The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-04-02
RED RIVER A MONSTER LAKE.
of Square Miles of Farm
Land Under Water.


MOORHEAD, Mimi, April Floods
in the Buffalo river country have
shut off railroad communication on the
east and caused heavy damage to prop
erty. Many Of the farmers have been
compelled to abandon their houses.
while others are living in the second
stories of their dwellings.
No loss of life has been reported, but
there is no telling what may happen IT
the water continues to rise as at pres
emit All the highway bridges in the
towns of Elmwood and GIyndon have
been carried away, and the railroad
bridges are expected to go at any time.
The Great Northern bridge at Sabin Is
held in place by ten cars heavily laden
with Montana copper. All the farmers
at Sabin have lost their seed potatoes
and many Of them their live stock AT
GlyndOn and StockWood everything is
under water.
Yesterday afternoon a relief train
was sent out with Mayor Lewis III
charge. The train ran as far as Sabin
and boats were sent to several OF the
farm houses, but the people decided to
remain in their dwellings until today.
A rise Of six feet is reported from the
town Of Moland, where the north and
south branches of the Buffalo flow to-
gether
No mail has reached this city from
the East since Tuesday night. Last
night the Red river continued to rise
rapidly and many families living neal
the river bank were driven out during
the night. There Is q general exodus
Of families from the low lying districts
to high ground today, and fears are
entertained that the water will carry
away the bridges between this city and
Fargo. This city is on comparatively
high ground, and is protected on the
cast by large ditch, which will prob
ably prevent encroachment by the wa
ter which now covers the prairies like
a vast lake
Reports reach Moorhead of great
floods caused by the rapid disappear
ance Of the snow, and residents are en-
during much suffering. AT Tenny,
about four miles east of MoOrhead, the
Northern Pacific bridge that crosses
Buffalo river is under water and trains
are unable to run further east than
that point. From Tenny as far east
as the eye can reach there is q vast
sheet of water. AT Sabin, nine miles
from here, people are in great distress.
William Paasch and family were taken
from the roof Of their house just III
time to save them. Stock and almost
all they possessed were carried away
by the overflow water of the Buffalo
river. Henry Schroeder also lost all his
seed potatoes, grain and pigs. This
place is on comparatively high ground,
and it is supposed that many others
have suffered.
WAHPETON, N. D.. April 1.-Water
in the Red and Bots de Sioux rivers is
two feet above the danger mark and
about the highest ever known. The ice
has risen with the water and Is threat
enlng all the bridges on the line OF
these rivers.
Strenuous efforts are being made to
save the Northern Pacific Great
Northern and the wagon bridges at
this place. Continuously since yes
terday morning dynamite has been
used in breaking the ice both above
below and between the bridges, and
there are some hopes now of saving
railroad bridges, but the road bridge,
which connects this city with Brecen-
ridge, seems to be doomed. A few
inches more rise and the ice will lodge
against the bridges and force them
from their foundations.
The Great Northern is under four
feet of water in several places between
Barnesvill and Moorhead and a num-
Der of washouts have occurred. All
traffic west of here has been entirely
stopped for three days.
FARGO, N. D., April 1.-The stu
alton here from the Red river flood is
growing more serious. The river is
steadily rising about four inches per
hour, or twice aus rapidly as yester
day, Notwithstanding the much in
creased breadth Of the stream The
water will be In the pumping station
by night and q number Of families
have been compelled to move.
All indications point to the highest
water in the history Of the country,
even far exceeding the flood Of 1881,
and there will be along the Red river
most the largest surface Of fresh water
on earth. West of Fargo and south of
the Northern Pacific tracks the water
averages about two feet deep, and Is
higher in the big coulee west OF the
city than has ever been known. The
high water at Wahpeton and Brecen-
ridge will be a terrible food when 1t
reaches here, as it will be added to the
immense quantity now here and going
nOrthward
There have been no trains over the
Great Northern since Tuesday; No
on the Northern Pacific was sent north
over the Great Northern tracks at noon
today and will reach East Grand
Forks and CrookSton. The Great
Northern has engines and cars here,
but made no attempt to run its spec
ials north. Its train started for Barns
Vile this morning, but is stuck at
Sabin. One Northern Pacific train is
expected here this afternoon over the
Great Northern tracks.
GLYNDON, Mimi, April 1.-The
country all around is flooded The
Northern Pacific bridge over the South
Buffalo, two miles west, is washed out.
as well as several rods Of the track.
making 1t impossible to reach Moor
head or Fargo, as all wagon bridges
are also gone. Many minor washouts
are occurring along the line to the east
Work trains have been busy all dav
trying to rectify the damaged track
but could do no substantial good. The
Great Northern is in the same fix
seven miles Of its track Is under water
to the north of here and to the south
are several washouts. Coutry bridges
and culverts are going by the dozen
Farmers living on the river banks are
compelled to move and considerable
stock is reported suffering The south
half of this village has been com
pletely flooded, school was abandoned
and several families had to move up
stairs because the water came in on
the ground floor Of their dwellings
ST. LOUIS SITUATION.