The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-02-05
HEAVY RAINS Do
GREAT DAMAGE
Fear That Southern Pacific Fill
May Be Carried Out by
water.


The heavy rains have caused the Ogden
river to rise to the highest point in many
years.
1t is feared that. if the rain continues
much longer. the river will leave it's chan
mel short distance from the intake Of
the Fremont canal and make a new bed
The intake is above a sharp curve in the
river and a bulkhead which was thrown
across the intake yesterday. causes the
great volume Of water which left the river
at that point, to flow in the river chan
mel.
If the river leaves its bed Mt this point.
as 1t threatens to do. the new channel
viii carry the water with full force
against a 1.J00-foOt fill on the Southern
Pacific. This fill, il is feared. will be
| carried out by the force of the water.
This danger became so great yester-
day afternoon that a special force of
Southern Pacific engineers was sent to
| the scene with a train of twenty-five cars
| of rock. A construction train was later
sent to the fill. and piling will be driven
| between the FIJI and the point where the
water will strike If IL leaves the river
1 bed. A second train of twenty-five cars
Of rock will be sent TO the fiji. The piing
and the rock. it is believed by the engi-
| neers will break the force of the wall of
water sufficiently to pI eserve the safety
/ of the line
Communication between Ogden and Og-
den valley was entirely cut off yesterday
\ by two serious rock and earth slides.
The most serious of these slides is in
about the middle of the canyon. between
| the lime kiln and the Oaks At this point
| a great mass Of rocks blocks the road.
| At the Lewis resort, hundreds of tons OF
! rocks are piled up across the road, some
of the huge boulders weighing from fifty
| to 100 tons. The soft mud between these
rocks makes IL impossible for teams or
| pedestrians to pass that point. County
| Surveyor CIavan attempted to go out to
the other side OF the slides yesterday
morning but was unable to pass.
The only persons who have come into
/ Ogden from the other side OF the slides
| are Rem Colvin and a young woman nurse
who had been engaged at Eden. and VINO
/ had to reach Ogden on important BUSH
ness. BY making long detours afoot
around the slides. and by carefully pick
/ ing their way over the treacherOus earth,
and avoiding rolling stones that coca
sionally were started from above, they
! reached Ogden after a dangerous trip.
| The county commissioners have taken
! steps 10 clear the road and gangs OF men
| have been sent to the scene While the
first gang was repairing the Damage az
! the upper slide. another mass OF rock
| and earth closed the road below them.
The telephone line. however is still open.
and another force was sent from Ogden
| to work at the west end.
| AdviCes received from Huntsville last
night by telephone were that the whole
| country about Huntsville is covered with
water. In the streets, the water is from
| creek road near the creamery is COM
! pleteIy blocked. Four or five culverts
| and bridges in the canyon are in immi-
nent danger and il the water rises much
higher they will go out
| A large force of men was sent from
/ Huntsville to work on the road. but was
| compelled to abandon the task because
the earth is so soft that as soon as IT is
removed. other quantities of mud and
rock fall to the road. filling 1t. Hunts
VILE will be shut off from communica-
ton with Ogden except by telephone foI
several days.
The downpour of rain and the melting
OF the snow I'm the mountains has caused
the destruction of thousands of fish in
the streams. North Creek is a raging
torrent and the hatchery dam is now
imperilled If this dam gives away, as
IL is belieJed II will If the water rises a
few inches higher. thA loss will be many
thousands of dollars. Fully 100000 young
trout will be destroyed. meaning a loss
Il of $4,000 in addition TO the cost of the
bridge.
A number OF families living in the river
bottoms of Ogden have moved out OF
their homes for fear of the water. which
is now close to their homes. Prepare
tions are being made by many others tC
follow in the event that the water con
tinues to rise during the night.
A gang of forty men was put to work
yesterday afternoon to protect the ice
house of NJ. L. Jones & Co, which is
situated on the banks of the river. The
banks are sOftened and in dangerous
condition. It was believed last night thai
IL the high water mark has been reached
that the building is safe.
The washOut that occurred on the
Union Pacific Sunday was greater thar
first repeated and although a large force
Of men has been at work since the break
this morning that the first train got
through over the regular route.