The silver blade. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1895-1903, 1900-01-20
RUIN NEAR KENDRIcK, IDAHO.
Worst Flood in Years-Three Lives
Lost,

Lost.
Kendrick, Idaho, Jan. l5.--Sudden and
terrible floods in the waters OF all Pot-
latch streams have caused enormous DAM
age in the valleys Of the Potlatch and
Clearwater rivers. Three children are
known to have been drowned, and there
are fears for the lives OF Others VINO are
living on bottom lands.
Bridges and railroad tracks have been
oblterated; a score of houses at kendricK
have been swept away; the streets OF hen'
drick and the highways near the river at
all points as far south as Pullman are
flooded and waste of waters now forms
the landscape where two days ago was
farming acreage and busy marts. 1t VIII
be weeks before the full extent OF damage
is known, for the rivers are still bank
full and overlooking and rain threatens
tonight.
AT 6 o'clock in the evening the Fotlatch
river, swollen into raging torrent swept
through the embanknent formed by the
railroad grade above town and poured
with sudden violence into the narrow
street which runs along the river bank
Before the people could collect their senses
the flood was waist deep and rising, had
swept away score oil dwelling houses,
while the frightened citizens, carrying and
dragging their wives and children, We're
breasting the torrent and making for
higher ground.
So far as is now known, all but three
escaped safely. The unfortunates were
the children of Charles Hamlin, street
commissioner of Kendrick. They were
swept away and drowned, while the father,
mother and driver escaped after night
Of terrible peril.
MIR. and Mrs. Hamlin and their children
and driver were in a buggy drawn by
two horses, in one of the main streets
Of the little town. When they saw tina:
the waters were rising about them efforts
were made to get to higher ground, and
this would have been accomplished in
safety had it not been that 100 cords OF
wood above, carried on the surface OF the
flood, swept around the frightened animals
and in an instant the vehicle was over
turned. 1t was impossible for the par
ents to render assistance to their children,
OF in fact TO do anything for themselves,
for swimming among the thousands OF
sticks of cordwo0d was feat the strong
est man would not have essayed. MIR.
Hamlin was brought out on the bank
after daring rescue by John Long. Mrs.
Hamlin was found this morning in the
top of dwelling, where she chung all
night, half dead from exposure and sui
fering from the terrible mental strain OF
grief over the loss of her loved ones. The
driver was also rescued in the morning
from the top Of building, where he also
had chung all night. Although the house
" here he Was located was in the middle
OF the torrent, ropes were thrown him
and he VAS dragged through the waters
10 dry land.
There were other daring rescues during
the height OF the flood, which occurred
lust Us darkness was descending over the
town.
| John Morgan is another who had q mar
row escape. He was swept out. by the
flood, but caught the roof OF a dwelling,
where he chung until morning and was
rescued.
At Juliaetta.
| Jullacttd, ludHO, Odn. lO.-O uiidcttd has
had a flood experience the effects OF which
will be felt until March, for until that
time transportation over railroads will be
out of the question, if the opinion OF rail
road men goes for anything. All bridges
above and below are gone with the waters
and there has been considerable damage
done grain warehouses on the river banks
Fears are felt for the safety OF people hs-
ing on the bottom lands below where there
are a number OF farms and families. II
is believed, however, that the waters will
not be so high or the current so strong
that it will prevent citizens in the inun.
dated district getting to safer places.
No Trains Into Lewiston.
Lewiston, Idaho, Jan. l5.-The rainfall
at this time is unprecedented in the his
tory OF the valley. The Clearwater at this
point rose feet in "a hours.
Several narrow escapes are reported
from Potlatch. A cattleman from Asotin
was caught in the flood and lost about
20 head of cattle, his saddle horse, and
barely escaped with his life. The flood
was caused by the recent warm rains and
the melting Of about four feet of snow
in the Potlatch.
PalOuse Rivers Rising.
Colfax, WASH, Jan. l5.-The South Pa.
louise river has reached the highest point
in several years.
then knocked Choynski out
A dispatch from Paris says that Paul
Jaujou, the famous French brewer and
philantropist, was shot and killed in a
railway carriage yesterday by a young
American named William Martins. The
tragedy caused an intense feeling.
throughout France, as JaujOu was as
prominent here as Rockefeller in Amer
lea.
An exchange of mails between Boss.
burg, WASH, and Grand Forks and Gas.
cade, B. c., and also between Northport
and Spokane railway postofice and
Grand Forks, B. c., has been discontin.
ued, to take effect at once. Mails
heretofore included in the above ex.
changes will hereafter be forwarded
via Rossland, B. e.
At wnlla W. IL