New-York tribune., 1896-12-04
THE THREATENED CITIES
ICE GORCEs IN THE CHIPPEWA RIvET
REMAIN INTACT.
rroop WATERS CREEPING Up on THE STREETS
OF CHIPPEWA FAIA-s-AN ARMY ENGl-
NEER on THE sCENE-THE
pERILs OF EAU CLAIRE.

or CHIPPEWA FAILs-AN ARMY ENGI-
NEER on THE scENE-THE
PERII4s OF EAU CLAIRE
c-b,nn.wa Falls. WIS. Dec. 3.-The waters of
.,o C,hippewa still CT, ep slowly into the city.
end the prospect Of an early end Of trouble is
~.u, remote The water extends half way to
~e,,raI-st now. and all buildings that were oc-
o,,n,ad vest erday are inundated. That portion
.,be town which it was expected would be the
ers, TO suffer-the block on the bank Of the
creek between Spring and Central sts-has es-
caped so far and most OF the business houses
there continue TO transact business. although
q now appears that they will be forced to va
.o+a n a short time Colonel W. a. Jones. OF
6, Paul the Government engineer. who is here
exarining the situation. has few encouraging
words 10 offer He believes the gorge Will not
60 suddenly. but is not prepared TO say whether
or not dynamite can bulge IT, II Is believed
tha, ne will not authorize such an attempt T.
he made Up to Q o'clock tonight 1000 poWlds
~ dynamite has been used on the gorge, but
with little effect To make matters worse. a
heavy snowstOrm has set in and NOR. Ice Is
forming The people are panic-stricAen. and
men are asking each other where IL Will END
Business Is denoralzed
Reports from the farming country is distress
,nr Hundreds are homeless. oil their personal
effects being swept away Fy the relentless
waters Tie Government Will he asked to-mor-
row TO send men to try ans. blow up the gorge.
Thjs is believed TO be the Only hope now to save
the entire city from being inundated.
Water began rising about O'Clock this morn
ing and came up with rush In two hours i
had passed far bey2r,d its maximum height Of
Yesterday. Those VINO had vacated their stores
had the satisfaction Of knowing that the move
was not an unnecessary one. and they were tn
only persons who claimed any measure of conso
Iation out of the cheerless situation. The water
filed every basement In the affected blocks To-
The top. and furnaces that escaped yesterday
we're drowned out to-day The hustle and excite
mant OF yesterday were followed by day OF
comparative inactivity.
The only business that was transacted was
such as the flood made necessary. Few mer
chants got out Of the way this morning. but in
asnuch as the majority had moved YESTERDAY
the scene was not nearly as busy to-day The
water threw business farther uptown. and the
postofice al Bridge and Willow sts became the
centre Of active business life.
The freight and passenger stations OF the WIS
consln Central and Milwaukee roads are In
sadly demoralized condition. The milwaukee,
freight station stands at an angle of ~ de
erees from its former position and the fact that
g is connected 10 the railroad tracks with strong
cables alone prevents IL from falling into the
river The water eddicd around ii all day, SLOWLY
eating it's foundation from under. and total
collarse Will follow before morning. AS much
car was not taken by the Wisconsin Centra
COMPANY 70 preserve its passenger station TIL
old structure stands out gloomily in its bed OF
water and Will never be fit for use again on
ne
swiftly over the platform. The tracks are
twisted and warped and will rot be- ft for use
FOR some time.
Mayor Lindley has received numerous tele-
grams prorerng assistance in case aid is re-
ouired Governor Upham telegrsphed for in
formation this afternoon. asking II any help
could be given bv the State 10 remove the dan
ger Mayor Eauschen berger. OF Milwaukee. t"le-
graphed that the city stood ready to do all In its
power to offer relief in the event Of distress. TO
all kilograms the Mayor replied that no assist
ance was yet required and that the city was IL
good condition so far as danger 70 life is con
oerned
1t is impossible 70 get room for all who have
been Obliged to move. and merchants have been
obliged u store goods in private houses on the
hill Scores Of drays have been kept busy all
day and every barn and shed Is being utilized IN
addition 10 the houses. on River-st. the water IL
about four feet deep The Ottawa House and
Cardinal House and adjoining buildings have
about two feet Of water on the first floor and
the goods were moved 10 the upper stories. The
women u the city held a meeting and made Ar-
rangemenis for a conference at the Stanley
house tomorrow 10 arrange for taking care OF
tne poor who have been driven from home Dy
the high water The Board OF Health has ask ked
mat the people refrain much as possible from
using the sewers There number Of cases
OF typhoid fever and with the sewers In the
business part OF the city stopped up the health
OF the community will be greatly impaired un-
less precaution is used
colonel Jones. the Army engineer, says that
ne ne cannot give opinion yet as 10 what Is best
70 be done He found the ice pack. or gorg. ex-
tended eighteen miles. and that while the water
was rising in Chippewa Falls. the river itself
x@ falling. and that he did not believe that the
csnser very great just now. Further
man this he would not speak until he had inves-
usated more thoroughly.
Eau Claire. Wis. Dec. 3.-To realize the great
danser between this city and Chippewa Falls. II
only necessary to visit the banks OF the Chip
pewa II is double headed danger that Is
threatened What brings relief to CHR roewa
rams will bring devastation TO Eau Claire. Du
'.no and other points below here.
j. Inc Ice jam Will likely remain Intact. perhaps
,vr months. and only natural causes can break
- The river here is not rising in proportion to
.n .ne mood above the gorge. and this means that