Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1912-07-30

oAN A'OiOic oiiO IbCu tilOuSflG bAlc Opcfl-
ing large enough, the horse did sue
coed in forcing its head through, its
body being floated by the water, and
with the assistance of those outside
it managed to get out, the ground on
the outside of the window being near
ly on level with the bottom of the
opening through the wall, so that
those on the outside had good footing.
The other horse swan close to the
window, but made no effort to come
through the hole, and one of the men
present swan into the stable and put
rope around its neck, after which it
was hauled out On the dry ground.
TRAIN NARROWED AT BROKAw.
The st. Paul passenger train north
bouDd Tuesday night was marooned
for several days at Brokaw. Reach
ing that point it was discovered that
the track at Heights was under water
and that further northward progress
was impossible, further that the
tracks between this city and Brokaw,
which they had just come over were
likewise submerged. When this was
discovered the train was laid up and
the passengers sought refuge at the
boarding house and with private
families. Next day some of them
chartered team and returned to
this city, hiring livery rigs from here
to take them to Merrill, from which
point north train service was resumed
Wednesday. Others walked back to
Wausau; others in the morning
walked out to the Merrill road and
hired teams to take them north.
They succeeded in getting only to the
Trappe river, where they found that
the roadway was INSTRUCTED by barn
which had been left there by the
food. The approaches to the bridge
were also washed out. Abandoning
their conveyances at this point they
crossed the bridge on foot and on the
other side of the river succeeded in
finding other teams to convey them
to Merrill.
There issome question as to whether
the stage of water reached by the
river was as high as on one or two
previous occasions, some claiming
that it was, while others maintain
that the water did not come within a
foot of the high water mark of 1881,
but there is no dispute as to it's hav-
ing done more damage in the city
to property than any previous flood. -
For a day the city was not only
without water, but the east and west
sides were cut off from communica-
ton, it not being deemed safe to allow
pedestrians to cross the bridges. For
a time all communication with the
outside world was also cut off, neither
the st. Paul nor the Northwestern
railroads being able to ge5 in or out
on account of washou IS along their
tracks. The latter road suffered
heavy damage between here and
Eland, but managed to bring in pas
sengers and mail via Mcmillan Jet,
the first train coming in late Wednes-
Gay afternoon from the west and I'M
loading its passengers and baggage on
the west side of the river.
The damage done to the st. Paul
road was of a most serious character
and resulted in the complete aband-
onment of train service for several
days. At Cedar creek, just south of
Rothschild, long stretch of track
and roadbed being washed out and
another just north of the city and
one still further up river at Heights.
One family living in the north end
OF the city in frame house west of
Sixth street and just opposite the
hospital property, had narrow es-
cape. Their frame house stands out
in THO open field, on a slight knoll
and was completely surrounded by
water. They were awakened early in
the morning by the frantic squealing
of some pigs, only to discover that
they were marooned. The man, car
rying his child, ran across the water
to the high land, assisted his wife
over, turned loose the pigs, carried
some of the furniture to the second
story and then sought place of shell
ter for himself and family.
People living in the vicinity of the
concrete sewer built along the bed of
the old Stinchfield creek, also suffered
considerable loss, by the water rails
ing SO high as to cover the floors of
the first story of some of the build
ings. Mr.. Oertel, who occupied the
house at the foot of Second street,
near Short, did not awaken until his
floor was covered by more than foot
of water. He succeeded in moving
some of his furniture to the second
story of his building, but sustained
loss of about s200. Many more were
damaged to about this extent or less.
While the property loss does not APP
pear large, it is great hardship to
these people, most of whom are labor
ing men.
The situation in Wausau during
the twenty-five hours that the water
works pumping station was out of
commission, was one that caused
great deal of uneasineSs. The lack of
w.ser for domestic purposes was not
only great Inconvenience, but a
menace to the public health, while
the city without Ere protection was in
most unenviable predicament, and
had confiagration broken out the
results might easily have proved dis