East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1907-08-26

| Detailed reports received here to-
day by telephone and other sources
show that Saturday afternoons storm,
while severe in some sections, did not
cause much damage excepting in a
few instances Some wheat was bat
tered down in the neighborhood of
Athena, while much minor damage
| was caused by high water on Birch
creek, above Pilot Rock.
In a phone message from Athena
this morning Fred Boyd, editor of the
Athena Press. said:
1T seems that the hailstorm COW
cred a section about three-quarters
of a mile wide and three miles long
DR.. Plamonden of this city was the
heaviest loser, as he had 120 acres
of uncut grain in the storm district.
He estimates his loss at s2500. Bern
Banister had 100 acres struck by
hail, and he estimates that his crop
will be damaged Is bushels per acre.
John Bell had about 20 acres of
wheat damaged by hail. The hail
struck hard in Athena, the hail
stones being as large as peas, and
ed with running water. However, no
damage was caused here except that
the water system became flooded and
the water muddied. But none of the
pipe was washed out and there was
no dam TO go out. West Of here only
light rain fell. and threshers are at
work there today"
Birch Creek High.
According TO reports received from
Pilot Rock this morning Birch creek
ran high Saturday afternoon and
much minor damage was inflicted
above that place. though no serious
losses were incurred. In phone
message from Pilot Rock this morn
ing j. p. McManus. editor of the
Pilot Rock Record. said:
News that high water was COM
ing down Birch creek was 'phoned to
us here and people were expecting it,
The flood came down very slowly and
the water was heavy with mud and
refuse. A dead 25O-pound hog led
the procession in the creek and some
watermelons, apples and other pro-
duce could be seen. The stencil from
the creek was very strong.
But little damage was done at
Pilot Rock by the water, because the
creek was able to carry it away
However, footbridge was washed
away and the old Pilot Rock bridge
acress Birch creek just above here
was washed down the stream 100 feet
1t was a county bridge and was not
In shape to stand a flood.
"At the ]. E. Smith place. above
here, the water washed away a hen
house, blacksmith shop and did other
minor damage. The water at the half
way house was two feet deep, and at
Herbert Boylen's ranch more or less
damage was caused. Ed Byrd's
ranch also suffered some, and the
Cunningham company lost some al
falfa. Charles Wilson had three hogs
washed away At the Douglas Belts
place the damage was more severe
than anywhere else on the creek.
The family was living in an old house
on the ranch while waiting to build
a new one. When the water became
threatening they placed the household
goods on tops of tables and in other
places of supposed safety and left
the house. But the water became so
high everything in the house became
soaked, and the place filled with sed-
iment. According to Mr.. Belts the
water was higher there than he had
ever seen 1t before.
"The water in east Birch creek
rose only a few feet and did no dam
age. The flood in Jack canyon was
later than that of Birch creek and
the Jack canyon water did not reach
Pilot Rock until about 30 minutes
after the first rush. When the water
was at its highest here 1t looked bad,
but did but little harm"
From the Reservation.
Reports received here today from
the reservation show that the hail
storm was all north of the Umatilla
and that the section south of the
river was not injured any by the
storm. 1t was hoped to have thresh-
ing resumed there today, and IL such
can be done the only loss will be
from the delay
In the country covered by the hail
storm most of the wheat had already
been threshed, so that but slight
damage was possible.
No Storm at Milton.
In phone message from Milton
this morning, Editor Brown of the
Milton Eagle, stated that but a light
rain fell at that town Saturday after
noon and evening. No bad effects
whatever resulted from the shower,
and no hail fell In the Hudson Bay
country. west Of Milton, light hail
fell, but no damage resulted.
1t was rumored here today that the