The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1912-05-09
MUCH DAMAGE DONE
Fridays Electrical Storm Impairs
Bridges, Washes Out CuIverts
and Impedes Travel.
Rum River Raging Torrent and Bot
tom Lands for Miles Around
Covered With Water, ..

Gay afternoon ana evening and the
driving rain, mingled with hail, which
it did much damage
Not for years has there been such a
heavy and continuous downpour in
this vicinity.
The storm set in between 5 and 6
o'clock on Friday afternoon. Great
banks of dense clouds formed in the
southwest, the sky and earth we're
illumined with vivid flashes of light
ming, the wind blew a gale and veered
to every point of the compass, then
the aoodgates of heaven seemed to
open and the rain came down in tor
rents. The Oldest inhabitant cannot
remember heavier fall of rain in so
short space of time. Save at brief
intervals the rain continued to descend
in no stinted draughts throughout the
night and part of Saturday. By
Sunday morning the Rum river
went out of its banks and flooded the
lowlands-an occurrence unknown for
the past ten years. So novel and un-
usual was the spectacle that hundreds
of people on Sunday posted them
selves at vantage points on high
ground to watch the swirling, seething
waters of the Rum river on their way
to the sea.
Not only the Rum but every brook
and creek tributary thereto was bank
full and running over and until Mon
day afternoon travel was almost i'm
possible. Culverts we're washed out
and bridges were unapproachable
save in the village. The approaches
to the new bridge across the Rum at
the south end of the village are badly
washed out, the structure itself has
been damaged and it will entail a
heavy expense on the town Of Prince
ton to put the bridge and it's ap-
proaches in proper condition again.
The bridge across the West Branch at
John McCool's place has been put out
of commission-but that is a small
loss as new bridge at that point has
been contemplated for some time.
The Baldwin fats road at it's lower
end was covered with water to the
depth of several feet and was impas-
sable until Tuesday. Roads in every
direction were quilted out and numer-
Gus small bridges and culverts were
carried away. It will necessitate the
expenditure of thousands of dollars
on roads and bridges in Princeton
and adjoining towns to repair the
damages inflicted by the storm.
Many farmers along the Rum had
their lands overhowed and will sus-
tain heavy losses. The country north
and west of here is completely water
soaked and farming operations will
be greatly retarded.
The large dynamo at the Princeton
power house was for a short time nut
out Of commission by bolt of light
ming which struck one of it's coils, but
the generator was repaired temporari-
~ by Superintendent Randall, who
has sent for new coil. When the
bolt struck the dynamo there was
sharp cracking, sizzling sound and
the engine room was filled with "blue
blazes," but fortunately no one was
injured. lightning also struck the
water tower and damaged the roof to
a small extent. A fuse was blown out
at Palthen's saloon, which scared
some of those in the place but re-
suited in no damage.
At F. A. Loweli's residence a bolt
entered on the phone wire and set fire
to a sofa, but luckily Mr.. Lowell was
there and succeeded in extinguishing
it before it had an opportunity to
spread. Miss Grace Moody, who was
in the room at the time, was hurled to
the floor by the shock, but luckily she
was not injured thereby. .....+
The basement which Ed Saxon bnilt
this spring for new potato ware
house was utterly ruined-the work
will have to be done over again.
The cement walls caved in and the OK.
cavation was filed with mud and
water. The loss will amount to sever
al hundred dollars.
The dam of the Elk River Milling
company went out on Tuesday and
the foundation of the mill is under
mined. The damage is estimated at
$4,000. Traffic has been discon-
tinued over the bridge above the dam
in consequence of its weakened condi-
ton, and the fat country between
there and the Mississippi river is
overfowed.
A Nasty Isanti Case.
Tho Tco ~ il