Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1912-02-15


Grand Rapids $500. $500. e.. 4.24
About one-haf of this amount fell
in 70 hours on the night of the 5th
9Th. Wausau reporting 255 inches
and Rhinelander ESQ inches at z a
m. of the 9Th.
AS the result of these rains, the
Wisconsin River at Wausau rose
from 6.7 feet at Z a. m. of the 5th
to a crest of slightly over 11.2 feet
at a. m. Of the 18th; at Grand Rap
ids from feet at Z a. m of the 9th
to 1876 feet at midnight of the Sth
at Portage from So feet at Z a. m
of the 9Th to 1873 feet at 6 p. m. OF
the 18th
At Grand -tapids the water rose tc
crest of 1876 feet. The losses, new
ertheless, amounted only to a few
thousand dollars. The city author
ties made every effort to keep the
water off the business streets, anC
! they succeeded. Merchants lost niue
less in October, 1900, because they
removed their goods from Easements
well in advance of the flood. The
greatest single loss at Grand Rapids
was about $4,000 by the Consolidated
Water Power and Paper Co., OWNS
to the necessity of replacing timber:
in the sideways and along the spill
ways of the dam and for other re
pairs The manager, Mr. Geo. w
Mead, writes:
The water companies suffered very
little loss in this locality on account
of the flood We were all warned
we'll in advance, and were able tC
make preparations to pass the water
through our dams. None of us sui
fered at all on account of the dams
We had no damage whatever to mill
ing property. We wish to thank you
for your thought and promptness III
notifying us. of the coming high wa.
ter.
Crop losses in the vicinity of Crane
Rapids were several thousand dollars
There was no loss from Nekoosa to
kiIbourn, except to crops on lowIands
Second Flood, Wisconsin River, Oc-
tober, 1911.
A second flood occurred on the
Wisconsin River in October, 1911, be
ginning on the 18th, but it was not
of very great Importance. 1t was caus-
ed by heavy rains in northern Wis
consin from the 18th to the 10Th
inclusive. At Rhinelander, Wis, fol
instance, the rainfall was 3.79 inches
during the period mentioned, and 81
inches of this amount fell during
the "a hours ending at 7 a m. OF
the 18th
The highest stage at Wausau was
8.4 feet on the afternoon of the 18th
the highest at Grand Rapids was "a
feet during the daylight hours of
the 18th, and the highest stage at
Portage was 1O.9 feet throughout Sun
day, the 22nd
A Word as to Future Floods.
The great floods Of the past on
the Wisconsin River will be duplicat-
ed in the future-but when, no one
knows. Popular notions that the
destruction of forests, the cultivation
Of the soil, etc, have materially al
tered climatic conditions are errOne-
Gus. AS in the past, the floods Of
the future depend almost entirely up
on the distribution and amount Of
precipitation.
Towns and cities in the Wisconsin
Valley are growing in size and i'm
portance. Property subject to damage
during floods is increasing enOrm-
ousIy Immense dams are converting
portions of the river into great ar
tfficiaI lakes. These are among the
reasons why localities that are sub
ject to damage should guard against
it by frequently inspecting and re
pairing Ievees, guard locks, etc, dur
ing periods of low water.