspension of work I'M
til the flooded mines can be re-
lieved of the surplus water.
The results of the enforced stoppage,
together with the curtailed production
! of the anthracite mining companies for
several months past, has produced a
scarcity of hard coal, especially with
the Reading company, which has been
compelled within the past few days to
decline orders.
Out of some forty collieries operated
by the Reading. all but twelve are at
present in condition to prevent the
mining of coal, but the company's Off
Gals expect in a few days to have the
majority of them pumped out and in
operation. Such of the mines as are in
working condition are being pushed to
their fullest extent, orders have been
to work all of them ten hours day
and every day in the week.
In the Lehigh region there has been
some enforced stoppage of mining,
principally in the Hazelton district.
where five of the twelve collieries are
idle.
In the Wilkesbarre region the mines
were not affected by the waters. and
are running as usual. A number of in.
dividua1 operators were also drowned
out and forced to a temporary stoppage
Guilty of Prize Fighting.
CORNING Ia. Nav 2S.-The trial Oh