The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1911-10-13
CITY IS FLOODED
:, .cK RIVER FALLS HALF DE-
srRoYso WHEN BIG DAM
ovERFLoWs.
MANY BUILDINGS IN RUINS
Only Two Persons Are Reported Miss
ina, But II is Feared Several Have
p,rished-Nunber OF Villages In
Valley In Peril.

In Crosse, Wis. Oct 7.-Thousands
i, terrified inha bitants OF Black river
valley are scrambling for safety. fear
inc that the big $4,000. 900 dam OF the
- Greece Power company at Hatfield,
wis will be unable TO Withstand the
s,,ain OF the billions OF gallons oil
wafer pressing against the concrete
structure after the upper dam broke
sweeping away half a town. Heavy
,atps for the last week have swollen
All rivers and streams throughout the
state. Dams at Chippewa Falls and
RIoomer have also given way.
Reports OF heavy loss OF life are cur
rem, mere. but no confirmation can be
obtained because nearly all telegraph
and telephone2poles have been washed
away and communication with the
flooded district is cut of. Ten houses
were swept against. and tore out. a
span OF a steel bridge at Black River
Falls and II is feared 40 occupants OF
the houses have lost their lives.
The property loss has reached into
the millions The huge wave which
swept down the valley when the dam
broke above Hatfield washed away
most OF the business section OF Black
River Falls.
Sixty Houses Are Destroyed.
Communication here with Black
River Falls was re-established for a
few moments when Harry Gettman. a
telephone lineman, swan TO a tele-
phone pole and with test set" Sc
cured details OF the disaster. Two are
reported dead.
Thirty of the principal business
buildings have been undermined and
toppled over on Water and Main
streets. and about the same number OF
residences have been carried away in
the food. The only reason there was
not serious loss of life was because OF
warnings sent from Hatfield.
Twenty TO thirty feet OF water
stands in the streets OF the downtown
section. some twostory buildings on
Water street having been almost en-
tirely submerged before they fell. The
Black River Electric Light plant is
entirely under water and the city is In
darkness.
Water Rises Thirty Feet
The Omaha railroad bridge normal
ly is 40 feet above the river. and the
water is within ten feet OF the rails
and even foot traffic over It has been
stopped
Supplies TO the stricken city are cut
of by the food and half OF the people
are without prospect of securing food
until a subsistence Of the food permits
outside aid
Farmhouses and buildings from the
valley between Hatfield and Black
River Falls continue TO come down
with the torrent. indicating wide
spread disaster and possible loss OF
life in the country districts.
No connection is obtainable with
Hatfield and IL is impossible TO ascer
tain whether the main Hatfield dam
which still holds back the bulk OF wa
ter. is showing signs OF breaking.
officials OF the company say the
dam is one OF the strongest In the
country and they expect it to with
stand the strain.
Girl Gives Warning.
Just as in the great Austin food. q
telephone girl played the heroic part
In this disaster. With almost every
resident in Black River Falls fleeing
out Of town, the girl stayed at her
post warning persons in many direc
tons She was rescued by boat when
the water started to food the floor
where she was working
Towns on the river below Hatfield
which are endangered are: Halcyon
Wright Black River Falls, Irving. Mel
rose, North Bend. Stevenstown. Glas
gov, Decora Prairie. Lytles. Onalas
ka and North La Crosse.
Railroads have been heavy sufferers
and much track has been washed out
on the Minneapolis, st. Paul & Sauli
STE. Marie road. Trains between the
Twin Cities and Chicago are forced tc
make wide detours in order to get