Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1905-06-09
FLOOD DANGER OVER

FLOOD DANGER OVER
Highest Point Reached Thursday
in Mark Of II Feet 10 Inches.
Water Recedes.
Stories of the damage done by high
water are coming into the city every
day. Crops are reported to be
damaged to great extent. All the
low lands along the river are flooded,
and The hay crop on these lower lands
is a total loss. Not only to crops, but
buildings and structures along the
river where the water could get to
them, are being undermined and
swept into the river, some of them
total wrecks. Pieces of broken build
ings, timbers, shingles, and other
parts of wrecks come floating down
the rising tide to cOrrobate the
stories.
AS is described in another article in
this paper, the flour mill on the
Plover river was partly wrecked and
pieces of the mill as well as bags and
barrels of flour and feed came floating
down into the Consolidated pond.
One day there were nine sacks Of -four
and three of feed picked up by men
on the pond in boats. A farmer
about two miles above Biron was
reported to have had small barn
carried of by the water, and later
pieces OF the wreckage began coming
over the dam here. ''s
Tuesday morning the news reached
the city that the George Hiles Land
& Lumber cOmpany's office at Dexter
Vile had been undermined and
ruined by the high water Of the
Yellow river. The building was a
long brick building, and stood not far
from the river No danger was
apprehended from the flood, because
of the construction Of the Office, but
the water undermined the foundation
and suddenly the whole building
began to settle. Nothing could be
done to save it, and soon the building
careened to one side and part OF it
parted from the rest and settled to
the bottom of the Yellow river. The
building is an almost total ruin.
Before the rain of week ago
tomorrow night, Saturday, the water
in the river was two and one half feet
above the low water mark. Up till
Thursday evening it steadily rose,
being at the mark of eleven feet and
eight inches above low water mark
Thursday evening. There is now
no longer any danger apprehended
from severe high water, as it is
thought the water had reached it's
highest mark, and that no more
trouble will be experienced. ''
For time great fear was felt by
those living near the river, and
especially the merchants in the down
town district. The water rose till it
poured into the most of the cellars
near the river and some of them were
nearly filled with water. Many Of
the merchants were compelled to
remove the merchandise stored away
in their Easements, on account of the
water The REPORTER building
basement was filed almost to the
floor.
A little excitement was generated
Thursday morning by the report that
the dyke built for the protection Of
the west side, was about to give away.
The dyke extends from the paper mill
to above the Green Bay s. Western
railroad bridge, and upon it's stability
depends the safety Of a hundred lives
as well as hundreds Of dollars worth
Of property. When the report
that it was about to give way was
circulated, there was rush to the
spot to learnthe truth of the matter.
1t was true that the dyke was wearing
away, but not to the extent that it
was in danger and it was soon re-
paired. 5. ~
Later it was said that the long
Green Bay & Western railroad bridge
was washed out on one end, and was
liable to pitch into the river at any
moment. Again a crowd Of sight seers
rushed to the scene and were partly
rewarded for their trouble. The ives t
end OF the long bridge was really in
danger, the sand having been washed
awayto quite an extent. "A work
train was soon at work, and the
breach was filled with hay, bags of
sand, old ties and timbers, and the
whole firmly bound together with
old rails, so that tie bridge was soon
as safe as ever. In truth, the bridge
itself was not IN danger, since it was
the track that had been undermined.
During Wednesday night and
Thursday morning a large quantity oil
pulp wood escaped from the Con-
solidated compsny's boom above the |
dam, went over, and was lost. Two |
sections Of the slash boards Of the
dam were taken out during the first
part of the flood, and Wednesday |
night another section went out.
Seven Of the large gates on the east
end OF the dam have been open since
Thursday morhihg, and FIVE large
ones. and two small ones on the west |