The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-11-20
THE ROARING saUK RIVER.
0eate Crssto BADLY Damaged ~ eAe
FlOOd-Men Forced to Flee
for Their Lives.

Monte Crssto. Nov. i9.-Special.-The
snowstorm which bad prevailed since
election day turned to heavy rain las;
Thursday. and by Friday evening Glacier.
Seventy-six and Sunday creeks were
sending great torrents of water and drift
wood down through the railroad bridges
into West Monte Cristo. Many cellars
and the lower parts Of houses were food
ed and the occupants moved up on Du-
mas street hill. and from this coign OF
vantage saw more ruin and destruction
than ever before Witnessed in Eastern
Snohomish.
First = tree came down Seventy-eix
creek. and. tanning ten rods above the
railroad station, turned the stream TO the
southwark. Into Sunday creek. which In
stantly burst Its banks and the great
volume Of water swept over the Everett
Monte Cristo track yard. choking up
the turntable and carrying entertainments
and causeways before 1t until lower town
could be reached only by making q long
detour along the base Of Toad mountain.
All Friday night the storm ragged, and a.
day dawned on Saturday Ii was seen that
the confluence Of the three streams which
form Sank river was about 30 feet higher
up the gulch than before and back In Its
old channel. and that the lodging houses
danger.
AT Cleveland 4 Kline's lodging house
and saloon about twelve dodgers were
hastily routed out OF their beds BY Jacob
Klein and told to ny for their lives. The
building was q very large one. about
35xso. with three stories and basement.
II had been well finished and furnished
the month previous. and was 10 be
opened as a hotel In = day or two more.
AS the dodgers came into the bar room
an immense iarch tree came down Glacier
creek at terrific rate. tore through the
Monte Cristo concentrator's high railroad
srastic. taking out three benfs. next
through the switchback trestie. taking
out three more bents. then through tho
railroad main line bridge. knocking out
four herts. and the mass OF wreckaga
bore down with fearful force into Sank
river and headed straight for the cieve-
land e. Klein building.
Run. boys" yelled Klein, and as the
great building swung around at right
angles TO the stream and the south side
tilted up into the air the men leaped for
their lives and fell In heap In front of
the fsh market and scrambled through
the water to land. The building soppied
entirely over, and It's immense mass
damned Sauk river long enough TO raise
the fish market bodily from Its founda-
lions. and as the arst-named building
was torn and rent TO flinders and the riv-
er channel cleared. tho smaller building
torn 20 pieces.
About the same time an avalanche OF
| soft mud and siush came down from Sank
| Lode mining claim. and this. with the
mass of wreekags from the bridges and
/ buildings damned Sank river. which cut
/ new channel through Douglas avenue.
The residents os that part of town were
| compelled 10 dee, and that quickly. The
/ river cut through the railroad emhank-
meat below the switch back. and took
down the north side OF the track and cut
/ Il a second time. returning to its old chan
/ mel a short distance above the railroad
bridge. which. being OF strongly driven
l piles. withsfood tho strain and Is s,til in
tact About 30 feet OF the embankment
| went out.
The saloon building was owned by Will
1 lam Johnson. whose less r. g. SO. He also
/ owned the Ash market. and lost probably
| tl5a on that Cleveland a kisin's loss Is
/ about $3.50. but they may recover their
| nreproof safe II II does not settle into the
| mud out Of sight.
+, Between Monte CrtS,o and Barlow pass
| the damage 10 the Everett & Monte Girls.
! 10 railroad will be about ss.eoo. and con.
| seGusntiai damage through loss OF traffic
for tho next two weeks win be much
| more than that sum.
| Owing TO shortage OF fuel the Monte
! Criseo concentration shut down on SatEr-
i
/ the morning OF the same day. No mails
have arrived since Wednesday. Novem-
/ Der II.
AZ Ssivartca on Friday a IAN OF logs
/ formed az TIRE neN county bridge over ths
4 StAAaagssmIsh. o. the road 10 the Sultan
! BASIN mines. and quickly assumed dan.
gerous Proportions. with Tire likelihood o.
/ turning the river through thai town also
I Dynamite was procured ard au as.rfaas,
made 90 blow up the jam. waea. inst q
/ the miners we're ready 10 ere. the briaxs
{ gave way and the mass went roaring
down. Near Robe station IL tore oai
about se feet Of railroad track. besides
! eaesarw 9p tie railroad tunnel beso.v
( Gold hAska.
~ Monte cristc there Is a shortage o,
! vegetables. fresh meat and Kerosene. and
! many Of the miners left On faas SUNDAY
taking their way along the hs!Ssdes to
/ SslySrsaa. A few VITA have tried the gug
! Dig pass. hoping TO ger oas By way o.
! Instex. o. tns Great Northern. before a
/ serious shortage % provisions il expexs-
asa.t -