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

HOW nClpACco d OlSy VI lHAo SIG 10
when deprived of water and light was
brought home to many persons on
Wednesday while the pumping sta
tion was out of commission. Most
homes were unprovided with water,
many of them without even sufficient
to supply the morning kettle, leta4ene
for lavatory and other purposes When
the househouseholder found that
their water was cut off they made ap-
plication to neighbors for supply
and learning that it was general
famine started out to find wells. In
the outskirts this was all well enough,
but in the older and more thickly pop
ulated sections of the city, it was
difficult to find wells, and in many in
stances real hardship was experienced
1t seemed strange to see hundreds of
people carrying pals and cans, hur-
rying hither and thither along the
streets in quest of water, and feeling
nightly elated when they found sutfi-
cient for drinking purposes. Private
wells supplied many, but the big
wells at the breweries were the most
largely drawn upon. All day long big
strings of wagons and automobiles
were stationed in front of these insti-
buttons, getting cans and barrels and
| buckets filled with water.
At this writing it is impossible to
tell the exact amount of property loss
| in the city, but it is estimated to be
| close to a million dollars. Considering
| the hour at which the flood reached
here, the fact that it had not been
looked for generally, that many peo-
pie who were in imminent danger
were unaware of its approach until
it was upon them, the great damage
done to property, the turning loose of
| the great avalanch of logs and bridges,
! 1t is remarkable that there was not a
single loss of life nor a serious injury
to any person.
The crops on the farm of Mrs. John
| John Abel near Rothschild were de-
stroyed bv the recent flood. Young
stock was placed in boats and carried
| to safe places. Many chickens were
swept away. A valuable driving
horse was almost drowned. TIE water
was four feet higher than the food
last fall. Mrs. Abel has been very
unfortunate, as this is the second
time that her farm has been flooded
and ruined a great deal. This last
flood has caused great loss for her,
after hard labor during the past sea-
! son.
Quite number of horses pasturing
on low places along the river and on
the islands, were caught in the flood
and carried into the stream. A few
were drowned, one that was caught
in a pile of driftwood, timbers and
logs and was shot, while several others
were carried down river and succeed
ed in making the shore at points fur
ther down. A number of COWS, hogs
and chickens were noticed being car
ried down stream.
To give an idea how high the river
was in the north end of the city f. O.
Croker reports that he rowed boat
over the railroad bridge at Jim Moore
creek, the railing of the bridge being
about six inches under water. Mr..
Croker also says his launch and canoe
were both swept away by the flood.
He expects to find them at Roths-
child or Mosinee, but he is afraid
they will be considerably damaged.
Through the towns of Wausau,
Easton and Texas the rainfall of
Tuesday is claimed to have amounted
to about II inches, one-half of this
amopnt falling Tuesday evening from
to 10 O'Clock. Great damage was
done to bridges and culverts. Bridges
were taken out at Desserts, Kuntz,
Radant's and across Sandy, and in
several other localities in the eastern
part of the county.
The storm and food struck some of
the neighboring towns, doing much
and lesser damage, viz: Shawano,
Aniwa, Birnamwood, Amigo, Gin
tonville, Stevens Point, Grand Rap
ids and in the vicinity of Mosinee,
Knowlton and Trappe. Most of the
damage done was principally to rail-
roads, bridges, dams, roadways and in
rambler of cases buildings were
struck and destroyed by lightning.
1t was the most phenomenal rise in
the Wisconsin river experienced by
the oldest inhabitant. During this
occasion the river rose from II to Is
feet above the normal stage In
effect it was certainly disastrous,
leaving very many destructive scenes
after the receding of the waters, to
the city and to those pecuniarly inter-
ested.
The municipal bathing plant was
engulfed by the swift torrent, and
the building is on its way down the
Mississippi. MANY boat houses.
launches and row boats are accom-
panying it. Immense quantities Of
railroad ties, tan bark, slabwood and
driftwood, cedar poles, etc, were spir-
tied away in few hours.
The WauSau Telephone company
was able TO give continuous service
by means of connecting up a gasoline
engine to q generator, thus keeping
the storage battery charged. Other
wise the battery which runs the ex-
change would have been exhausted |
about O'Clock Wednesday morning |
and service would have had to I've dis |