The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-12-02
WAIT FOR WORST
Floods In Wisconsin Continue
Dynamite Doesn't Help.
Residents of Chippewa Falls
Are Leaving Post Haste.
ABANDON BUSINESS.
Merchants Are Moving Goods
Out Fast as Possible
People Waiting to Be Saved or
Overwhelmed.

Milwaukee Dec. "A special to the
Evening Wisconsin from Chippewa
Falls. Wis. says: Confusion reigns in
Chippewa Falls today and the thor
oughly alarmed people are making eve
~ effort to leave, as soon as they can.
Two hundred teams and drays have
rushed hither and thither all day and
the streets are Uttered with various
kinds of merchandise which spilled over
the sides and ends Of the overloaded
wagons as they were hurried to places
of safety.
The water remained stationary until
about o'clock this morning, then it be-
gan to rise rapidly and inside of four
hours an additional rise OF Is inches
had been registered. The river at ten
o'clock is "A feet high and rising. The
Spring street merchants who had stored
their goods in second floors determined
to take no chances and everything was
moved today and by night there will
not be a dollars worth Of material re-
naming. Business is abandoned and
the city is in a state Of tumult. ThOuS-
ands of people are anxiously waiting
the flood and groups of 80 or more ex-
citedly discuss the situation on every
corner
Anything is expected and nothing
may happen. but the greatest danger
lay in the probable changing of the riv-
er's course to throw it into the town
Ih1s danger is more insured today for
it is plainly to be seen that the water
can never cut it's way under the Is miles
of ice gorge which has formed in the
bed Of the river. Experts believe that
the gorge viii soon become anchored to
the bottom Of the river. In this case
the river must flow out around it, It's
natural course in this event lies direct
ly behind the town.
Three thousand pounds of dynamite
arrived this morning and men have
been at work expending it at various
points along the river. The attempt
mas SO Iar 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 doing
serious damage to the structures. The
central depot is under three fet of wa
ter ana viii be carrie3f Z way before
night.
The Milwaukee freight depot is IN a
similar condition and the coal shed
nearly torn down and wrecked by the
water. A report reached here this
morning that the gorge at Little Falls
uam, Is miles above the city had broken
away permitting a rush of water upOn
the town If this report is authentic
the entire town viii be inundated Just
as soon as the water reaches US. Man
ager irvine of the c. L. & B. company
discredits the story. The report has
caused considera Bile CONSERVATION and
there viii be no cessation of worry un-
til il is denied
Fifty of the largest business firms
nave abandoned their structures entire
ly ana every resident has made prepar-
allONS 70 seek place of safety in case
the worst occurs. An estimate of the
damage already done in this CITY and
the rich farming country above il can
not be made, but it is believed that a
loss of million dollars has already
Deen sustained Not until after the
flood has subsided will the fun measure
of damage be estimated
A special from Durand Wis saws
The ice gorge below the city has forced
the water within four feet of the great
a4 flood last night filing cellars and
overlooking the lower streets The ice
mas closed i'm and the line Of formation
IS mile above the city The river is
slightly falling here below Round Hin.
The gorge has broken and the river has
fallen rapidly there Should the Chin
peWa Falls gorge break. Durand will be
in great danger.as the bluffs at Round
dlll, VIII hold the gorge there.
special from Black River Falls
~ IS TO the Evening Wisconsin saws:
Ihe recent floods on Black river sur
passed anything in the history of the
county at SO late period in the fam.
As returns from the lower river conn
try come in much loss of stock and other
property is reported
Pete Peterson, a farmer living q few
miles below this city, lost seven head
OF STOCK Which were feeding in the
bottoms and were swept away by the
hood which came so sudden.
Loss of like character are reDOrted
from other points. It is reported that
the Iong and expensive fill a t the end
III AAtI 44ElI0SE DilQSG IS washed
and that the new bridge was all ripbt
at the time. The break in the lam
saved the bridge as it gave an outlet
to the immense body of water held
back by the anchor ice which was
gorged against the bridge
AT numerous other points the high
ways are reported to be in a demoraI-
lied condition. Otherwise the flood has
placed things in good condition for
winter.
Reports from various portions of
Chippewa run indicate a deplorable
condition of affairs. At the Flambeau
farm, 10 miles above the city another
ice gorge has formed. The river has
overfowed its banks and inundated the
country 20 miles on either side Do
mestic animals have perished by the
score Farms and farmhouses are
flooded, and the losses viii reach into
the hundreds Of thousands.
These reports are meagre and uncOr-
robOrated. but it is safe to estimate
that at least 5000 horses. cows and
hogs have met death in the flood
Mayor Lindley ordered an explosion
Of 500 pounds of dynamite but after the
explosion of 300 pounds the experiment
was abandoned as a failure.
Railroad officials who viewed the ice
said they would procure all the dyna-
mite obtainable to blast a channel
through the mass of snow. ice and
logs.