The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-08-20
FLOODS SWEEP
DOWN CANYONS
CIOudburStS Endanger Camp
erS, DemoIiSh Cabin and
Wreak General Havoc.
POWER PLANT DAMAGED
PARLEY'S AND THE COTTON.
WOODS SCENES OF WRECK.

Cloudbursts in Big Cottonwood, Lit
tie Cottonwood and Parley's canyons
during the storm yesterday afternoon
threatened the lives of many pleasure
seekers and campers. Water carrying
huge boulders, sand. debris and timber
swept down the canyons in torrents,
washing out everything before it. The
roads were washed out, making travel
impossible. Tents, cabins and cottages
were wrecked and washed away before
the floods which reached a depth of fff-
teen and twenty feet.
Seymour 3. YOunS's cabin in Noun
tain Dell, in Parley's canyon. was de-
molished by the rush of water down
the mOuntainside. There were about
fourteen people in the cabin when the
storm first commenced. When the can
yon's stream swelled almost within
striking distance they decided to de-
sert the cabin. Before they had
wrapped the children up in heavy
clothing a Cloudburst swelled the
stream and their lives were endan-
Sered. With difficulty all escaped from
the cottage i'm the lashing. pouring rain,
before the foundation was torn from
under the building. IT toppled over and
was carried down the stream. In the
party which had gone to Mountain Dell
to spend two weeks We're Mr.. and Mrs.
Seymour B. Young and family, Sey-
mour B. Young, jr-, and wife and fam
lily, Miss Jean Williams, Moyle Gray
and Clare Ritter.
No One Is Injured.
After facing the storm for half an
hour they succeeded in making their
way to YOungberg's camp, where they
Ch
latter camp last night and VIII return
to Salt Lake today. None OF them
received any injuries, but all of them
received a thorough Wetting.
The telephone wires were almost out
Of commission last night that connect
with the various resorts I'M the noun
tainsi At Wasatch In Little Cotton
wood it was reported that little dam
age was done about the resort. The
bank of water that rushed down the
canyon washed out the road and drove
the campers out of their tents. Many
of them remained all night at the hotel.
where they found shelter and had a,
chance TO dry their clothing.
Brighton was not damaged in partic-
ular. 1t is situated too high up in the
mountains TO be affected by cloud
bursts. Lower down, however. every
thing was washed out and many camp
ers sought refuge there for the night.
Power Plant Damaged.
In Big Cottonwood canyon the road
way below the stairs was washed out
ten and fifteen feet deep. Considerable
damage was done 20 the L tah Light e.
Railway company's power plant II
was shut down during the storm. The
company received a message from the
plant late last evening that no further
danger would be encountered from the
cloudbursts. 1t was impossible to make
connections with the power plant last
night Likewise Alta could not = be-
reached. It is known, however, that
some damage was done there, but the
extent could not be learned.
The banks of water that rushed down
the canyons flooded the valleys below
them. 1t was reported that the Rio
Grande Western tracks at points along
the route were washed out, but Il was
found TO be only a rumOr. The water
in many places reached the tracks, but
did little or no damage.
The evening train from Park City
picked up drenched campers all along
the route dozen or more were
brought to Salt Lake. Their camps
were flooded and many of them were
washed down and carried away by the
torrents. No casualties were reported,
but the cloudbursts we're said to be the
mountains in years.
Damage in Salt Lake.
Salt Lake suffered some damage from
the storm. Part of the north bench
was washed down into the streets. The
cutters were flooded in nearly every
street and sand, rocks and debris were
deposited in the streets and cutters. In
the northeastern part of the city lawns
were flooded and sand was deposited on
them several inches in depth Cellars
were filled with water in many in
stances and some damage was done.
Flower gardens, Shrubbery and small
streets were washed out in several in
stances. The stream in City creek
swelled until it almost flooded North
Temple street. Water in every part of
the city was solid with earth and unfit
to drink.
Street Cars Tied Up.
Fifteen street cars on the Third street
and Brigham street lines were tied up
yesterday for two hours after the rain
storm. Torrents of water rushing
down and c streets carried sand and
rocks until the tracks were completely
covered. In some places the deposit Of
-and and boulders was q foot in depth
Two cars were lifted off the rails when
attempts were made to run them over
the tracks.
About twenty-five men were sent to
the scene with a wrecking car and
shovels For nearly two hours they
worked before the tracks were cleared
ard the cars were again running. The
cars were filled with passengers and
many of them braved the storm in
summer attire in preference to waiting
for the tracks to be cleared.
The First street and Sixth street were
similarly blOckaded. In one place near
Popperton Place part of the roadbed
vas washed out. Il was sufficient to