The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1911-10-12

6Sl OA ~ GCAkA6 0GokxOyGO III IAAGAf ItlS0xt M
Falls was. is not so great.
-E
ENTIRE BUSINESS SECTloNMIe
NOW DOOMED TO DESTRUCTION
Black River Falls, Wis, Got. r.
This city OF about 1000 Inhabitants,
practically has been blotted from the
map of Wisconsin. Only q lew af the
capped the fury OF q raging Hood and
they are doomed to destruction.
Within a few hours this once rich
center OF q prosperous farming conn
mnrity will nave litrIe to boast OF ak
cept that 1t will go down Ia history
as the scene OF q dire castastrophe.
What Is known as lower town-that
section lying to the west of the river
early today was a place OF misery.
It Is here. that the vast majority Of
residents fled and following q night OF
anxiety and suffering, they q c the
realization that no food ID savaiiapie
except what was in their homes.
Homes Demolishsd.
Many OF these homes nave neeU de-
molished and 1t Is not an infreQuent
sight to see several families partak-
not be enough for a hard working man.
Every grocery establislinnent n
meat market in the city has dfsap-
peared in h deluge. It was rumored
early. today that provisions had been
SELL ny ClLlLSuS VI SdLlH DOuSld6, w - =
Two dozen dwellings have been swept
away and unless there is a sudden
change in the current, many more Will
disappear into the torrent, which still
roars in what once was the heart OF
the city.
So far as can be qscertained,
there has been lo irves LOST Com
munication with towns tow the
Black river is impossible, but it is
believed they have been carried
away by the flood. possibly entail
Ing a heavy loss of life.
Buildings Undermined.
The water. flowing with resistleas
current and In tremendous Volumes un-
dermined M big building after
another and as 1t collapsed and crushed
to pieces the debris was carried way.
The fremont hotel, a substantial three
story structure, was the first to go.
No precautions could be taken to
stop the wrecking OF the town, the resi-
dents finding 1t a difficult problem to
secure safety for themselves. The
overhowing of the Hatfield dam.
showed little fear until the water
burst upon them.
Cause Of Disaster.
The disaster was caused by the u d
den rise of the Black river behind two
dams of the Water Power company,
following ain which lasted almost a
| WCGh. ~ IN W0dAiiS w IIllSLOOo ~ p1SS-t
sure. but in each case the river
washed oun the side, raking out q
big section of the river bank n COM
ing down on the country below in al
most as great volume as though the
dame had not been there.
Dam Will Stand.
The S5,000,00 property of the Water
Power company is not believed to be
greatly damaged, the bricks on the side
relieving the pressure, n 1t is said
the main dam, which is a concrete
structure 100 feet thick at the base and
so feet at the top. will probably stand
all the force which might be directed
against 1t.
Few Farmers Warned.
Besides the damage to Black River
Falls a great tract OF surrounding
country was overrun. Efforts were
made to send warnings to farmers, but
the telephone wires were the first to
go down, and the fate Of many set
tiers, who Knew nothing of the flood
until it struck their localities, is the
cause of some apprehension.
Below Black River Falls are several
villages, including Roaring Creek, Irv-
ing, North Bend, Melrose, Holmen.
Bjythes, Midway and Onawaska.
WATER AT LAKE WAUSAU TEARS
H. tATA\< IIr3NtI~ ~ - -