The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-11-19
ON TnE SNOQUALMIE.

ON TnE SNOQUALMIE.
Kew che Floea Came sna swept
Away the Property - the
saGering Farmers.
Cherry valley has experienced . more
thorough deluge than Ii has seen since the
oldest settlers can remember" writes J.
Rae Gibson. the school teacher there
The fact that everybody vas unpre-
pared. even those who best knew the
freaks Of the Snoquaimle river. accounts
for the extreme confusion which enSued
among the Cherry va--ey farmers on the
morning OF November Is.
For several days previous the Chinook
winds we're at work. always accompanied
by drifting rains, and We exchanged the
rather cold weather we had been expert
encsng. for days 50 mild and pleasant that
we were almost uncomfortable with the
same protection against the weather.
When I; Ia very cold and ne know II 10
showing on the mountains. we have no
fear Of high water: and SO the river had
been slowly going down since the cold
snap. But when rhe warm winds came
the water began to come up again. and on
Friday morning II commenced TO come
rapidly. At various Intervals during the
day the children came TO me. saying with
almost happy excitement: Teacher. the
rivers coming up like everything
by o'clock the water WAS in the back
part OF the school grounds, and ~ we
crossed ri1e river going homo We saw that
ii had risen eight feet since morning and
was within . few feet of the banks. On
Saturday It crept past the banks. Every
once In . while We would hear . great
crash OF falling timber. watch sounded
like cannon. and the river was full OF
trash drifting down--great stumps and
trees-so We were not surprised that the
boats due from Snoh2mish did not arrive.
In the forenoon we had gone up to the
nearest creek running into the river, not
by the road. for that was full Of water.
but on the higher ground between the
river and the road. From there We could
see that out beyond rase road the marshes
were one big lake. the fences were covered
up. and by the afternoon We could see
only spots here and there out Of water,
and 'sf.n the rain came gently down.
THE men were running around looking
after their stock. ETC.. but even then did
not take all the precautions they would
have done had they known that the water
would continue TO rise all night and the
next day. I imagine there we're many
who did not sleep much that n.Sht. but
with the bliss OF ignorance went TO bed
and slept peacefully. Our nearest neigh
Dor took refuge With US, and II was well
he did. for by Sunday morning the water
was IN his house. 1t beng lower than ours.
AT about In the morning ! could see
from my window the water about two feet
below, and some two inches Of snow over
everything. The house Is about three feet
from the ground. so we stu had two feet
to come and so on. but we knew that
some OF our less fortunate neighbors
would either be retreating up stars or
moving out We made up our minds that
II worse came to worst. we had a canoe
and would make for the bluffs. One neigh
Dor on the other side of the river called to
us Sunday morning al daybreak. He said
house the night before. was gone. and that
another foot OF water would bring the
food into his house. He also told US that
he literally had his pig in the parior.'
Sometimes there would float down the
river regular little Islands, and We were
afraid OF their striking buildings near the
river hank. Several beehIyes foated
down, with the bees clustered In swarms
on the top. Meanwhile the men were
padding around N canoes getting cattle
upon the hay. where the water had risen
above stable or barn floors The only spec
tacle Of floating 1--we stock witnessed was
a large hog weighing over 200 pounds. It
had been carefully housed. bat by some
means had gotten submerged and fioated
out over the barnyard into ,sle brush. The
men in their canoe rescued the sh.yersng
brute. landing her IN the canoe by means
OF strong rope.
1T still continued 10 snow. and was so
cold that We wondered why the water
KEEP, rising. At 4 o'clock in the afternoon
the water was at a standstill. and after Q
little began 10 go back. BY Monday
morning We could see dry land around the
doors again. the water beng two feet
lower. During the day the men. having
examined their stock. began to stir around
20 hear news of the rest OF the ne!ghbor-
hood. Several canoes went past. and we
learned that a good many had left their
own houses and lodged with those on the
high lands, also that though most Of the
farmers had lost something, yet none had
lest heavily. One man lost sixty or sew
enty swarns of bees. They were stu
floating above water Sunday morning.
but when t-.ey found time TO rescue them
most OF the bees were dead They saved
the honey. however. A good many lost
their hens. some floating off, coops and
All A little mustang pony, left TO shift
for himself. showed more sagac.ty than
beasts IN ike circumstances generally do.
Saturday night the water was>cou,irg I'D
pretty high whore he found himself. and
on Sunday morning we wondered whether
he had found airy. shelter Some time Dur
Ing ne day The men noticed that he had
disappeared. and concluded that hs had
either found h.gh place or was drowned.
Monday he was discovered upon bridge
nearly d quarter OF ul.e away. He haa
swan there when he found himself get
tang Immersed. and had survived the cod
and hunger. On Sunday the sch0oEAouse
held four feet OF water. ard the next asy
somebody got in and fshsss the wet books
cur Of the desks and carried them of home
% dry ose We learned by tasS ts.ns thar
the conist'on az TIRE Skykanassh river.
which was very h.gh and comes more d.
reetiy from the mountains, had added 20
the force and depth OF the Snoopalrnss.
Betwesa here and SnohoFnssA. n the iunc-
furs where both rivers empty into the Sno-
hon 81, IRE Skyiomssa, coming with tie
greater fierce. bad sen; our RIVER back and
held Il,
The outlook after sueh an inunsat,on
= rot particularly cheerful for the farm
eTs: fences down. bridges gone. hay
spoiled ard shiny coat % mud over
everything. The river has possession OF
IRE sposis. such as eackers. bees. aurap-
k-nss oil cans. narress. frewcoa. fences
aad the Ike. ard IT'S Ike has never been
se@a by any on the river. Still the farm
srs are congTatulatsng themselves that
shes~ losses are 20 heavier"
Island stocked With Women Only.