Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1896-12-10

rising. The Spring street merchants who
had stored goods in second floors deter
mined to take no chances and everything
was moved today, and by night there will
not be dollars worth of material re-
naming. Business is abandoned and the
city is in state of tumult.
People Await the Flood.
Thousands of people are anXlously
awaiting the flood and groups of fifty or
more excitedly discussing the situation
are to be seen on every corner. any
thing is expected and nothing may hap
pen, but the greatest danger lies III the
probable changing of the rivers course
to throw it into the town. This danger
is more insured today, for it is plainly
to be seen that the water can never
cut it's way under the fifteen miles OF
ice gorge which has formed in the bed
of the river.
Experts believe that the gorge will
soon become anchored to the bottom OF
the river. In this case the river must
flow out around it. Its natural course
in this event lies directly behind the
town.
Three thousand pounds of dynamite ar
rived this morning and men have been at
work at various points along the river.
All attempts have so far failed to relieve
the situation. All buildings on River
street are today flooded to the second
story and the formation of ice around
them is causing serious damage to the
structures.
Central Depot in Danger.
The Wisconsin Central depot is under
three feet of water and will be carried
away before night The Chicago. Mil
waukee & st. Paul railway freight depot
is in a similar situation and the coal
sheds near by are wrecked and torn by
the ice.
A report reached here this morning
r - MI Is,, nirhf
cen miles above the city,. had broken
away. permitting rush of water. upon
the town. If this report is authentic
Chippewa Falls will be completely mum
dated Just as soon as the water reaches
here Manager Irvine of the Chippewa
Lumber and Boom company discredlts
the LitteI Falls story The report had
caused considerable CONSERVATION and
there will be ne cessation OF worry until
it is authoritatively denied.
Business Houses Abandoned.
Fifty of the largest business firms have
abandoned their buildings entirely and
every resident has made preparations to
seek a place of safety in case the worst
occurs.
An estimate of the damage already
done in this city and the rich farming
country above it cannot be made, but it
is believed loss of $1,OO0,000 has al
ready BEEN sustained. Not until after
the flood has subsidized will the full meas
ure of damage be estimated
situation Unchanged.
Chippewa Falls, Wis, Dee. 3.-With
the temperature still lowering not very
far above zero and the water again
climbing, the outlook for TINS tnreateneu
valley is still rather uncomforta BILE. For
fifteen miles between Chippewa Falls
and Eau Claire and for nearly the same
distance at Durand the river is mass
of packed ice and timber and hourly be-
coming worse The water has backed
UP, flooding parts OF Durand ana .ne
damage is really what threatens, rather
than what has actually occurred.
The lumber mills are all surrounded
and partially engulfed by the water,
which has frozen and seized them in Its
icy clutches. Nearby business places
and dwellings are in the same predlca-
away from the river channel, their sltua-
ton is not so serious. The railroads are
not suffering as much as might be ex-
pected. The Omaha road runs along
high bluffs and has not been in the least
hampered in its workings. The Wlscon-
sin Central tracks are lower and nave
at times been covered by the water SO
that many of their trains had to use the
Omaha tracks. Last night the water
dropped over a foot and they used their
own tracks, but early today the water
started up again and their line had to be
abandoned entirely. The river branch
of the Milwaukee & st. Paul has stopped
all business for the present its line ex-
tending along the course of the Chippewa
river. where the ice gorges and Hoods
prevail.
Anchored the Central Depot.
The Central's passenger station was
abandoned two days ago and this morn
ing the freight depot was surrounded.
channel and the sweeping water threat