The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-06-25

Hhos. E. Fisher, general passenger and
ticket agent OF the Colorado Southern
railroad, Is a pioneer OF Colorado, and
during the winter just passed Mr.. Fisher
has learned well what snow r." as the
snow blockade on the Colorado Southern
mas without question, exceeded any that
has ever occurred in the Rocky mountain
country.
In speaking of the probabilities Of great
floods this summer Mr.. Fisher SAYS:
There is certainly an unusual amount
| OF snow IN the mountains and seemingly
the probabilities Of floods are very great
Should we have our usual rainfall IN
the mountains next month the chances
for devastating floods would be augment
ed many fold =
THE snow began falling in October be-
fore the frost 10 any great extent was
in the ground and as a result, when it
thaws the ground is in a condition to
absorb the moisture which in former
into the streams.
In going over the range last week 1
observed that the suns rays rest upon
the greatest snow banks during only a
part OF the day, while during most CT
the twenty-four hours the snow is per-
mitted to freeze again.
The highest mountain ranges traversed
by our road drain toward the Pacific.
Contrary TO the expectation of fishermen,
vito are considered good authority In the
way Of prognostIcaring mountain floods,
there is very little snow clingiug to the
hillsides along the canons We have been
watching Clear creek canon and 1 find
that the snow is disappearing satLsfac-
torily.
Should We get exceptionally hot wealth
er during the next two weeks it would
melt the snow banks down and thus
cause appalling floods. have lived In
Colorado nineteen years and the winter
just passed has led all others in its SNOW
fall.
Heretofore We have never had our line
tied up completely on account OF snow
for more than a few days at a time, but
this year no train was able TO get
through to Leadville IN more than four
months.
This Will give an idea OF the immense
amount Of snow in the mountains when
It is considered that We have more ma
chinery with which to fight snow than in
former years.
In many places along our line the tops
Of the telegraph poles are not even visl- |
bic. In the gorge below the palisades |
on Alpine Pass he snow has slid down |
into the bottom Of the gorge to a depth |
of perhaps 1J0 feet.
Breckenridge until FIVE weeks ago was |
isolated from the outside world, repeated |
efforts to break through having been I'M
awaiting. The people at that place at |
last became desperate and every able /
bodied man in town turned out with /
shovel and pick, and with the outside
hep. a passage was forced"
Wills George Emerson Of the emigrant
apartment Of the Union Pacific railroad, |
who Is an almost constant traveller in the
region, has the following
TO say: 81 very much dislike to prophesy
a calamity to the jewellers of the Mis-
souri, and Mississippi bottoms. They
should. however. look sqIareiy at the con-
iitions confronting than.
During five months OF the past win
er there was a greater snowfall each
|
here has been in former years during en-
ire winters. Ny estimate in regard TO
his is derived from personal observation
ls well as from conversation with some
II the oldest mountaineers.
Take the government weather bureau
eports. l notice that Mr.. Rutherford. in
N official report from Larime. Wyo.. says
hat 139 inches OF snow now covers the
Snowy Range
This means over IL feet of snow, !
niles in extern. n some naces even burr
ng great mountain forests where it has
rifted over hundred feet deep. Such an
reservoir Of unn alted wa
er has never before TO my knowledge
waited the summer tbaws, then indeed !
would IL be hard TO predict the damage |
yhich would follow. Under such Condi- I
Ions the waters would pour into the
mailer canons. then into the larger ones.
rom the thousand ramifcations Of the
fountain country-all merging into the |
forth Platte. Picket Wire and Arkansas
.vers and their many tributaries: and
aese in turn would debouch their mad
ening floods into the Missouri and the
Iississippi.
sd these untavorable conditions OBJ
hin it is not improbable TO suppose that
ne banks Of both the Missouri and the ,
Iississippi rivers would be extended for ,
lilies out into the valley on either side
Ibmerging and devas;ing the rich bot Z
I'M farms and hundreds OF homes. The :
- Of life and property in such a catas- I
-ophy could hardly be estimated.
Indeed. should natures headgates be !
lus thrown away prophesy becomes I
rohable that the horrors OF JohnstoWn d
BOD. only On 4 larger scale would be Wis q
ed along the rivers even 20 Gulf of !
ex.cO. d
ON the other hand there is a more }
o7efuI view. Il may he that the warm
inds will not this summer pay their an
Ial visit 10 the mountain country.
1T may be. too. that the weather VII
main cool as II IS now during the next ).
W weeks. and thus permit the snow 10 ;
el; gradually. II these conditions prevail !,
, excessive foods viii probable occur :,
he banks OF the creeks ard rivers would
len he able 70 hold the natural spring 7
Sc % water. while the levees along the y
ississippi would serve the purpose for p
hich they were built" j
" F. Bailey, general passenger and c.
,ket agent o. the Midland railroad. s
the opinion taat the STOW in the noun L
ms will md is outlet chiefly through e
e Platte and Arkansas rivers AMI that
ould a hot speI visit the mountain | :
ates for a week or more. great foods :
tght play sad havoc - the people not
one along THE Mississippi and Missouri