The herald., 1897-03-20
FLOODS IN THE NORTHWEST
Threaten to Impoverish Whole
Communities
LIVES ARE NOT IN DANGER
But Property Loss Is Almost Beyond
Calculation
Worse fine Data L,s. urows L,nger
Day b. Day
Associated Press Special wire


AT Siouz City the flood had endanger-
ed all the bridges near the stockyards,
but they were saved by the use of dyna-
mite to blow up the ice gorges. Reports
from the Floyd river indicate that 1t is
rising, and the worst is yet to come.
1t is considered probable that all the
bridges will go out before morning, but
there will be no lives lost as the people
have been getting ready for the flood.
The Sioux river is causing trouble to
the Milwaukee road The ice is break
ing between here and Hawarden at sew
eral places and heavy gorges are being
formed. The bridge at Riverside across
the Sioux is in danger of going out any
! moment.
At Cherokee Iowa, the Floyd river has
been rising all day and tonight several
houses on the low ground are surround
ed by water. The approach to the new
iron bridge is gone, with good prospects
of the bridge following.
AT Mason City. Iowa, the streams are
all out of the banks and rising rapidly.
The Chicago, Milwaukee and st. Paul
railroad is catching it on the west end.
Sioux has submerged the track, and
trains can run no farther west. a bridge
is out at Rock Valley.
AT Pierce Neb., the north portion of
the town is flooded. Willow creek, south
and west of town, is also on rampage
and is washing away the farmers hay
stacks.
AT Fremont, Neb., the Platte river IS
still out of its banks, but no serious
damage is reported
| AT Yankton, S. D., melting snow and
| heavy rains caused a suspension of traf-
fic on three railroads. Between Yank
ton and Vermillion water covers the
tracks of the Milwaukee and the Great
Northern railroads The Northwest
ern railroad track is all right, but it is
| considered unsafe and trains were
! abandoned today. The ice in the James
. and the Missouri rivers still holds firm
although covered by ten feet of water.
| The Milwaukee train from Aberdeen
| was abandoned at Mitchell because or
| washed out culverts.
At Canton, S. D.. the highest water for
years in the Sioux river was recorded
today. All bridges are in danger, and
railroad traffic is at a standstill.
At Woonsocket, S. D., the water COW
ers the track for long distance Road
master Brennan says water is flowing
| tracks at three different places between
here and Jackson, MINI. Washouts
save cut off communication south. AL
| the bridges are expected to be taken
| soon.
At Randolph, Neb.. several county
J bridges are reported washed out. The
Pacific Short Line bridge between here
I and Osmond, and two or three bridges
between here and Dixon sustained
damage. The ast-bound express on
that line has been tied up here since
noon. The Omaha line bridge, one mile
| north, is damaged. Rain is threatening
again tonight.
AT Pender, Neb. reports of danger on
ranches are received. The damage to
bottom lands is immense.
At Webster City, Iowa, DR.. Travis and
MIR. Kirkberger were drowned while
irving to ford the Boone river. The
bridge Of the Des Moines road at Le-
high, Iowa, has been damaged and may
be a total loss.
At Dubuque the Mississippi river is
eorged with ice four miles below and
damage will result on the lowlands, un-
less the blockade gives way immediate
ly
At Keokuk the river is rising rapidly.
The Des Moines river is booming above
there. The greatest danger to the low
lands behind the levees will be due to
the high water in the Des Moines river
The levees can stand rise of six feet or
more in the Mississippi.
IN WISCONSIN.
RICHLAND CENTER, Wis, March
19.-The worst flood in years prevails
here Water is running through the
streets, the cellars are filled and the
sewers are overflowed. Teams and men
are banking up the river, which is ris-
ing fast. The mills and lumber yards
are in great danger.
BLACK RIVER FALLS, Wis, March
13-The Black river is rising rapidly,
and the cellars and lowlands are flooded
Should the ice move in its present sound
condition great damage will result.
MILWAUKEE,, Wis. March 19.-Ac-
counts from Lacrosse, Wis, say rains
and melting SHOWS have brought the
Lacrosse river up TO that the West
Salem marsh, east of this city is flooded.
The fast mail and noon trains got over
but they will be the last until there is
q change.
The Dubuque division trains came by
way of Prairie du Chen on account of
high water and masses of ice.
The district of Milwaukee. known as
the Menominee valley, is submerged in
vater tonight to depth of over ten feet
and over two hundred houses in the
vicinity of Fortleth and Claybourn,
known as the Flats" are surrounded
by raging flood. The Menominee river
at that point IS still rising rapidly. The
occupants Of many Of these houses have
escaped while others are imprisoned in
their houses with no means of escape
The police have started for the scene
with boats and the life saving crew have
been notified.
From some of the houses in the center
Of this big stretch of water the people
are waving lanterns and shouting for
some one to get boats and take them
off. The bridge at the Monarch stone
quarry, about half a mile above the
FLATS" has Just been swept away.
FOND DU LAC, Wis, March 19.-Half
Of this city is under water. Both
branches of the Fond du Lac river are
gorged and water is pouring over the
banks and covers the territory on either
eide-of the river for blocks The Chicago,
Milwaukee g. st. Paul railway and the
Wisconsin Central tracks are under
water
An ice gorge al the western end of the
bridge threatens to break at any minute
and will carry out the bridge and prop
erty below. No trains are running out
Of here on the st. Paul road. The water
has risen six feet in six hours.
FRIGHTFUL PROSPECTS.
NASHVILLE, Tenn, March 19.-Ths
Cumberland river this morning register
ed forty six and a half feet on the gauge
Rain fell all day yesterday and last
night and continues to come down in
torrents today The prospects are for