The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1908-07-03
From Thursdays Daily.


nesota river been as high as it is
today. Once in 1881, when the extreme
elevation of 97.6S feet was reached, and
the other was in 1897, when the eleva
tion was $3.50 feet. The elevation
reached this morning was GLIB, and
the river was still rising slowly.
These figures are taken from the
records in the city engineers office.
These records show that extreme low
water was 74.l0 feet The elevation
reached during other periods of flood
were the following: In 1892, S6.l0;
in 1898, s772; in May, 1908, 1855.
The water this morning stood more
than five feet higher tnan it did last
month, when some people thought the
water pretty high.
While the water is practically as
high as in 1897, many of the street
and roads that were overlooked then
nave been graded up and Strengthened
since then. This is notably the case
on Belgrade avenue, in North Man
kato. In 1897 the river swept across
the avenue in a torrent and one man
was drowned, where today the drive
way is several feet above the water.
Rise Was Rapid.
The rise in the Minnesota river from
eight o'clock yesterday morning until
eight o'clock this morning was &c
feet, and slight rise during today
was recorded. The Blue Earth river
is very high, but seems to have
reached its highest point, for it varied
but little during a period of several
hours today at Sibley park.
To add to the volume of water
coming down, a heavy shower fell
south and west of this city yesterday
afternoon. 1t was a heavy storm in
places, and near Madelia quantities of
hail fell, and beat down the crops
for distance of two miles. ;.
Wise Precautions Taken.
The crowds that visited the Min
nesota river bridge last evening and
today, to see the river, was so great
that it was not deemed advisable to
allow the people to congregate upon
the walk, and only those who in
tended to walk directly across the
bridge were allowed upon it. Those
who went on the bridge merely to
look at the water We're required to go
upon the wagon part of the bridge.
A small bridge floated down the
Blue Earth river yesterday, having
gone out somewhere up stream. IT.
was wooden structure, and therefore
foated easily.
1t was reported this morning that
the dam at Lake Crystal had gone
out and that an immense volume of
water was pouring over Minneopa
Falls. While the latter was the case,
it was not because the dam had
gone out, for inquiry at Lake Crystal
shows that this was not the case.
Several people VINO heard the report
drove to Minneopa to see the falls,
but were well rewarded by the beauty
of the scene.
The wooden cover of the ice breaker
nearest this city. above the Minnesota
and foated off down stream at six
o'clock this morning. A number of
North Mankato residents who were
up early saw it 60. and say that it
sped down stream like a motor boat.
1t Was Their Move.
There was a general moving time in
the lower parts of the city and North
Mankato last night. Not many people
actually moved their goods out of
their houses, but many moved them
to the second floors. This morning
scores of residences were surrounded
by water and completely isolated ex-
capt by boat, and in a few cases wa
ter was encroaching upon the first
floors.
Down on Minnesota and Poplar
streets people stood on their front
porches TODAY and watched the water
rise about their houses, and come up
step by step over their front steps.
AS the water rose, the driveways be-
came undermined and driving was
more or less dangerous.
Through the courtesy of F. X.
Meagher reporter of The Free Press
was enabled to visit the flooded sec
tions on this side of the river and
in L'Huillier. A large amount of ter
ritory is under water, aside from por-
tions of Cummings addition.
Streets Cut Off.
In the slough the water has backed
UP and covers half or twothirds of
Une eXUeHSlOH OF fledSdHG SIIecI' Cut-
ting off traffic there, and making it
necessary for residents of Ogle &
Davis addition and beyond to come
around by Front street. The need of
grading up the road was never better
illustrated than now.
The water was encroaching upon
the extension of Front street crossing
the slough, on the north side, and was
only a foot from the rails of the
street car line on the south side. IL
seemed to be only a question of a
short time when the traffic on that
part of the car line would have to be
abandoned. if the water continued tol
rise. While the street has been grad
ed up, it seems as though it ought
to be filled little more in the mid
die.
Sibley Park Flooded.
At Sibley park, the Blue Earth and
Minnesota rivers nave both backed in.
The blue Earth river has backed upl
to the race track fence in two places,
cutting off foot passage. The water
was in the monkey house, and another
rise would put it in every animal and
bird enclosure. The deer park was
nearly all under water and the deer
were removed for safety. The Min
nesota river was backing in at the