The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1911-10-13
IMMENSE POWER DAM AT HAT
FIELD, WIS.,, UNABLE TO
HOLD WATER.
At BLACK RIVER FALLS
Main Dam Wristbands Pressure Of the
Floods, but Waters Rush Around
the Ends in Small
Breaks.

- oCSNAoh VI 40 - "A'S
Is in ruins, the homes of scores Of
farmers have been swept away with
probably loss Of life and the main
lam at Hatfield, Wis, ~momentarily is
threatened with destruction which
would release a flood that would carry
death and destruction before it, as a
result of the breaking of the west
dyke of the upper Dells dam, fol-
lowing %incessant rains which filled the
immense reservoirs of the La Crosse
Water company to overlooking.
The situation at Black River Falls,
the prosperous little city of 1000 peo-
pie. is worse by far than was feared
when the deluge burst upon the un-
fortunate city.
Half Of the business section has
been utterly destroyed. together with
a considerable part of the residence
townspeople who have taken refuge
On the high lands, unable to make even
IN effort for the protection of their
stores and homes, that the city will
be utterly wiped off the map.
Whether or not lives have been
lost is not yet certain, as the people
lave been scattered.
Business Houses Destroyed.
Between % and 80 business houses,
comprising all the stores on both sides
Of two streets in Black River Falls,
have been destroyed, together with an
,~r,o ,~.1o ~ .1rilonanc Tho uynf
ars are still rising rapidly and the de.
struction of the stores on the other
.wo business streets is predicted.
The water, flowing with resistless
current and in tremendous volume,
undermined one big building after an
bled to pieces the debris was largely
carried away. The fremont hotel, q
substantial three-story structure, was
the first to go, and many others fol
lowed.
No precautions could be taken t.
stop the Wrecking of the town, the
residents finding it a difficult prob
lem to secure safety for themselves
their families and their more valu
able possessions. None of the stocks
In the stores were saved and little O.
the heavier furniture in the houses
the people, although they knew of the
overlooking of the Hatfield dam. show
ing little fear of its effects until tht
waters burst upon them.
City Is in Darkness.
The city is in darkness. the electri'
light plant being one of the frs
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 tn
two dams of the La Crosse Water Pow
err company, following rains whicl
lasted almost a week. The dams with
stood the pressure, but in each cas-,
the river washed around the side, tax
ing ont a big section of the river ban.
and coming down upon the countr.
below in almost as great volume a
though the dam had been swept AVA
The $4,000. 900 property of the waite
power company is not believed to b
greatly damaged, the breaks on tn
side relieving the pressure, and tn
main dam. which is a concrete strut
ture 100 feet thick at the base and 5
feet al the top, will probably stand a
the force which may be directe
against it.
Besides the damage at Black Rive
Falls, a great tract of ~surroundin
country was overrun. Effort was mad
to send warning to farmers, but til
telephone wires were the first to g
who knew nothing of the flood unit
It struck their immediate vicinity,
the cause of apprehension.
Villages in Path Of Flood.
Below Black River Falls are a nur
Der of villages, including Roarir
Creek, Irving, North Bend, Metros
Holmer, Lytles, Midway and Onalask
and the high waters are due to stril
them. Forces of men have been sci
out to strengthen the bridges in tt
three counties along the river.
Cut off by telephone, the news fro
Black River Falls was SEM to
Crosse by the Wisconsin Telephol
company, which stationed a man {
the top of a telephone pole who G.
in and sent in his report as we'll as IL
flooded lines permitted.
In a final desperate effort to sa,
the big dam, which is still intact al
E:.> ~. 49,