Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-12-02
lELEGRAPHIC.
DRIVEN FROM HOME.
Citizens Of Chippewa Falls SEEK
Places Of Safety.
ANoIHIR ICE GORGE FORMING
Jhs Water filing Up and May sweep
Down ANY Moment Upon the
Cities Below.

CHIPPEWA FALLS, Wis, Dec. L.
This has been day OF excitement and
anxiety, and tonight finds the In
habitants Of this little village in a state
bordering on panic. The worst OF the
situation IL the knowledge of the Inn
rending danger and .of the fact that
they are utterly helpless to stay or to
avert 1t. Those whose houses have
been flooded have removed much OF
their household goods and belong.
iu1s to higher ground and are hud-
died together In the school houses aud
olher vacant buildings. out Of the path
Of the torrent that ia bweeping down
several OF the main streets.
All hope OF breaking the gorge and
thus allowing the rent up waters to
gradually suDside is now abandoned.
All efforts today were directed to re.
moving household goods and merchnn-
uisu out Of the reach Of the food.
Every team in the city has been en-
gsCei in this work. Every resident
anl pusineas 1rm OF River street have
moved out.
The Chippewa Lumber and Boom
company's mill anu yard are under
water, and all hope haa vanished OF
saving the entire business portion OF
the place rom being submerged, and
the water will soon reach the court
house, eight blocks from the river.
A report from Little Falls was
brought In this morning that another
gorge was formed thirty miles above
here, and this greatly added to the
alarm, as In case 1t should break,
nothing could save the city from
beiug swept away. Reports Of a very
serious nature come from down the
river. The country everywhere lie
flooded. The gore continues to grow
III extent. 1t lie now five miles long
and In many places thirty to fifty
Ieet high. IL completely dams the
river, and this is what is causing the
rspil rise OF the river here. The heavy
rains OF last week here were fol-
lowed by q sudden freeze, which sud
denly msssed the floating Ice In the
Chippewa, and the swiftly running
current continually added TO IL until II
reached it's present gigantic proper
tions. Below here the Chippewa 10
falling. There is no flood at Eau
Claire, but this fact is causing the peo-
pie at that place much unessiDess, as
1t Indicates the water 10 being piled up
as by dam above them. The Ice
pack at Badger mile, halt wav be-
tween Eau Clare and Chippewa Falls,
10 growing in extent, and everything
ing up.
The Chippewa river is filled with
gorges at many poiBis. At Flambesu
inv tnsaT a. al a
stroyipg 800 head Of live stock and
running . dozen iarms.
1t Ia feared the course of the river
will be- changed, throwing 1t directly on
the town and completely inunuating it.
In that event heavy loss to property
and life csnnot BIO avoided.
The business portion OF Chippewa
Falls 10 abandoned tonight, anu the
flood may sweep swRy many OF the
buildings without damaging scarcely
DOLLARS worth OF merchandise anu
other valuable goods that were stored
there until today. Business men de-
cided not to take chances with the toe
that threatened to sweep their posses
ons from them, and ut an early hour
to ay began the removal OF their
IL ,hi.
A, . O'Clock tonight every business
houso on Spring street and Bridge
street from the river to Center street
is deserted, and the contents Of build.
ings have been stored In uhoccupied
structures in remote portions OF the
city, where the floods cannot reach
unieis the entire Guy Is overwhelmed
and swept away.
The Chippewa river shows no tigns
OF Abatement. Ii rose four feeL todnv
and at o O'Clock this evening the water