The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1900-01-20
WORST FLOOD IN YEARS.
RUIN NEAR KENDRICK, IDAHO
Three Lives Reported Lost-Many
Houses Swept Assny-J uliaetta
Tramway and Warehouse Dam

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 who are
living on bottom lands.
Bridges and railroad tracks have been
0bliterated; Il score OF houses at kendrick
have been swept away; the streets OF Ken
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 will
be weeks before the full extent of damage
is known, for the rivers are still bank
full and overlooking and rain threatens
tonight.
At o'clock in the evening the Potlatch
river, swollen into a raging torrent swept
through the embankment 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 a score OF dwelling houses,
while the frightened citizens, carrying and
dragging their wives and children, were
breasting the torrent and making tor
higher ground.
80 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 a night
of terrible peril
MIR. and Mrs. Hamlin and their children
and a driver were in buggy drawn by
two horses, in one of the main streets
on 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
Hood 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 CT
sticks of cordwOod was a feat the strong
est man would not have essayed. Mr..
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
/ liz md tf
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
where he was located was in the middle
OF the torrent, ropes were thrown him
and he was dragged through the waters
TO dry land.
There were other daring rescues during
the height of the flood, which occurred
| Just as darkness was descending over the
town.
John Morgan is another who had 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 JuIiaettR.
Juliaetta, Idaho, Jan. l5.-Julisetta 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 lie
ing on the bottom lands below where there
are a number of farms and families. II