Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1897-05-28
DAMAGING CLOUDBURSTS
MINES, FARMS AND ORCHARDS ARE
DESTROYED IN IDAHO.
settlers Are Compelled to Flee to
the Hills for Snfety-Cattle
Are Drowned.


Grangeville, Idaho May 22.-Particulars
reached here yesterday afternoon of a
disastrous cloudpurst that visited the
valley of the Salmon river on Monday
last which carried in its wake ruin and
desolation for a distance of Il miles. and
laid waste one OF the garden spots of
Idaho county. Not only were old estab-
lished fruit farms destroyed, but the
placer mining industry along the Salmon
and its tributaries suffered severe losses,
and worse still prosecution of work In
many instances will be interrupted for the
balance of this season because of the
carrying away of dams and fumes and
testructionFof the only avenue of trans
porting material for repairs into the dis
trict. In less than half an hour every
mountain gorge and ravine leading down
into the Salmon became a mad, raging
torrent. which carried with 1t huge
boulders, trees, etc.
At the foot of each ravine is found the
most fertile soil in the valley, and here
are situated some of the finest fruit farms
and ranches in the entire state. Through
these farms swept with resistless force
great volumes of rushing waters and de-
bris, laying waste the orchards and crops.
In d number of instances the settlers
were compelled to flee to the hills for
safety. Cattle grazing in the favnes and
lowlands were drowned and carried by
the resistless flood into the Salmon river,
which soon became a torrent.
The clondburst, as near as could be
ascertained, covered territory along the
Salmon from several miles above John
Day creek to White Bird creek, a dis
tance of about q miles. The little towns
were inundated and much damage done
by the Salmon overlooking it's banks.
Above John Day creek is the Strong-Ep-
person mining company. Here the dam
and large sections of the fiume were car
rled away and the ditch filled up in
places. The Victor Mining Company, OPP
Grating at the mouth of John Day creek,
fortunately escaped without serious dam
age to Its, property. Near Freedom, where
Owens and Ide of Spokane were putting
in fumes and bitches preparatory to pla-
Ger mining on q large scale, the floods
carried away their entire improvements.
A number of other companies above and
below here suffered heavy losses. reg
Perhaps one of the worst features
consequent to the flood was in the al
most entire destruction of the state wag-
on road for a distance of 20 miles, where
1t winds along the bluffs on one side of
the Salmon nvar.s The rushing torrent as
1t came. down the mountains washed out
the road In places, and at other points
slides and washing sand, boulders and
trees, completely obliterated the road. II
will be impossible to make the road pas
sable before the season Is over, and 1t is
the only avenue of transporting lumber
and other freight into the valley. II
simply means that placer mining, where
the fumes and such improvements as re-
quire lumber, have been carried away
will have TO be suspended for this sea
son, as the necessary repairs can not be
made. 1t is impossible at this time tS
give any figures as to the aggregate loss
caused by the cloudburst. As far as was
learned no loss of life has been reported