Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1904-04-01
NOTHING LIKE / IN
HISTORY 0F MICHIGAN
Even the "Oldest" Inhabitant
Has No Recollection of Such a
Flood Occurring.
I'M MENSE AMOUNT OF
PROPERTY DESTROYED.
Damage Here Not so Bad as Reported
at Other Places, but II was Bad
Enough.

1t has been feared for some time that
when the heavy snow of the past winter
should melt In the warm sun Of spring
and the immense amount of ice in the
rivers commenced TO move, that there
would be trouble-and il came in a
plenty. The result is an immense loss
in property all over the state, three lives
that were lost by drowning, and the
many more pecuniary losses in the clos
ing of factories and wage earners being
unable to secure the necessaries OF life.
except as donated by the charitably in.
clined.
Thursday night of last week heavy
rain storm passed over the central and
southern part of the state and then the
trouble began. The ground was frozen
so deep and hard that none of the water
could be absorbed and consequently
bitches were swollen into creeks, creeks
into rivers, and rivers became raging
torrents, sweeping everything before
them in the resistless race of the waters
TO their outlets The water raised
steadily all day Friday, until at night
when it turned cold enough to freeze
quite hard and thus check the smaller
streams in the state, but the damage to
property had then been done and as these
streams had emptied into the larger
ones, their mighty waters spread and
enveloped the county through which
they ran and it was not until the latter
part Of this week before anything near
a semblance OF safety to property was
assured in the cities and towns the
worst affected.
AT Alma the conditions were about
the same as three years ago with the
probable difference that the water was
considerably higher below the dam than
at that time. That il was no worse
above the dam and along the mill race
is due to the watchfuluess Of the owners.
The ice had been removed previously
from above the dam far enough TO give
clear space for the water to flow over
and all the slash boards had been re-
moved. Even then the water gradually
began to rise and when il comm enced TO
overflow the banks Of the race and it was
seen that property along the west and
north side was becoming inundated.
dynamite was freely used on the opposite
side towards the river so that it did not
become so bad as il would have been
otherwise.
Below the dam and south of Superior
st. along the river bank, is where the
water reached the high mark. The
electric light plant and pumping station
was under water so that it was impossi-
BILE to secure either lights or fire protec-
ton. Montigel's foundry was flooded
for the first time in its history OF 35
years. South at the corner of Hubert
and River-sts., the new house owned by
Ii. b. Currence and occupied by VIM.
Frye, was entirely surrounded for a dis.
tance of several rods, while the lift
current made it difficult of forcing a
passage way through the waters. G.. s.
Young and VIM. Demuth ferried Mr..
and Mrs. Frye TO higher and drier
quarters in the morning and the accom-
paning cut was taken from a snap shot
OF the occurrence, which was secured by
Charles Murphy, who was fortunate
enough to be present at the time. H.B.
Currence's home, the first house north.
was also surrounded by water sufiiciens.