Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1911-10-12
RISING WATERS, CAUSED BY IN.
oESSANT RAINS, RESULT IN
THE BREAKING OF WEST
DYKE OF DELLS DAM.
PEOPLE FLEE IN TIME
! TO SAVE THEIR LIVES
Wausau, Chippewa Falls, Eau Claire,
Prescott, Spring Valley and
Other Towns are Damaged
# 'ssrrs by the High
! !. ..5s IN" tsreams. ,.Ip

rs s.s&st' tsreams' cIH
La Crosse, Wis. = More than half
1t the business section of Black River
Fails is in ruins, the homes of scores
II farmers have been swept away with
probably loss of life and the main
lam at Hatfield, Wis, momentarily is
threatened with destruction which
you'd release flood that would carry
leath and destruction before it, as a
result of the breaking Of the west
eyke Of the upper Dells dam, fol.
owing incessant rains which filled the
immense reservoirs of the La Crosse
Water company to overlooking.
The situation at Black River Falls.
he prosperous little city of 1000 PEG.
pie, Is worse by far than was feared
Yhen the deluge burst upon the un.
fortunate city.
Half of the business section has
been utterly destroyed, together with
} considerable part of the residence
district, and it is admitted by the
townspeople who have taken refuge
~ the high lands, unable to make even
IN effort for the protection of their
stores and homes, that the city will
be utterly wiped of the map.
Whether or not lives have been
lost is not yet certain, as the people
have been scattered.
Business Houses Destroyed.
Between Is and 30 business houses,
comprising all the stores on both sides
Df two streets in Black River Falls,
have been destroyed, together with an
equal number of residences. The wat.
srs are still rising rapidly and the de-
structiOn of the stores on the other
two business streets is predicted.
The water, flowing with resistless
current and in tremendous volume,
undermined one big building after an.
other and as it collapsed and crum-
b1ed to pieces the debris was largely
carried away. The fremont hotel, a
substantial three-story structure, was
the first to go, and many others fol-
lowed.
No precautions could be taken to
stop the wrecking of the town, the
residents finding it difficult prob
lem to secure safety or themselves,
their families and their more valu-
able possessions. None of the stocks
In the stores were saved and little of
the heavier furniture in the houses
the people, although they knew of the
overlooking of the Hatfield dam, show
Ing little fear of it's effects until the
waters burst upon them.
City is in Darkness.
The city is in darkness the electric
light plant being one of the first
agencies to be put out of commits
sion, adding to the excitement and con
fusion of the hour.
The disaster was caused by the sud.
den rise of the Black river behind the
two dams the La Crosse Water Pow.
er company. following rains which
lasted almost week. The dams with.
stood the pressure, but in each case
the river washed around the side, tax.
ing out abig section of the river bank
and coming down upon the country
below in almost as great volume as
though the dam had been swept away
The $5,000,000 property of the water
power company is not believed to be
greatly damaged, the breaks on the
side relieving the pressure, and the
main dam, which is a concrete struc
ture 100 feet thick at the base and sc
feet at the top, will probably stand al
the force which may be directed
against it,
Besides the damage at Black Rive1
Falls, a great tract of SURROUNDING
country was overrun. Effort was made
to send warning to farmers, but the
telephone wires were the first to "a
down and the fate of many settlers
who knew nothing of the flood unit
1t struck their immediate vicinity, ii
the cause of apprehension.
Below Black River Falls are a mum
Der of villages, including Roarins
Creek, Irving, North Bend, Melrose
Holmen, Lytles, Midway and Onalaska
and the high waters are due to strik,
them. Forces of men have been sen
out to strengthen the bridges in th,
three counties along the river.
Cut off by telephone, the news from
Black River Falls was sent to L,
Crosse by the Wisconsin Telephon,
company, which stationed a man OF
REVOLT IN PORTUGAL.