Evening star., 1896-12-01
Threatening Rise in the Wisconsin
River.
GREAT ICE GORGE NEAR EAU CLAIRE
Damage Done to Farms Along the
Chippewa.
AYTR LSUSPENDED

WCASAt, Wis, December 1.-The flood
in the Wisconsin river continues, and at
Granite Heights. ten miles north of here,
the Chicago, Milwaukee and st. Paul
tracks are about half a foot under water
for about half a mile This water is thin
ly sheeted with ice. which is not strong
enough for transfer, yet is enough to Sc
riously impede any attempt to clear the
track. No part of the track is yet washed
out, but it is not considered safe to at
tempt to run through the water. The
nCrth-bound passenger train got through
yesterday morning and was caught by the
rise, that it only run now between
MinocIua and Merrill.
EAU CLAIRE, Wis, December Lowing
TO the floods there is total Suspension Of
railway traffic on the Wabash and Durani
branch of the Milwaukee and ST. Paul rail
way. Great damage mas been done to farms
along the Chippewa riN er. The farmers
families escaped to me railway track from
the rising water and were rescued 10y train
men and an engine.
The great Ice gorge three miles from
Eau Claire is causing the inundation of
Chippewa Falls. nut is protecting Eau
Claire and Duraa1. Ii extends for miles
and cannot Da broken. Unless il should
give way no great damage is looked for
here.
l.
Wisconsin Central officials received advices
from Chippewa Falls today to the effect
that the water had reached to within three
feet of the fails, with indication that by
tElS evening the gorge would he as high as
the falls. The water has rcceded from the
Wisconsin, Central tracks, but as the road
is forty feet above the river, the substance
is no sign that the lower part of the city
of Chippewa Falls is not cuffering.
According TO the reports no great dam
age has resulted in the city up TO the pres
ent time, but the danger is far from being
over.
CHICAGO, December 1.-Tdines OF Il
calamity threatening villages and towns
i'll the thippe va ilV"r valley "a W WiSconSin
We're confirmed by passengers and crews Of
incoming trains today. According 10 them
the city OF Eau Claire is in the shadow Of
nig ice gorge which threatens to give way
the inhabitants. Express Messenger Ar
thur says the center point Of danger is al
Eau Claire. He continues:
An express agent whom l relieved al
Chippewa Falls told me that a gred; ic.
gorge nearly fifty feet high and five miles
long mas formed near the 10 yer portion of
Eau Claire. This barricade of ice is form
ing reservoir of water, which is packed
with lumber, drift wood and great iioes
Inc only thing which keeps the flood back
is the ice gorge.
When that gives way something awful
VIII happen. Families are moving away
ana carrying their household goods TO high
!and. The water has risen eyerywler.
four feet of water covers the Wisconsin
central tracks, and it is rising at the rate
OF slX inches an hour. The bottom lands
are covered with water. aud a great loss of
stock is said to have been reported hv the
farmers. Cellars whore supplies are kept
nave been completely filled with water. The
flVer has already reached the o)-foot ark
and is rising rapidly
The Chicago. Milwaukee and St Paul
road has suspended its service through the
Chippewa Valley, it being utterly impos-
s1bie to get train through the flooded
country.
Legs and limbs from trees are strewn
mary feet high on the tracks. on some
low grades the water rises many feet above
the ties. and high enough to extinguish the
engine fires. No effort will ne male 10 run
trains on this division Until the road struc-
lures are clear and examined.
Train crews report that an engine and
coach sent out to the lowlaniS below
Durand came back with two score of men,
women and children on board. who We're
driven from their homes by the flood and
were found nearly dead from exposure and
cold. Tho engineer said that he could not
finish the trip, or account of the rising
water.