The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1903-01-07

hAohA6hVS A~99 hASAs3 oA10So WCAS 1C-
ported from various points along
the main line of the Northern Paci-
fc, and since that time slides have
been occurring from time to time
until noon today. The wires wers
down and railroad officials were un-
able to get any information except
from nearby points. AS near as
can be learned none of the slides
was of a serious nature, and it is
thought the track will be cleared
within "a hours.
The worst slides are reported
from points East of Tacoma, but
there is also trouble between Taco
ma and Portland, and the track is
blocked on all its branches. The
first slides reported occurred be-
tween Palmer junction and Lester,
about 40 miles from Tacoma. Troub.
lie had occurred on the Great North
ern earlier in the day and that road
was sending its passenger trains
over the Northern Pacific. The
Great Northern train that left Sc
attle last evening, and the North.
=ern Pacific that lett Tacoma last
evening, ars hash tied up at Kanas-
ket, one mile from Palmer Juno
ton. Special trains with construc-
ton crews were dispatched in all
directions from Tacoma this morn
ing. Much interruption to service
has been sustained by the telegraph
and telephone lines. Ali the rivers
are raging torrents and much dam
age to bridges is anticipated.
Seattle, WASH, Jan. 3.-At 7 o.
clock tonight the climax in the rail-
road food situation was reached
when the White and the Stuck riv-
ers, lin King and Pierce counties,
went out of their banks, burying
the Interurban aud Northern Paci-
fc tracks between Seattle and Taco
ma severel feetunder water, food
ing the valley between Auburn and
Kent and driving many of the res
idents all through the White River
Valley out of their homes.
Train service between Tacoma
and Seat 1e has been abandoned,
and at midnighti it was stated ther.
was no telling when it would be rec
esta b1ished. Parts of the Interur-
ban tracks near Kent are under
three feet Of water, and there are
several washouts, the extent Of
which are not known. All the wires
to Kent are down, and the telephone
sys tam is working imperfectly. The
Meeker hopyards, near Kent, are |
under eight feet of water, the old
operators. station is flooded, and
the new depot is Inaccessible. The
waters are running at a mad gate
iii .overethe valley, carrying away
logs and posts many miles from
where they were resting when the
water struck them.
The Northern Pacific adviees re-
,eived at 10 o'clock tonight from
Auburn are to the ef.et that there
were several bad wasbouts in the
vicinity of auburn, and that the
big bridge bet0een Auburn and Ia
coma was tottering and ready to go {
out at any time.
From 7 o'clock to the time of the
dispatch was sent a crew of men !
were engaged weighting it down
with rock, but it seemed evident
that these would not be able to COM
bat the force Of the rushing waters,
and that tbs bridge must go.
This was the )ast dispatch receiv-
ed up to midnight. The streets in
the towns of Kent, Christopher, Au-
burn, Darlington and others in that
vicinity were flooded and there was
no telling how great the damage to
property will be, but it was said it
will be very heavy.
Seattle, Jan. 4.-White River ov-
erhowed its banks near O'Brien
station, four miles below Seattle. at
O'Clock this morning. The people
of the town, not fearing disaster,
had retired last night, but were
awakened by the water, in many /
cases creeping into their beds. o.
rillia, a town on the White River,
two miles above O'Brien, was also
flooded, but the people were warned
and many of them left their homes
and secured places of safety before
the rushing waters had surrounded
their homes. At O'Brien, hewsver,
little children, women and nnen
were imprisoned in their houses
with eight and ten feet of water a.
bout them.
A relief train was ordered from
Seattle. and on arriving with boats,