The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-12-08
NEWS FROM TACOMA.
CHINOOK WIND BRINGING DOWN
ANOTHER BIG FLOOD.
Coal Train PIunges ThrcogA
weakened Bridge Over Carbon
River Northern Pacific Road
Agata Damaged-water May Go
Higher Than I'm November.

TACOMA Dec. T.-speoiaL-wes.ern
Washington Is suffering from the worst
Goods OF the season. Fer the past twenty
four hours TIE trorical Chinook. ike q
steam radiator. has been getting In its
deadly work on the two feet or snow In
The mountains The process Is being aug
mented by a warm rain that extends al
over the Pacific division of the Northern
Pacific From these causes the watsr is
sent rolling down 4n torrents INTO the
mountain streams and brooks, which are
swollen beyond the capacity o. their
banks.
In many cases the rush OF waters 10 the
sea is accompanied by destruction Al
small ouiouilcings in the valleys tnas re-
main IN the path Of the November food
are IN danger of being carried away oy
th4s later <reshet which now promises 70
exceed rAe earlier one or the winter
White river suddenly began rising this
morning and kept IL up a. day At the rate
Of three inches per hour. A. o clock to-
night IL had reached 4 very dangerous
height and the water will in al prooaoll-
lty touch point higher than the NoseHa-
Der foods. The Carbon and Green rivers
are on the rampage, while the Puyallup,
Black and Stuck rivers are boiling and
sddying into the Sound with twice their
normal quantity OF water.
AS usual the railroad lines suffer severe
~. This morning at o'clock a GOAL train
crashed through q Howe truss wood and
aron bridge over the Carbon river, three
miles from Croker, On the Cracker branch
OF the Northern Pacific. Nine coal cars
fell to the bottom. a distance OF thirty
feet. leaving the engine on one SIDE or me
abyss and eleven cars or coal on TIE otheE.
The train was on It's way 10 Tacoma ana
was In charge OF Conductor thompson.
The engine was No 500, Engineer Clark.
The bridge Itself was in good condition
ami there Was nothing 10 Indicate the dis
aster that followed the passage OF the
train on the bridge. The east end or the
structure rested on natural ROCK oench
formation. which was apparently tmper-
vious 10 the assaults Of the elements. But
the recent heavy, soaking rains, together
with the freezing and sudden thawlng OF
the ground Ioosened the rock and II broke
square of from the supporting bank, car
rying the nine cars into the stream
II was a piece OF pure good luck that no
lives were lost. The engine passed safely
over the bridge and In It were part of the
train crew. The others were on the rear
end and they escaped without injury.
While the accident WI not have much
effect on travel, Ii may cause temporary
shortage OF coal, which is carried by the
Southern Pacific GOLFERS 10 San Francisco.
Division Superintendent .4cCabe said to-
day that repairs 10 the bridge would be
rushed and il is believed that trains Will
be running on the branch IN two days.
Ar l:s0 this afternoon the bridge over
the Carbon river on The main line, near
Croker. was reported unsafe. Piles were
driven IN two bents and the bridge suf-
tcient.y strengthened 10 allow the passage
of trains. No delay is expected from that
source.
Both the Pacific and Cascade divisions
Of the Northern Pacific are being affected
to a serious extent by the rains and con-
sequent freshets. The CowEtz river IS
again swollen badly. and is hourly caus-
Ing trouble. The river is picking out new
points OF attack upon the Northern Pacific
line TO Portland, and IS washing away the
banks and fills IN places which were not
touched by the November foods. The
water is stealthlly eating away the EN-
bankments along the river, and serious
trouble may be reported at any hour. Di-
vision Superintendent McCabe Is fully pre-
pared with work trains and crews and
pile drivers, which are quickly sent 10
places where washouts occur.
Owing to the condition Of White river
no attempt will be made for several DAYS
TO repair the bridge between this city and
Seattle The present arrangement with
the steamer Flyer VIII be continued until
trains are again running as usual When
this VII be no one can foretell.
Travel on the Olympia and South Bend
branches OF the Northern racine IS tenn
porsrily stopped. At Pe-Ell. on the South
Bend branch. a landslide was reported to-
daywhsoh cannot be cleared away short OF
twenty-four hours On the Olympia
branch one mile south Of the capital city,
earth was washed cut from under the
rails and the line Ia impossible. The diff
icuity here will be repaired tomorrow.
and IL no further wsshouts occur trains
VII be running ar usual by Wednesday at
the latest.
There has been no west-bcund overland
on the Northern Pacific for forty-eight
hours A bridge over the Yellowstone
river, IN Montana, was washed out Satur-
dav. but q pile bridge has been erected.
and the overland lat was due here sun
Sav will arrive tomorrow morning at 4
O'Clock. No. Of Sunday and Monday
have been consolidated. An accident 20
the overland was reported today on the
I~aho division. due to a landslide. but no
on. was injured. and the passengers on
the delayed train were transferred TO the
other.
through ali the foods ot November and
during the present high water, with the
consequent damage 10 tracks and bridges.
the Northern Pacific Is vet 20 injuTe the
first "a ssenger. The line has been con-
stantlv patrollsd by watchmen, and over
the dangerous places trains have been
running slow for a week past.