The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1903-06-04
SOUTH SKUNK FLOOD.
Water Goes Three Feet Higher than
it did Last Year.

All day long Sunday, South Skunk
river came up at the rate of several
inches per hour until at seven o'clock
it was about stationary, having risen
only half inch in an hour and a halt.
Then the water was at standstill un-
til midnight when it commenced going
down and it fell about four inches dur
ing the night. The water was over
three feet higher than at the highest
point Of last seasons flood. 1t caIcc
up almost to the first floor of the
pumping station, having filled the eel
lar OF the pump house. A rise Of
thirty-three inches more would have
put 1t in the boiler room.
The grade on the north of the wag-
on bridge was almost covered by the
lshing floods and the bridge itself
was not great distance above the
water. The lower girders of the steel
span bridge of the Iowa Central were
covered by the waves and both north
and south banks of the grades were
being rapidly washed by the strong
current of the flood at this place. A
pile of drift commenced forming at
the railroad bridge and caused much
concern for some time.
The Whitmore mill was in danger of
going out during the day and early
evening. Had the waters risen but a
few inches higher it would have been
impossible to hold the building on it's
foundation. The water surrounded
the mill, flowing through the driveway
on the south side and it flowed into
the windows on the west side. If this
big building should go out and should
get down to the railroad bridge it
would be a problem how to save the
bridge.
The Iowa Central track between the
city and the river is in a very soft
condition, probably as bad as it has
ever been. The new fill near the riv-
er is particularly soft. The clay is
about of the consistency of soft soap.
The steam shoveler was at work at
the crossing just north of the West
Center school house. A large part Of
the east bank caved in and carried
the shovel and its tender over against
the loading track. Some little trouble
will be experienced in getting the
shovel out Of the predicament. 9a
Big Fill Causes Trouble.
1t Is possible that the Iowa Cen
trail embankments crossing the bot
tom lands of the Skunk are in a meas
ure responsible for a part of the floods
in the west bottom lands The en-
bankments act as a sort of dam to the
great flood and it is backed up until u
can find vent through the somewhat
narrow opening left for little more
than the main channel of the river.
1t will be remembered that formerly
there was a long trestle work over the
Skunk river bottom lands crossed by
the Iowa Central. All of this was
filled in excepting a small portion ap-
proching the main channel of the riv-
er. When the floods come down and
fill the bottom lands that lie to the
west it is impossible for them to flow
through uninterruptedly as in past
years, but they are hemmed in by the
great bank of dirt that occupies the
place of the old piling. The space
that the floods can get through is not
wide enough and hence the waters are
retained to a certain extent. A terri
fic current is set.up at this place. 1t
swirls and eddies and roars around
the corners of the grades, washing
them out at a rapid rate. Consider
able damage may result at this point
before the floods recede.
No Trains Running.
No attempt was made to run trains
over the Iowa Central road between
Oskaloosa and Grinnell during Sun
day. The, st. Paul & Minneapolis ex-
cursion started from Grinnell. Trains
were moving on the eastern division
and on the north end of the road. Pas
senger No. 1 started from Oskaloosa
this morning and left on time. Pas
senger No. 6 south bound from the
north arrived in the city as No. was
pulling out. 1t is thought that trains
can now be moved unless more water
falls. No trains have been sent south,
however, beyond Eddyville.