Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1897-04-08
RED RIVER ON A RAMPAGE.
Exceeds the High Water Mark of 1882 at Fargo by a
Foot and Still Rsing---Water Over the
Praires for Miles.
Hotels Overlooking and Families Crowded Into
Small Rooms, Box Cars-.Anywhere
To Be Out of the Wet.

To Be Out
FARGO, April s, l697-spscisl. -
In Fargo last night the water rose 16
inches and tho high water mark OF 81 10
psssed by shout foot. The watsr 10 up
10 tho tiss on the Northern Pacific bridge
but al trains are passing safely. The
general situation - alarming. The
hotels are overcrowded, hundreds are
turned away, and families ars crowded
INTO email rooms and into box cars-any-
whore to get away from the water. It
10 estimated that there arc moro home
less people in Fargo than there we're
after the big fire, and among the class
the least able to incur expense. The
water 10 forcing its way through sewers
into placements and penetrates parts of
the city that otherwise would be un.
reached for some time. The water was
rising at the rate Of half an inch On hour
this forenoon and was within two feet of
Broadway.
The situstion in Fargo is serlous. The
high water mark Of '82 when the Red
river rose 26 feet apd 8 inches above the
low water wss nearly reached at mid
night. The water hes backed up through.
out much Of tho city and fires have been
put out Of furnaces in many blocks.
Easements are deluged, the tenants OF
the First National bank block are with
out fires, and the Easements OF the
stores on Front street are filled. The
water reached the Argus press rooms
and the Sunday edition was run OF at
midnight before the furnace dres were
put ont.
An immense ice gorge formed Sunday
near tho Great Northern railroad bridge,
extending from the Fargo side Of the
river across tho stream distance OF
shove 800 feet, and raised from six TO
eight feet above the surface Of the water.
Dynamite was used and the ice moved
some, but quickly closed up again. The
plan Of attempting to blow open pas
sage way has been absndoDed, for fear
Of the bridge being swept away.
Foreman W. LC. Minnis Of the North
ern Pacific freight depot with William
Rose and families, are living IN box cars
on siding, having been chased out Of
their homes bySwater.
Late Saturday the river rose 60 rapidly
that the Northern Pacific placed half .
dozen engines on the bridge; the water
was within three feet of the rails. Fargo
placed five big threshing engines on the
north bridge to hold 1t down.
At Sabin 100 box cars were pushed
through water three feet deep until they
reached this side OF Buffalo river. where
another engine could be attached. The
passenger train was then attached to the
other end and brought over by the chain
where it would have been impossible
otherwise.
Farmers are becoming somewhat
alarmed over crop prospects. as more OF
the valley is flooded than for fifteen
years. II the rise is not soon checked,
and il sun and winds do not dry out the
valley lands with reasonable rapidlty,
the wheat acreage will be reduced at
least 20 per cent in the best part Of the
Red river valley. One favorable sign is
that this freshet is ten days earlier than
il 1898 and fifteen days earlier than in
1882. The lowest part Of the valley will
suffer most. Pembina county will prob
ably not be able to seed more than 5O
per cent Of the lands lying near Red
river, at least that is the fear expressed
BY men we'll conversant with all condl-
tions IN the valley. But etill many
farmers claim that the flood will go
down quickly enough to allow the land
10 dry out in time for seeding.
FARGO, April 4. The water at Fargo
in the Red River, is running over the
foot bridge between that city and Moor
head and is still rising. The railroad
bridges are all right yet and every means
10 being taken to prevent them washing
away. It is believed that gorge a few
miles north Of the city is cansing the
great rise. The Northern Pacific bridge
is not left for one moment without being
weighted down, and has been held in
place BY engines for several days This
morning good sized house came crash
ing into the bridge on the crest OF the
Hood and it was necessary to destroy the
structure by pulling 1t to pieces. 1t 10
reported that the Great Northern bridge
has been injured by dynamite.
The water this afternoon is several
inches higher than in s2. Bishop
Shanlsy's residence is completely snr-