The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-06-14
WATER IS GOING down
The Crisis Is Thought to Be Over
and Excitement Is Abating.
HARD FIGHT AT HAMILTON
From O'Clock in the Morning Until
the Water Began to Recede at
Noon, the Danger Was Imui-
nent-All Sacks Used Up.

Missoula, June 13-The excitement
regarding the high water in the local
streams has subsidized to-day in the fall
of water, and tonight all danger is
passed for the present. Last night the
Rattlesnake lowered about one foot and
the Missoula has remained stationary
all day, with good prospect tonight
for drop before morning, as the even
ing is cool. The Bitter Root is still
very high, but it has lowered Is inches
at the Hamilton dam since last night.
The anxiety regarding this dam and
the bridges along the Bitter Root has
abated considerably, and it is thought
that the worst has passed. The re-
ports sent in yesterday regarding these
bridges were somewhat exaggerated.
None of the main structures have been
affected, except the old bridge at Ham,
ilton, which went out some days ago.
The damage at Corvallis, Grantsdale
and Como is to the approaches, and
will be easily repaired as soon as the
water goes down.
At Hamilton the mills have been
shut down and all the men have been
at work on the 1evee that was built
to save the end of the dam and to keep
the water out of the mills. The needs
for this work has passed for the pres
ent and it is hoped that the remainder
of the snow will run off gradually.
Those who are familiar with the situa-
ton say that there will be no further
flood unless there should be two or
three days of warm rain. Ordinary
warm. clear weather will not do much
HARM In the lower Bitter Root near
Lolo and below, the water is still at
dangerous stage. Several people who
started to-day to drive to Florence
turned back at the Buck house bridge.
as the water has backed up in the
sloughs and it is next to impossible to
reach the bridge
At the Davis ranch near Lolo, the
road is very dangerous and the small
bridges along there are considered un-
safe. Work on the railroad bridge at
Riverside is progressing as rapidly as
possible under the circumstances and is
greatly favored by the drop in the
water 1t is now expected that trains
will be able to leave Hamilton to-mor-
row night or next morning. To-day
the morning freight took up passen-
gers and mail as far as the damaged
| bridge. There all are transferred to
| wagons and taken up the west side or
the river ito the Hamilton dam, which
was crossed by the passengers on foot.
The situation at Hamilton was very
critical all day yesterday and those
| who took part in the fight against the
water say that 1t was one of the most
trying experiences that they have ever
had. From the time that the whistle
| at the mill sounded the alarm at A
o'clock in the morning until the water
began to recede at noon, the contest
with the raging stream was hard
one With big leak started in the
dam and the water rising into the boil
er rooms at the mill, the situation was
anything but pleasant one.
| All of the sacks In town were used to
| fill the hole in the dam. They We're
| taken from the flour mill, from the
| stores and wherever they could be OBJ
| tanned. 1t is said that more than a
carload of these sacks were used, filled
! with earth. At the flour mill some
| sacks that had been filled were emptied
| of their flour and turned over to the
force of fighters at the dam. At length
by the use of these sacks and brush
| the leak was stopped and then the
water began to lower. The worst was
| then over and the fighters rested for a
time. Last night slight shower passed
over the Missoula valley, and it was
thought that a repetition of the expert
ence of the preceding day would fol-
low. Fortunately the storm was of
brief duration and there has been NO
rise in any of the streams.