The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-04-10
Night of Anxiety on the Red.
Crisis OF the Flood Reached at Grand Forks-Steamer
to Rescue Refugees

Special to the Globe
GRAND FORKS, N D., April g.
From 3~to o'clock this afternoon the
water receded one inch, and there was
great rejoicing here Since that time
the rise amounts to more than half an
Inch an hour, and the situation tonight
Is far from reassuring, even though it
| Is believed that the water will start to
go down by early tomorrow. The water
is almost on TO Third street, and, IL the
rise continues during the night, 1t will
finish the work and leave twenty-five
blocks of paving on that street under
/ water. So far but two and a half
blocks of paving are ruined. The bridg-
es at Minnesota point are badly wreck
ed and are only kept from seeking the
bottom of the river by strong cables.
Both railroad bridges are wrecked
somewhat, and men have been sta
toned on, the structures for several
hours shattering the larger pieces of
ice with dynamite before the bridges
are struck. Ice continued to run until
a late hour tonight, and a big gorge
is held back by the approach to the
Great Northern.
A dozen reports have reached here
from points below the city of whole
| families huddled on top of hay stacks
or houses, together with live stock, and
with no way to get away. Barges were
foated two miles down, and a family
and large amount of stock were saw
ed, and it was none too soon. English
coulee has filled today and covers an
area of several miles. taking a North
ern Pacific bridge away. Farmers in
that section are on the higher ground,
and they will be unable to extricate
themselves until a boat is sent down
the river. Maj. Jones. is here directing
the. work of relief which will be done
by the government boat which expects
to start on a trip tomorrow. The OBJ
ject of the, trip is to save human lives,
and on account of the large amount of
stock that will soon perish, Mayor Din
ME wired Senator Hansbrough to ask
the proper authorities to instruct the
relief party to care for the stock as
well.
While the w. M. G. "A benefit was
On at the opera house tonight, the
gas plant was closed down. The crowd
was patient, and, after waiting an hour.
the gas was turned on The plant is
running under great difficulties. Sew
en- miles north of the city the ice has
formed a gorge two miles long and
this is probably holding much of the
water, and an effort will be made to
move it. Business is suspended in East
Grand Forks in all but half a dozen
places, and traffic between the two
cities is suspended. An Ice pier of the
Demers avenue bridge went out today
and the structure has been badly dam
aged as the result. An immense
amount of damage. has already bee 1
done, but, If the water continues at the
present rate until morning, it will reach
an enormous sum. ItTis impossible to
get more dynamite and all that is here
Is being used to protect bridges. and
the big gorge will be moved bY. boat If
possible. The water r three feet high
er than when steamboat landed on
Third street in 1882.
BRECKENRTDGE Mimi, April g.
Few traces of the flood are left in
Wilkin county and the ground is dry
ing rapidly. The weather this week.
has been very fine and some parties
whose land is high; expect to begir
seeding early next week With good
weather for the next two weeks. the
acreage will equal or exceed that Of