The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-05-08


located in Burch creek. about three
and one-half miles south of ogden. all
the impOunded water was released and
came tearing toward the city. washing
a big gully through a rich farming Sec
ton and finally flooding the south cen
tral portion Of the city. The waters
reached within a block and a half OF
the city han. The damage can hardly
be estimated with accuracy, but it Wiz
likely reach $4,000.
Farms Flooded.
Adjacent farms were flooded ana
crops laid waste, while great gully
was plOwed for two miles through a
series Of rich farms. The greatest loss
was In the waste of the water itself,
which cannot be restored this season,
and which formed the supply for iFTi-
eating a large area Of valuable farm
land
The reservoir was constructed about
fifteen years ago and has been steadily
enlarged. The dam was Of earth. and
by it the water was backed up into
long ravine. IT was filled by the
waters Of Burch creek, and near it
were two other smaller reservoirs. Both
of these are yet intact. It wiz take
at least two weeks TO reconstruct the
dam. and by that time the waters Of
Burch creek wiz all be required for
irrigation
Livestock Drowned.
Poultry, swine. calves and other do
nestle animals were drowned
The dam must have been weakened
by recent storms and slowly under
mined. The flood came without warn
ing. It was about 4 o'clock that a
street car was at the south city linn
it's, the motorman having just turned
the trolley and was waiting for the
schedule time TO arrive before start
Ing hack north Near this point the
ola water course GmerEes from the
foothills onto a level plateau. The
motorman said; ''I heard low rumble,
and looking east, saw in the distance
wall Of black water about as high as
my head rushing toward nay car. 1t
did not look like water. and I could
not tell where so much water could
come from. The first sensation / re-
member was one Of wonder at what
was the mass Of black stun rolling
and roaring toward me. thought
quick as lightning that I would have
to get out OF there, and yelled TO
two or three passengers 20 get aboard.
Then turned on the current full force
and the car fairly jumped ahead of the
torrent. I would not have thought
water could travel so fast. 1t raced US
mighty close all the way to town, but
as we got ahead the water spread over
the level ground and we gained on It.
Canal Was Soon Fun.
The Weber canal near the southern
ffaaf
flood, but this was soon ChOked full
with sand stones and mud. and the
water poured over along Washington
and Adams avenues. Every bit Of
soil was washed from these streets as
far as Thirty-frst street. NegetabN
and flower gardens were inundated and
the street car tracks submerged. some
Of the residents were frightened ana
took to the roofs Of their dwellings,
not knowing what could cause such IN
inundation on such clear day
Checked at Twenty-Eighth Street.
The rush of water was checked at
Twenty eighth street by the big canal
which is adapted to carrying away the
spring and winter foods from Strongs
and Waterfall canyons, This water
way was filled with a rushing torrent
for half an hour. and the flood crossed
the city as far as Twenty seventh
street However as the reservoir ran
DRY and the food supply was shut OF,
the waters rapidly subslded. All over
the southern part Of the city cellars
were flooded and gardens submerged
Thirty-third street and other cross
streets as far as Twenty eighth were
awash for half an hour
Scene at the Reservoir.
A Herald reporter visited the scene
of the reservoir break on the Sears
farm soon after the flood reached Og-
den. c. b. Sears, the owner, is alb
sent in Wyoming, bat Mrs. Sears said
she could not account for the breaking
of the dam. There was no water rum
ming into the reservoir. and had not
been for several days. The Cut went
through the west part OF the DAM,
where the water was most shallow and
where IL was supposed there was least
likelihood of such a break.
Following the food course from the
reservoir to the city a long, Irregular
gully, varying from twenty to $50 feet
I'm width, was disclosed The three
farms in the foods path which were
damaged in the greatest degree were
those Of c. b. Sears, who. besides hav-
ing the reservoir emptied, lost about
six acres of land: j. C.. and Jesse Ste
T. C. S. Brainard a similar amount,
mostly seeded to oats. Sand and de-
bTis were washed over the land so that
il cannot be brought under cultivation
for at least another season, Most of the
land through which the stream cut was
the black. lOamy kind, and this col
ored the water pitehy black.
Dimensions Of Reservoir.
The reservoir covered about five
acres and was from twelve 10 four feet
rs depth. It supplied water for about
400 acres Of farm land, The losses OF
various parties were estimated last
night as follows.
q. Il. Sears, damage TO lands 1,500
C.. Il. Sears. loss of water ...,., 5000
stephens Bros, loss of water 1000
j.. G. IS. Brail5rd .....-........ 1000
Suudry other smaller losses ON
land .-....,.--... .---.--.-.--.-.. 1000
small losses 10 about 100 resi-
dents of Ogden ..--....-...-..... 1900
AT the old A. b. Hayes place lot
OF Greeks were domiciled. They were
formerly employed ola ga. cut-off and
had just pat ont on the bushes today
lot OF clothing which they bad been.
laundering. The flood carried away
bushes. clothing and all landing some
oI toe garments in The yards and
about the streets of ogden. The own
eTs raced and searched about for hours.
pulling bedraggled clothes out of the
mud.
''What Happened TO Brown"