Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1903-09-24
LA CROSSE SURROUNDED BY RAP.
IDLY RISING WATER.
FORCED TO LEAVE HOMES
Torrent Enters the City-Lower Parts
of the Town Covered-No Loss of
life-Flood at Grand Rapids ana
Other Places Causing Much Dam.
age.

La Crosse, WIS, Sept. 19.-The
worst flood experienced in this portion
of the Mississippi valley for years is
submerging thousands of acres of
farm lands along the river, sweeping
away stacks of hay and grain, drown
ing livestock in fields and doing ines
Unable damage.
The food has entered La Crosse ana
in the lower portion of the north side
| fifty families have been forced to
move out of their homes. Yesterday
morning the river had overlooked the
Chicago, Milwaukee & st. Paul tracks
on the levee and goods were moved
out of the lower floors of long row of
Wholesale houses which it is expected
the water will enter by tonight
The river is still rising an inch per
hour. At noon yesterday the stage
was 1875, half foot above the dan
ger point. The Mississippi is backing
into the Black and La Crosse rivers,
which unite at this point, and also ris-
ing, and the city is surrounded by a
vast sea of water on three sides.
The police department is busy warn
ing people in the lowlands to move.
moving their stocks from the basement
and people are moving their house.
hold effects to upper stories and hun
dreds of houses are now approachable
only in boats.
Pettibone park, the handsome new
$4,000 pleasure ground, is entirely
submerged. The milldam and part of
the mill at Misha Mokwa are washed
away At Mondovi both milldams are
out, a house and barn have been
washed away and much livestock
drowned.
Communication with rural districts
in this vicinity is entirely cut off, ow-
ing to innumerable bridges being
washed away.
Roads Submerged.
All wagon roads to the city except
from tne east and one from the west
ordinarily high and dry are under sew
eral feet of water. Floating carcasses
of dead cattle, horses, sheep and pigs
tell the story of destruction going on
north of here Many logs on dry land
for years have been reached by the
floods and are coming down with parts
of sheds, haystacks and other debris of
the destructive waters.
Three sawmills in this city have
been forced to stop work and thous-
ands of dollars worth of lumber and
wood piled up in the ards is in dan
ger of being washed away.
The local weather observer pre-
diets the river will rise nearly a foot
more at this point.
AS yet no life loss is reported.
Flee from Low Ground.
Hundreds of families in the district
adjacent to La Crosse are fleeing with
what valuables they can grasp to the
hills to escape death in the floods
which are sweeping the Mississippi
valley. Upon advices of the United
States weather bureau here the entire
police force was detailed to warn the
residents of the SUI rounding low
lands
Farms within 25 miles of La Crosse
are being deserted and in many in
stances the stock has been drowned
before it could be driven away. Miles
upon miles of farming land are mum
dated and crops barns and buildings
are being flooded and destroyed AS
yet no loss of life has been reported.
Roads and bridges north of here have
been swept away.
The weather bureau predicts a 49,
foot stage by this morning. The loss
es cannot be estimated now, but will
be heavy
Flood at Grand Rapids.
Grand Rapids, Wis, Sept. 19.-Three
feet of water now stands in the base
ments of all Of the store buildings
along the river and the water still
keeps on rising. Reports from the
north say that the water has begun to
recede at Tomahawk, Merrill and Wau.
sau.
Osceola, Wis, Sept. 1.-THE water
in the st. Croix river at present is
higher than it has been for years.
Marinette Mills Close.
Marinette. Wis, Sept. 19.-The
water in the Menominee reached the
highest point in years yesterday. The
boom was closed and most of the saw
mills in both cities will have to sus-
pend operations until the water sub.
sides. completely tying up the lumber
industry. Great damage to river i'm
movements on tha 1npor ctroaroe &c