The herald., 1896-11-17
Washington Cities Without Rail-
way Communication
RAIL ROADS WASHED AWAY
Vast Damage Suffered by Lumbermen
and Farmers
Oregon Also Suffers, and Steady Rain
Continues-All the Rivers Out
Of Their Banks.

| SPOKANE, Wash, Nov. 16.-Spokane
is today practically cut off from rail-
way communication with the outside
world. No Northern Pacific trains have
run either east or west today. The trou-
bic on the Rocky mountain division pre-
vented the westbound overland from
arriving and the carrying away of a
span of the Natchez river bridge last
night near Yakima has prevented any
trains arriving from the west.
The Great Northern is tied up in sim
liar manner and has run no trains today
except one as far west as Leavenworth.
Traffic to the Occur d'Alene country is
suspended by reason of freshets.
AT SEATTLE.
SATTLE, Wash, Nov. 16.-Not rail-
road train has left or reached Seattle
today, but the railway managers claim
that by tomorrow they will be able to get
trains out.
At o'clock tonight the officers of the
Northern Pacific and Canadian Pacific
received information that their repair
crews would have the tracks in condition
by tomorrow morning. Westbound
ported as getting through Division Su-
perintendent Eyeton of the Great North
ern wired that between two and three
miles of track were under water near
Sultana. No estimate of damage nor
of the length of time to repair it can be
made until the water has gone down.
A part of the Northern Pacific bridge
over White river has been swept away,
which will stop all trains on the Seattle
There are two big slides at the nd of the
Columbia and Puget Sound road at
Franklin. The closing of traffic of the
Northern Pacific is due to the rise in the
Cowlitz river and number of washouts
near Centralia. On the main line of the
Northern Pacific there is bad washout
between Easton and Ellensburg, but
transfers are being made. Reports from
all points on the Northern Pacific show
that the rain has ceased and snow has
taken it's place There were four inches
of snow at Black Diamond this after
noon. The conditions are regarded as
favorable and railroad men are hopeful.
A Post-Intelligencer special tonight
from Mount Vernon says the present
flood in the Skagit valley is the worst
in it's history. The whole valley is under
water and great damage will ensue to
farmers through loss of hay, stock and
fences. The country between Mount
Vernon and Laconner is submerged,
while to the south there is one vast lake.
At Mount Vernon the water is fifteen
inches higher than ever known, and the
town has been saved only by great ex-
ertions of the citizens. The dykes were
manned all of last night, and it was not
until this morning the flood began to re-
cede. The Great Northern bridge across
the Skagit river has been badly dam
aged and trains cannot cross. Reports
from up-river points indicate great dis
tress among the farmers and large loss
Of property.
A special to the Post t-Intelligencer
from Kelso says the Cowlitz river is
higher than ever and still rising. All
log booms have broken loose and mil
lions of feet of logs and thousands of
cords of shingle bolts have gone.
The house and outbuildirgs of farm
er at Stockport were swept away and
many cattle have been drowned. The
valleys of the White and Black rivers
are covered with water and the loss to
farmers in King county will be large.
IN OREGON.
PORTLAND, Or, Nov. 16.-The storm,
which abated for time last night be.
gan this morning, and for most of the
day wet, heavy snow has been falling
over the entire northwest. In some To-
calities two or three inches of snow
cover the ground, but at most points in
the valleys of Western Oregon and
Washington it has melted away rapidly
and caused all streams to overflow their
banks. Damage has been done to rail-
roads and telegraph wires. In the Will
lamette valley the Southern Pacific has
encountered many washouts at points
south of Salem, and between Salem and
Albany bridge has been carried away,
and as a result no mails have been re-
ceived from the south today.
The railroad bridge over the Santiam
river at Jefferson has a huge drift
lodged above it and is in danger of being
swept away. The Southern Pacific
trains tonight were sent out over the
west side, and will reach the main line
at Albany by way of Corvallis.
The O. r. and N. company's trains
We're delayed all day by a washout cas-.
of Cascade Locks, but repairs were made
late this afternoon and the overland is
expected to arrive at midnight.
The Northern Pacific is washed out at
Ainslee, Wash, but it is expected that
trains will be moving on that division
late tonight.
In this city no serious damage has re-
suited tOday