Mountain Home maverick. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1906-1911, 1910-03-10
MEDBURY HAS
TOO MUCH WATER
MELTING OF SNOW SMELLS THE
CREEKS AND CAUSES
SEVERE FLOODS.
Damage Done TO Rail-
road Tracks and County Bridges,
But Repairs Were made As Soon
As Possible and Traffic Resumed.

The sudden thaw which started
with a rain Sunday evening was the
cause of the greatest food that has
coursed through the creek bottoms in
Medbury valley for many years.
Northward on the high plateau
the snow had accumulated all winter
to a depth of sixteen inches. 1t is
through this territory that Bennett.
Cold Springs. Alkali and Dry Creeks
reach the river. The sudden rise in
temperature as belated spring struck
us, coupled with the warm rains,
started an avalanche of water river
ward in all the creeks, and while no
damage resulted to the residents Of
the valley, the flood was very destruc-
tive to railroad property and resulted
in a complete tie-up of the Oregon
Short Line system for three days. A
torrent of water from the plateau
rushed into the Bennett reservoir site
past the place where the dam is soon
to be constructed, and struck the
railroad at Chalk siding. The track
diverted it through Chalk cut and on
down to Bennett creek, washing out
mile of track.
On Monday afternoon the west
bound fast mail train. after standing
few hours on Medbury hill, was
forced to retreat to Glenns Ferry.
Within a half hour after this train
passed the old Medbury station in its
retreat. the track was washed out
by a mighty lake that had formed
on the upper side, caused by the
enormous flood Of waters that came
down Intermittent creek all Monday
afternoon, and which the small cuI-
vert which ordinarily takes care of
the flow of this creek, was unable 20
care for. This lake was over a mile
long on the eastern side of the track
and reached to the section house,
which it surrounded. The release of
this impounded water through the
high railroad grade gave Bennett
creek an enormous volume of water
which ran all Monday night spread
ing over the creek bottom to a width
of eighty rods. The county wagon
bridge had been secured by cables
, which held it firmly to the stone
abutments, so that the only loss was
the approach to the bridge, which
will be rebuilt as soon as the water
recedes.
Cold Springs creek, in the eastern
end of the valley, at the same time
was attempting to carry more water
than it was made for, and the coun-
ty wagon bridge was washed under
the railroad track and onto the
: river flats near the Turner power
plant. where it was rescued the next
, morning The torrent down Cold
Springs creek was as sudden as il
was large. and the railroad grade al
the culvert gave way at midnight
Monday. The whirling waters tore q
hole under the track nearly forty feet
deep The railroad bridge at Alkali
was not damaged. The damage oc-
Cured so suddenly and was so ex.
tensive that the railroad company
was not prepared to handle the situa
ton. inasmuch as the washouts neal
Nampa prevented them from sendins
a work train from the west to rebuild
the track on Medbury hill. 1t was
not until Wednesday that a crew oi
200 men was gathered and sent tC
get this section of track in order
/ The wreck train began work on ths
= damaged track at Cold Springs creek
Tuesday morning. but the pile driver
did not arrive from Pocatello unit
Wednesday morning, and it took 2i
hours to throw a temporary bridge
across. 1t will be several weeks be
fore the tracks are again in good con
dition
High water did very little damag.
to other than railroad property in the
e valley. and the only inconvenience,
: was the washing out Of the wagor
! bridges. which have both been re
s placed. The creeks are now carryins
e the usual spring flow. which will ruI
we'll into the summer.
y Chamberlain Stomach and Liysi
Tablets are safe. sure and reliable
J, and have been praised by thousandi
]
health through their gentle aid ans