Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1898-1906, 1900-01-17
WORST FLOOD IN YEARS.
RUIN NEAR KENDRIcK, IDAHO.
Three Lives Reported Lost-Many
Houses swept Away n
Tramway and Warehouse Dam
aRcd-The whole Country Flooded

henuflek, Idaho, Jan. l5.-Sudden aud
terrible Hoods in the waters of all Pot.
| latch streams have caused enormous dam
age in the valleys vi the Potlatch and
Clearwater rivers. Three children al,
known to have been drowned, and ther,
are fears for the lives of Others who al,
living ON bottom lands.
Bridges and railroad tracks have beer
| ubliterated; Il score Of houses at kendrieb
have been swept away; the streets OF Ken
drick and the highways near the river al
all points as far south as Pullman are
| flooded and waste OF waters now form,
the landscape where two days ago wa:
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 overflowing and rain threatens
tonight
AT o'clock in the evening the Potlatcl
river, swollen into 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 sense,
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 fol
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.
Mr. and Mrs. Hamlin and their children
and driver were in 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
we're made to get to higher ground, and
this would have been accomplished in
safety had it not been that 100 cords oil
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 10 render assistance to their children,
or in fact to do anything for themselves
for swimming among the thousands CT
sticks OF cordwood 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 a dwelling, where she chung all
night, half dead IRON exposure and suf-
iering 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 clung all night. Although the house
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
food, but caught the roof Of dwelling,
where he chung until morning and was
rescued.
At Julisetta.
Juliaetta, Idaho, Jan. l5.--Juliaetta has
had a food experience the effects OF which
will be felt until March, for until that
time transportation over railroads will be
out Of the question, II 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
Is believed, however, that the waters will
not be so high or the current 30 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 8 feet in "a hours.
Several narrow escapes are reported
from Potlatch. A cattleman from Asotin
was caught in the food and lost about
20 head of cattle, his saddle horse, and
barely escaped with his life. The food
was caused by the recent warm rains and
the melting Of about four feet of snow
In the Potlatch.
Pslouse Rivers Rising.
Colfax, Wash, Jan. l5.--The South Pa.
louise river has reached the highest point
in several years
At waIia waiia.
Walla Walla, Wash, Jan. l5.--The high
est water experienced since 1883 occurred
here. Trains were delayed and bridges
washed out. Below town the railroad
bridge was washed away and one bridge
was lost by the city. The damage is con-
but the water Is receding
UmstiIls on the Rampage.
Pendleton, Ore, Jan. l5.-The warm
weather during the past two days has
melted the snow in the mountains. The
Umatilla river has risen six feet and con-
tinues rising.
At Thorn Hollow, Is miles east, a rail.
road culvert was washed out and the
river spread all over the bottoms. Ex.
tensive damage TO the railroad and wagon
bridges is feared.
Kendriek, Idaho, Jan i6.--The bodies
Of two OF the Hamlin children who were
in the food that caused sucl,
disaster in this town have been recover.
I'd. The body OF the third child that was