The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1906-11-23
THEFLOOD
RUINATION OF PROPERTY Will
AMOUNT To MILLIONS.
Several Lives Reported Lost-WhoIe
Valleys NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Changed
Their Course and Many Bridges
Washed Away-Traffic Delayed Sew
eraI Days.

eraI Days.
Tacoma, Wash, Nov. 1S.-After the
loss of five lives, destruction of prop
erty worth a million dollars or more,
total suspension of railroad traffic and
the submerging of valleys whose fertil-
ity is famous, the water is rapidly re-
ceu-ng.
Conditions in the flooded districts be-
tween Seattle and Tacoma are much
brighter The waters in the White
and Black rivers are receding, and
farmers are guadually resuming their
normal routine. At Kent the streets
have only few inches of water, dairy
ing operations were resumed today and
lights are on tonight. Auburn's condi-
ton is improved, and local train ser
vice operating. Communication with
RentOn from Seattle has been resumed
by the Seattle, Renton & Southern
railway, which gets within half mile
Of Seattle. Lines of other railways
are washed out, and it will We nearly
week before they can operate.
Many of the farmers n the valley
state that instead of doing harm the
floods have done them good by ferti-
lizing their lands. State GeOlOgist
Meany expressed the same opinion to-
day.
The flume of the electric plant at
Electron was washed out and both Ia
coma and Seattle had resort to
steam plants for the operation of their
street cor and electric light plants. A
scarcity of fuel intensified the situa-
ton. The interurban electric line be-
tween Tacoma and Seattle suffered
heavily in washouts and slides and
will not be able to resume for several
days. Industries along the Puyallup
river in Tacoma were put out Of bust
ness for few days. At the city Of
Puyallup the water system was cut out
on bridge over the Stuck river. Num-
erous wagon and railroad bridges are
out. A railroad bridge over the Stuck
river was washed away.
Fifteen hundred feet of trussel went
out at Olequa on the Collitz river be-
tween Tacoma and Portland.
Bridges at Lester and Weston on the
main line of the Northern Pacific were
washed out.
Much Of the damage in King and
Pierce counties has been caused by
the White river, which has changed
it's channel and is now pouring into
the Stuck river, flooding a wide stretch
Of fertile lands.
At North Yakima.
A fall of about four feet was in evil
dence in the Yakima river Sunday and
it is known that the loss to Yakima
valley will amount to 100000 and
possibly much more.
AS word from points cut off by the
food is received great losses are re-
ported. Arrivals from the reservation
bring word of heavy loss to horses
and cattle and much damage to farm
ing property. Hundreds of acres are
inundated. Reports from other Sec
lions are to the same effect
The collapse of the county's lower
bridge over Naches river is reported.
While crew was laboring to strength
en- it, without warning it fell into the
river, precipitating five men into the
water. ]. Steever, one of the laborers.
chung to the wreckage and was carried
down below the steel bridge of the
Northern Pacific and then swan to
shore. The others had less difficulty
in reaculng safety.
A span lodged against the railroad
bridge, throwing the current against
pier, causing damage.
At EIlensburg.
Damage to property in Kittitas val
ley will reach about 100000 dollars
from the high water. The Ellensburg
water power electric light plant, on
the banks of the Yakima river. has
been out of commission for three days,
with poles washed out and lines to
town down.