Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-07
MANY ACRES SWEPT AWAY
Another Cloudburst in the Fraser
Valley.
Stories of Death, Devastation and
Rescuing the Homeless Settlers.

RescutnE the Homeless Settlers.
VANCOUVER, b. c., June THE Fraser
river is still rising at Westminster During
the twenty-four hours ending this morning
the flood gained one inch. The worst has
undoubtedly been experienced for reports
from the river points state the river is
steadily receding. AT Lytton the river fell
twenty seven inches yesterday.
News has been received here of an ap-
palling landslide which occurred in the vi
cinity of Ashcrofton Saturday last A
tract of 100 acres of land was carried into
the river. A cloudburst is said to have
been the immediate cause of the disaster
Three thousand dollars was raised here last
night for the flood sufferers. The Bank of
Montreal has also contributed 81. 600. 1t, is
now claimed by many that the destruction
of farms in the Fraser valley has not been
as complete as at first reported,t and that
nearly all of the suffering ranchers will be
able to raise crops this season
All the Canadian Pacific passengers who
left for the east Sunday and since then
returned to this city last night, having
found it impossible to get through the
mountains. There are q dozen breaks of q
serious nature along the dine and the track
cannot be opened for week. more Sc
rious interruption than previously reported
is due to cloudburst in the vicinity of
Lytton.
The burst swept the railroad for nine
miles, from the sawmill flats, Lytton, where
the approaches to the government suspen-
sion bridge on the Old Carlboo road were
carried away. The waters also swept away
the iron bridge at Ashcroft and the Cana
dian Pacific railroad bridge near Spencer
station. The water tore down the noun
tain gorges with incredible velocity and
sent the river leaping over its banks In a
boiling and seething torrent.
THIS great volume of water is vet to be
felt in the lower Fraser valley, which IL
Will not reach for another day. As furthe.
details of the cloudburst are received the
earlier reports of receding waters at Lytton
and other points of the river are discredi;ed
However, it is not believed the lower river
Will rise much higher.
Men who returned last night from upper
-iver points bring sad stories of death de-
vastation and desolat tion. Settlers NAV be
seen at every station floating on huge RATS
made out of the wrecks of farm buildings
In which they have their families and their
cattle.
The government steamers are rescuing
these as rapidly as possible. One of these
RATS was relieved of its burden by the
steamer Gladys today. On the raft were
man and wife and two children one of
them an infant, the other two and a half
years old. The horses and cattle constantly
threatened to overturn the craft, for they
were moving from side to side in their ef-
Iorts 10 secure food. But there was none
Tor the animals, and what little there was
Ior the human beings was nearly exhausted
Wnen the rescue was made. The younger
child may die of exposure
Some idea of the horrors NAV he iudqad
when 1t Is stated that there are thousands
OF families similarly situated
A newspaper correspondent who returned
this morning from a trip above Port Haney
on rescue steamer reports a terrible sta 70
OF affairs In the upper river. Herds Of half
starved cattle tied on RATS, with no one 10
guide the journey of the insecure craft,
were seen.
Just above Haney some desperate rancher
mad been playing cards with fate, and had
bet his all to win or lose on the last card by
sendins his little stock adrift at the mercy
oI the ude. Two. houses tied to swaying
RATS gNded by Families were at the doors
with excited faces but apparently safe.
red handkerchief was furiously waved
snort distance of, and the steamer hards
we're we're soon nfting out of the boat an ex-
hausted farmer and his wife. The woman
mad tainted for want of food
TACOMA, Wash, June 1-Railroad mon
ana others are beginning to estimate the
damage done by the floods throughout the
northwest A number of conservative men
nave placed the amount i'm the neiehhor.
hood OF $5OOO,OO0. 1t is estimate ted that the
hoods and wash-outs of tracks and loss ot
business Will cause loss of at least $500
W eaeh to the Great Northern and Cana
the Northern Pacific. Railway men borS
think 1t will take the Great Northern ana
Canadian Pacific a month to finally rena In
their tracks, and the Northern Pacific
nearly as long.
NORTHPORT, WASH, June IA mas.
sage arrived here today from Nelson With
the report that Kaslo, B. c. was swept al.
most entirely out of existence Sunday by
Hood and wind. 1t is said the wharf and
stores were carried into the lake, and tina,
a iccsS,
lars are obtainable. The telegraph wire is
oown and trains are not running
VANCOUVER, B. c., June News Is
Just coming that the cloudburst I'M this
Frazer river resulted in the total destruc.
tion OF Raymond excursion train.
NEW YORK, June 7-Mr. f.. ". Skin.
rer, agent OF the Canadian Pacific in this
city, has just received the following mes.
sage from the general Offices of that com.
pany at Montreal:
No truth in the report that the Ray.
rrond d Whitcomb party have met with
any trouble They are now living in the
company's hotel at Field. All our passen.
gers en- route are being properly taken
care Of"
MONTREAL, June THE officials
OF the Canadian Pacific deny the report OF
the loss OF the Raymond Whitcomb excur-
sion train. A telegram just received from
Field, b. c.. states that the party referred
to Is still there waiting for the road to be
cleared west
NEW YORK. June THE following dis
patch has just been received from c. r.
fIosiner, manager of the Canadian Pacific
railroad at Montreal:
There Is absolutely no truth in the report
of an accident to the Raymond d-Wh hitcomb
excursion party. The excursion referred to
is at Field, b. c.. and there has been no
accident to any passenger train on the road
by which loss of life occurred.
Mr.. Hosmer also forwards the following
dispatch:
FIELD. B. c., June THE Raymond and
Whitcomb party mentioned as having been
lost in the mountains are comfortably locat-
ed at the Canadian Pacific Hotel here.
They are waiting for the repair of the rail-
way west OF here.