The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-12-02
NORTHWESTERN FLOODS.
Towns Inundated and Millions Worth
Property Lost. t.
TRAINS STORM AND SNOW BOUND

A Fierce Blizzard Sweeps Over Northwest.
ern Washington and British Columbia
---Rivers Overflow Their Banks.--Great
Damage Done to Railroad and Farm
SEATTLE, Wash. CSpeciaD. The late storm.
which swept Northwestern Washington and
British Columbia for forty-eight hours was
the most severe In the history of the country.
It is estimated that the damage to railroads
alone In Western Washington will exceed
$500, 900, and the loss to private property
will be fully as great. The city was abso-
lutely shut of from comm lnicstion by rail
with the outside world, and from midnight
Sunday night until about o'clock Tuesday
afternoon all the telegraph lines were para
lyzed.
The Northern Pacific overland express en-
countered huge landslide near Easton, on
the eastern slope Of the Cascades, and re-
turned to Tacoma. 4 few miles beyond
Easton the Yakima River bridge was washed
away.
The Portland branch Of the Northern
Pacific was likewise disabled by big land
slide In Cowlitz Valley, fifty miles south Of
Tacoma The Great Northern Railway Is
the heaviest sufferer, and all its lines on this
side ofthe Cascades ara in deplorable con-
dition. From Snohonish to Skyhomish in
the Cascade Mountains, distance Of flfty-
two miles. the road will practically have to
be rebuilt, as the road has been nearly all
swept away and the bridges washed out. At
Index the big railroad bridge was swept
To nj Nd fo1 fha Gtx,-
homish River for distance Of half mile.
At Snohomish City the river Is higher than
ever before known, being from six to ten
miles wide in places. The water Is over a
foot deep in the Great Northern depot, which
stands eight feet above the level Of the
track.
Steamers cruised about over farlnlands,
picking up rancheros and stocks. Mount
Vernon, in Skaget County, is In sad
plight, the skaget River being ,unprecedent-
edly high, and the dykes are about TO give
way.
Avon, a village, is under water. and the
Beaver and Olympia marshes are inundated.
Many Of the farmhouses have water several
feet deep in them. The Snohomish Fiver at
Everett Is seven miles wide, and the Seattle
and International bridge has been rendered
unsafe By the great jam OF driftwood.
Near Lowell the river Is two feet above
been washed away for miles. Three ieet Of
water Is standing In the Everett and Monte
Cristo tunnel for the entire length OF 100 feet.
The Noonsack River has overfowed its banks.
flooding hundreds Of acres Of valuable farm
ing property.
In British Columbia tho Canadian Pacific
for distance Of loo miles east OF Vancouver
are washed out, and teleGraphic communica-
ton with the East was interrupted for thirty
six hours.
PORTLAND, Oregon (SpeciaD.-A fierce
snowstorm ragged over the Willamette VAL
ley Tuesday night. Such blizzard has NC.
been seen for three years, and at this season
It is remarkable. The Willamette River
spread over the lowlands below the city.
carrying everything before it. No trains ar
rived on the Northern or Southern Pacific.
owing to the food. The overland trains on
the Southern Pacific Railroad were prac-
tically stalled. The flood has torn out the
wires in all directions, and communication
with interior parts Of the State Is very diff
cult.
The town Of Woodland, WASH, is ten feet
under water, as result Of the freshet In
Lewis River. AMI unless the storm abates
soon the entire Lewis River Valley will be
devastated. or the other valleys on the Col
umbis, Cowlitz, on the Washington side. has
been inundated, and the inhabitants OF Cas-
tie Rock have been forced to fee to the ada
cent hills. Several trestes have been washed
out by the flood, and the Grau Opera Com
pany was stormbound between Kalams and
Tacoma. At Cottage Grove, Oregon, sew
eral houses were washed away, and many
families compelled TO seek safety in the high
lands. At Salem a great deal OF damage Is
reported in the Mill Creek Valley and ada
cent territory.
SPOKANE, Wash. Especial. D..-UnprecedeLted
floods are prevailing Throughout this sec-
tion OF the Northwest. Mountain streams
are now raging torrents. All the transconti.
mental railroad lines running through here
are washed out In dozen places both east
and west, and several bridges are gone.
Much damage is resulting to settlers along
the valleys and low lands In Northern Idaho,
Western Montana and in Washington.