The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-10-07
Half of Business Sec
ton Destroyed With
First Rush of w aters.
PEOPLE ESCAPE
TO HIGH GROUND
No Lives Known to Have Been
Lost, but All of Black River
Falls Is Doomed-Embank-
ment of Dams Gives Way,
Releasing Water in
Reservoir.

La Crosse. wiz. October e.-Tho. site
uation at Black River Falls. the pros,
porous little city OF 1000 inhabitants.
which was swept By O food this after
noon. wnen the waters of tho Blaols
River. swollen by recent rains, washed
through the embankment OF the La
Crosse Water Power Companys dana
at Hatfield. tonight iB worse by far
than was evon feared when tho hood
swept upon the city.
Half of the business section hiss been
destroyed. together with part OF tho
residence district and 1t is alleged
by the townspeopie, who have takenre,
fuge on high lands, that the city VIII
be wiped out Whether or not lives
have been lost Is not yet certain. The
people have been scattered, and to-
night canvosses are being made to de-.
termine how many. IL any. arc missing,
Thus far two persons have not been
accounted for.
Waters Still Rising.
At o'clock tonight between twenty.
and thirty business houses, oompris-
ing all the stores on both sides of two
streets. had been destroyed, together
with an equal number of houses. All
that hour the waters were stil rising
rapidly. and. the destruction of the
stores on the other two business
streets were predicted before morning.
Tho buildings have been not merely
flooded. but destroyed. The water,
lowing in tremendous volume, under
mined one big building after another.
and as each collapsed the debris for
the most part was carried away. Tho
fremont Hotel. n three-story struc-
ture, was the first to go. No precau-
tions could be taken to stop the wreck
ing of the town. the residents finding
II difficult problem to secure safety
for themselves, families and more VAL
liable possessions.
None of the stocks In the stores was
saved. and little OF the heavier furni-
ture in the houses. The people, though
they knew OF the OVERLOOKING OF the
dam. showed little fear of its effects
until the waters burst upon them.
The city tonight ia in darkness, tho
electric light plant being one of the
first to be struck by the flood.
The disaster was caused by the sud-
den rise OF the Black River behind the
two dams OF the La Crosse Water Pow
err Company. following rains which
lasted almostia week. The dams with
stood the pressure. but in each case tho
river washed around the sides, taking
out big section OF the river bank and
coming down upon the country below in
almost as great volume as IL the dams
had been swept away Tho $4,000. 900
property of the water company is
believed to be not greatly damaged.
and tonight 1t is said that the main
dam. which Is concrete structure.
100 feet thick at the base and fifty feet
ut the top, would probably stand all
tho forco which might be directed
against It
Farmers Are Warned.
Besides the damage at Black Riveri
Falls. a great tract of surrounding I
country was overrun, Effort was made
to send warnings to farmers, but tel
ephone wires soon went down. and the
fate of many settlers Is the cause for
some apprehension. Below Black River
Falls arc number of villages, and tho
nigh waters are due to strike them
'nring the night and Tomorrow. Cut
OH by telegraph, the news from Black
River Falls is being sent to La Crosse
tonight by the Wisconsin Telephone 1
Company. which has stationed a man
on top of n telephone pole. He is send
Ing his report as well as the flooded
lines permit.
BLACK River Falls is doomed; rho
Town Tow VIII be wiped on the map" was
aGer OF the Standard OIL Company
here. who returned tonight from the
threatened city.
A., wren iett there ut o'clock
this afternoon the main portion OF the
place was under water. and the flood
was racing down Water Street at the
rate OF apparently twenty miles an
hour Earth disappeared before IL
as though 1t were only snow
1T would seem past belief, but I
saw big stone building on hill
100 feet from the water crumbls like
ly with the hill that supported II.
the water had undermined the hill
and carried everything away.
shortly afterward q knoll. sixty
feet long, north OF II, was under
mined and then the poorhouse. a great
white building, three or four stories
high, went with 1t.
when the waters appeared the Are
bell called every one to the streets
II was sounded to get the people out
to assist the residents on the flats In
and other buildings were swept away
clean.
ITO get out OF the town had TO
so around over railroad bridge. ons
approach to which had been taken out
There was nothing left In the town TO
eat.
Had Plenty OF Time.
IT heard OF no loss OF life Inhabi-
tants had plenty of time to get out
or danger"
Harry Gettman, formerly OF the wis
oonsin Telephone Company at Tomah.
is the Jack Blnns' or tho flood. Perch.
ed on the top Of q pole with q tele-
phone instrument cut in. with only
darkness about him, and whirling wn.
ters shaking the pole he tonight sent
news to la Crosse and warnings 10
all points he could reach.
Gettman worked In the flood district
Mi day without food Wherever hS
could reach country exchange or "a
farmers telephone he shouted u warn
ing. At O'Clock this evening, after
having been on the pole much Of the
time since 2 o'clock, Gsttmnn was
obliged TO descend. when it's unsteadJ- 8
ness gave him warning that IL way