The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1897-04-08
THE FLOOD.
Situation of the High Waters
Elsewhere as Cleaned From
the Latest Papers.


The first uneasiness was manifested on
April 8, and in d few days almost the
entire south part of the city was afloat
| The high stage was reached on April u,
when the water was twenty-siX feet and
| eight inches above normal heighth
Some of the old timers here. state the
| high stage was reached April 10, but no
reference is made in the Argus to flood
after April 13.
The local situation is fast becoming
extremely serious. Contrary to the eX-
| pectation of many the river shows no
| indications of receding, and by today
will have passed the high water stage of
1882.
The flood of 1878 is not in it. The
oldest resident must now take back
seat in flood stories, and the most recent
acquisition of the divorce colony can
spin as big yarn as the pioneer of II.
An immense gorge of ice has formed
near the Great Northern railroad bridge,
extending from the Fargo side of tho
river across the stream q distance of
| about 9O feet, and raised from six to
| eight feet above the surface of the wat
or. Dynamite was used yesterday af-
ternoon and the ice moved some, but
| quickly closed up again. Last night
the plan OF attempting to blow open
passage way was abandoned, for fear of
the bridge being swept away. Water
backing from there will probably cause
an additional rise.
AS a fitting climax for it all comes
a report that the Wild Rice river near
Wahpeton rose five feet yesterday, and
is sweeping everything before it. If this
report is true Fargo will very likely get
the benefit Of that also.
The water has been rising steadily
at the rate of two inches per hour, and
those who thought that they were safe
yesterday morning moved out last eve
ming. w. G. Minis, foreman of the
Northern Pacific, was the last to
move out on Lower Front street Men
were at work south of the city yesterday
breaking up the ice as much as possible
and starting it down the stream
The water has made it's way into
nearly all the Easements of the stores
on Front street. The deLondrecie base
ment is dcluged and the fires in this
block was out at an early hour yester
day morning. The tenants of the Fist
National bank block are also without
fire.
Tho danger from the big slough west
of the city is no moro feared by the
residents of the fourth ward. Tho cul-
vert on the N. p. road was enlarged
Yesterday and the water rushed through
with a roar. and in few hours the
water over tho entire ward had recedcd
five or six inches and by nightfall there
was littlo evidence of the overflow of
few hours before.
Superintendent Wilson Of the Dakota
division of the N. P. was in the city last
evening and everything was ordered out.
The passenger from The east arrived
about o'clock on tho main line. No. 4,
the local passenger, was sent out on tmo
! and two or three freight trains wero sent
out Immediately afterward. No 9 came
in from the west last night about -
o'clock and it was sent east a few
minutes later. A train in from down
the Southwestern last evening and re-
ports arc that tho washouts have been
fixed up.
All trains on tho Great Northern are
running on time. The Milwaukee is
stalled, and may not run trains for sew
| eral days.
Moorhead, MINI. April 5.-Tho high
| water situation as far as tho prairie is
l
| day. Reports camo in from the coun-
try saying the water is falling rapidly.
Some of the houses on the cast side OF
the city are still surrounded but the
water is gradually subsiding while
there is still flow from the prairie.
But the bitches arc amply large to car
ry it off. The Northern Pacific is again
open for traffic. No express came
| through at s o'clock this evening.
General Manager Harding went east in
| his car on the work train this morning.
Wahpeton, N. d., April 5-Thc Wild
Rice river, five miles west Of here, has
raised five feet today, and all bridges
have been swept away. Tho river is a
mad whirling torrent. Nothing like it
has been known in years. The water in
the Red river receded two feet today.
All bridges are safe except tho Northern
Pacific. The ice i1 the Otter Tail has
commenced to move out. No trains are
running.
Cassclton, N. d., April 5.-The first
melting of snow during the week just
ended has given the city and many in.
dividuals plenty to do, but energetic
labor in opening up drains had let the
local water off without any serious
damage. Yesterday morning however
there we're reports of a huge volunn OF
wafer coming from the northwest. and
that the city would hear from it before
night. At noon it became evident that
there was truth in the rumor, as the
country above the city suddenly became
an ocean, and those who went out to cx
anime came back with great stories oil
an extensive iioo,i. BY throc o'clock re
ports of the advancing wave were veri
fed. Soon, however, the angry billows
swept over tho railroad track and bcgar
to tear their way between and under thu
tics in mad gallop to the lowlands O.
Swan creek just beyond. The tide O
back water immediately began to subsid,
and danger was over for the east side O
town. a work train happened to be OF
hand with Roatlmaster Daley on board
and it's force augmented by the local sec
tion gangs, at once went to work to opcr
up wido passage ways at Intervals alon!
/ the portion of track endangered some
600 to 800 feet. The town was out tt
witness this portion of the labor but die
not wait to take in the completion Of the
job which was reached at morning whcr
tho track was bolsored up sufficiently to
, lot trains over, and several delayed pas
scngcr trains passed west.
H.,..sT n.u.,.I Hor..cI