The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-20
PROMISED COLD WAVE BRINGS JOY
TO THE HEARTS OF FARMERS
AND RAILROADERS.
WILL AVERT FLOOD DAMAGE
IF THE PRESENT CONDITIONS CON-
TINUE FOR A FEW DAYS
LONGER.
TROUBLES WITH WASHOuTS
Trains Delayed on Nearly All Lines
Running Into the City-Rail-
way News.

Weather Observer Lyons brought ioy
to the hearts of the railroad officials
yesterday afternoon, when he an
nounced from the latest returns that
the weather would tighten up within
twenty-four hours, and that there
would be a general freeze-up. This will,
for the time being at least, stop the
general thaw all over the Northwest,
and allow the rivers to carry away
the accumulated water before new ac
cessions are received.
A generally colder condition will ex-
tend all over the Northwest today and
Sunday. The reports showed that in
Northwest territory, Assiniboai and
Northern Montana the weather was
very cold. AT Battleford it was report
ed as being IA below; at Edmonton 1t
was 10 below, and at Medicine Hat it
was below, with a similar condition
of the atmosphere existing all over the
Northwest country. This wave is rap
idly sweeping down on Minnesota and
the Dakotas. 1t is expected by the
weather observer that the cold wave
will be fully in effect by noon tomor-
row. The inestimable worth of a cold
wave at this time cannot be over val
ued. All Minnesota and the Dako-
tas and upper Iowa have been in the
gr asp Of tremendous thaw for four
days, during which unlimited quaint
ties of water have been discharged into
all the rivers, creeks and sloughs of
the states named. The sloughs and
reservoirs are all full The low places
i
contain, and the surplus which has
been pouring into the rivers has al
ready worked great damage to the rail-
roads. 1t is but the forerunner of the
great struggle which is coming, ana
which cannot be averted unless the
continued thaws are relieved by fire.
quent freezing spells of several days
duration.
The water in the Mississippi river at
st. Paul has risen but three inches in
two days, a small increase in volume
However, the ice still holds intact, and
until it goes out the water will not
come up with any considerable rapid
ity. The present stage of water is 33
feet
The railroads reported the first seri-
Gus trouble of the spring freshets. The
Omaha road is having considerable
trouble, and so is the Milwaukee and
Burlington. The Omaha road traVerSes
considerable territory in Northern
Iowa which is in the hands of the
flood. On the Boone branch Of the
Omaha road one or two bridges were
washed out yesterday afternoon, and
General Manager Scott was awaiting
kilograms with considerable anxiety.
The bridges which were carried out
by the flood were over the Rock river
and near Rock Rapids
The Omaha train yesterday due at
7:3G o'clock in the morning, was de-
layed by water and a bad track, and
did not arrive in the city until 2 o'clock
yesterday afternoon. The train was
compelled to transfer to the tracks of
the Northwestern system at Onawa
and proceeded to Gilmore over that line,
and from that city came into ST. Paul
over the usual tracks. The rivers are
up to and over many of the bridges,
and great trouble is expected unless
the expected cold snap holds out.
Burlington train No. 40 from the
South was reported as being indef-
nltely late yesterday afternoon. The
train was INSTRUCTED by great masses
of debris which had washed down upon
the tracks from the precipitOus bluffs
in the vicinity of Maiden Rock near
lake Pepin.
The Great Western reported that its
trains were not seriously delayed. The
tracks of this line are not as yet SER
iously affected by the floods.
The Milwaukee is still boring away
at the soggy snow drifts on it's Fargo
division. 1t is expected that both the
Fargo and the Sissiton divisions of the
Milwaukee will be open for travel at
noon today for the first time in many
days. High water is also a great
n no
The 500 line reported yesterday after
noon that the reports indicated high
water near the Dakota line. Trains
will be somewhat delayed today, and
there is danger of serious trouble. At
Valley City the snow is piled mountain
high and some bridges are said to be
in danger.
General superintendent Barr, of the
Great Northern, went to Grand Forks
yesterday and will keep a close watch
on the situation. There is great danger
of an ice gorge at Spicer where the
Great Northern crosses a small river
The river, however, has grown into a
torrent and the ice is humping against
the bridge. A large force Of men are
at work showing the ice under the
structure as fast as it comes down
The Northern Pacific reports high
water at several places and some delays
to trains. The trouble. however, has
not as yet actually commenced as the
SHOWS have only begun to melt.
In st. Paul yesterday, the streets
were rivers of flowing water Travel
of any kind was attended by serious
worry and trouble. 1t thawed all night,
and the constant rain during the day
only increased the trouble In many
places street railroad tracks were hid
den under small lakes of water and
the passage of cars caused pedestrians
70 70
The city railway company is suffer-
ing badly from the condition of the
streets, the water seriously interfering
with the running of cars. 1t has been
necessary to reduce speed, and cars
are away off the schedule of time
A hog back of ice has formed In be-
tween the lines and tracks. with the
result that the tracks are rivulets of
swiftly running water, ranging all the
way in depth from two inches to a
foot.
Any attempt to run the cars fast
causes the water to fly into the motor
machinery. In time, the insulation is
destroyed, and it becomes necessary
to overhaul and repair the armatures.
superintendent Smith stated TO q re-
porter that the water has caused far
more injury to the machinery than the
snow.
The Merriam Park extension is in
bad shape, and at Smelling avenue the
water is UP over the hubs of the
wheels. Over in West st. Paul. the
South Wabasha street line is sub