Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1903-09-15
HIGH WATER.
Heavy Rams Cause Great Damage to
Property.

One of the most damaging storms to
railroad and other property to occur
in the state this year struck this Sec
tion Friday evening, and it appears TO
have been general over Eastern Minne-
sofa, and Western and Northern Wis
consin. Rain began to fall in Mime
apolis at about five o'clock in the after
noon and the storm appeared to move
east and then northward Compare
lively speaking, not great deal of
rain fell in the city, but west and north
it come down in bucketfulls-it was
veritable cloud burst Rivers and
small streams rose with surprising
rapidity, as was the case in and around
the village of Edgar, where the town
was soon under water. At that place
the flood caused great deal of damage
to result. The water came so suddenly
and arose to such heighth that the
streets were soon covered and then it
entered the houses. One family, sleeping
on the upper floor of their house, found
water nearly up to the key board of
their piano. A raft was constructed
next morning and the piano floated
out of the house. There was lly one
boat in the whole village and this was
carried away in the night. The wagon
bridge crossing Scotch creek, southeast
of the village, and the two railroad
bridges south of town, were washed
out. Scotch creek is little stream
flowing into Rib and there is usually
not enough water in it to float
shingle, but Friday night it became
river. 1t flows Though the Quaw
Lumber Co.'S yards and carried away
a large amount of lumber. Over
flowing its banks it washed out about
300 feet of track at the depot, while
about mile east of the village about
| 400 feet was destroyed. The linn
tied train going west at mid
night was held here and the through
train from Minneapolis went around
from Marshfield by way of the Central
Seventy-fiye men were put to work re-
pairing the road, pile driver and con-
struction crew being brought from
while Supt. Hartley was
also present. All day Saturday no
trains were able to pass and it was not
until today that the track had been
repaired sufficiently to allow trains to
go through.
The Milwaukee road had washout
near Pine River that delayed traffic |
until nearly evening of Saturday. In
fact every railroad in the north and
west portions of the state suffered |
An excursion train on the Omaha went
into washout at Kempton and killed |
four people. Hardly train moved in |
Southwestern Wisconsin, where land |
slides in addition to washouts tied up
traffic.
Reports coming in from this county
show that much damage resulted. The |
Deds of wagon roads are washed out |
and still covered with water, bridges |
are gone or damaged, and farmers suf- |
tered greatly. Those coming in from |
Marathon City, where a great deal of
oss also resulted, state that the Rib |
bridge approaches are washed out and |
the bridge seriously damaged. Henry |
Belize, the deputy sheriff, came through |
from Spencer to Fenwood that night.
A few miles south If Spencer he saw |
4 house, barn and hay stacks of far
mer burning up, and heard reports of
other losses.
A farmer living about eight miles
east of the city, whose name we cannot |
learn, lost his team and other live
stock, hay and outbuildings. He lived |
IN hollow and his place was soon un-
der water and the animals drowned |
He had to build a float and move his
family to high ground.
The Wisconsin river raised about |
five feet and it was reported that the |
Tomahawk dam was destroyed, but
this proved canard. The water in |
Jim Moore Greek raised to within a |
few feet of the wagon bridge. Those |
who were in the territory of the storm |
west of here state that more rain fell |
within short time than they ever
before witnessed.
Reports coming in from the country |
are very meagre from the fact that |
is cut off from many |
sections. 1t is said that nearly every |
bridge and culvert in the flood section |
was carried away, so that the people
cannot get to town. 1t was the lumber
being carried away at Edgar that des
troyed the wagon bridge. When cir
cult court convened yesterday morn
ing only half the iurymen were present.
the rest were unable to get to the city
on account of the roads being impass-
able. The track at Edgar is not yet
fully repaired and it will take a great
many cars loads of gravel to repair the
damage done. Trains are now run
ming regularly. Since Friday western
mail has been carried around by way
of junction City. The Tomahawk dam
has been kept open since the first rains,
so it is reported, and this led to story
on the streets Saturday that the dam
was destroyed. The Wisconsin river
kept raising yesterday and the rains
north of here since Friday viii probab
ly increase the volume of water. Sat
urday the gates of the Brokaw dam
had to be opened as it was feared the
dam might be carried away. The pa
per mills have been closed down, the
water flooding the lower part of the
mill and destroying some of the finished
paper. The Alexander Stewart mill
in this city was closed Monday because
the guard lock could not be opened to
let logs through with out flooding the
company's yards. The water yesterday
had raised ten inches at che MeEach-