The Red Cloud chief., 1915-06-24
Hail and Flood Sweeps
Republican Valley
Continued from first page)

the first ward. east OF the Agricultural
Farm, considerable cement walks we're
washed away.
The coInty commissioners went
over part Of the county on Monday to
get a line on the damage done by the
storm to the roads aud bridges. They
estimate that IL will take in the neigh.
borhood OF about one hundred hons
and dollarsto replace AMI repair the
bridges alone. The river bridge south
OF town still stands, hut the center
piers have settled considerable.
Hail did several thousand dollars
worth OF damage to plate glass fronts
in the business district of Superior
aud Holdrege. AT the latter place, it
Is reported that hail fell which meas.
ured eleven inches in circumference.
At Guide Rock Il severe hail storm
moved down all small grain i'm a strip
seven miles wide, directly north of the
city. Corn VIII have To lie r~eplanted.
Near'y every farm house in the district
had every window knocked out, aud
most or the buildings will have to he
r~eshingled. Some live stock was kill.
ed and farm implements we're washed
from farms and down the creek to the
river. The home of Will Hagan was
struck by lightning and totally wreck.
ed. Several families in the bottoms
IN east Guide Jock were for ced TO
move out, and nearly all cellars were
filed with water.
AT a out 3 o'clock Saturday morning
Riverton and vicinity was visited by
the most, terrific and damaging rain
storm in its history. In the midst OF
the dowplour, which lasted for more
than an hour, the peals of the tirebell
rose above the torn aud thunder. and
though the fire, which was caused by
an exploding lamp In the basement of
the hotel, was extinguished before the
volunteer fire department arrived. had
the fire department not been called
out probably a dozen lives in the town
would have teen lost.
Thompson creek rose very rapidly
and when at the usual high water
mark, a breast of water three or fonr
feet high, came rolling down. sweep.
ing all in its path Tue bridge ut
Riverton was swept away in an instant
aud the railroad bridge wrecked before
the eyes OF numerous spectators, the
basement Of the hotel WAS filed to the
ceiling, the creek cut across the north
side of town a half mile wide, filling
the basement of the school house three
feet above ground, and the basement
of the Congregational church aud
about forty residences were flooded
from one to Jour feet deep on the first
floors. Had not the rail road grade
cut out west Of the depot the whole
town would probably have be-n food
ed and haif OF 1t swept away. Thomp.
son creek has changed its channel in
numerous places along its course tax.
ing out all the bridges and doing much
damage to the adjacent lands At the
Riverton bridge the creek channel i.
now doubled in width and the current
is shaving the edge Of Mil street
nearly the full 4euglh Of the street
On Mill 6tseeth the OLD Put Fuller
barn was carried Aaay, su the lowsr
residences flooded AUD the Chas, Nor.
gan house, moved Of Foundation.
North OF the Stare Bank, along the
west side OF, Gold ftrest fpr more than
half . mile, aud jparallsr with" The
creex along the east bank, Of eighteen
or more barns, bat! three remain ana
these on each end Of the Street, Oh
Highest land. At the bend OF tn.
creek back OF the II. B. Sell residence
at the upper eud Of Gold street, the
creek hH, left the cement mill dam
standing high and dry and has moved
tto ~ SobAV w lCCL
eastward, taking all the land in its
path, and seriously threatening three
or four esidences.
John Schriner had barely moved his
two thresbing separators. two engines,
q corn shelter, automobile and other
m ,chi iery from his barn AID sheds
when the buildings all W. nj down the
flood. j. D. Fulton | st his barn and
sheds and II cr,b OF loo bushels of ear
coru. The hne new concrete residence
of j. +. Morris was flooded to six IN.
ches deep in the parior. The new
concrete residence of Milo Moore, just
above, escaped with the basement full.
OF twenty u houses on Gold street,
north of the Methodist church, not
one escaped the food. More than half
the adjacent real estate 10 each resi-.
dencs has been torn away, aud all the
properties badly damaged, some total
~ wrecked.
In South Riverton the houses were
similarly flooded but most of these
escaped the current. The most seri.
Gus loser of all Is W F. Jennings. He
aud his family escaped with nothing
save what they have on their backs.
In 1914 mr. Jeuuing. purchased about
seven acres of land in South Riverton,
lVou VI VIC CtC'A ohu h0u CECCVSO
Uf cement blocks one of the finest two
story residences Of the town. Mr..
Jennings and his wife we're visiting .
brother In Baden over Friday. His
prop. rty vas caught In the current OF
the food, the residence was washed
fiat to the ground, the out buildings
were all fi0sted away aud the land
practically destroyed. Mr.. Jennings
had, altar . previous d0od, moved, Ms,
blacksmith shop from the bridge to
higher ground.
At this writing the full extent OF the
storm has not been determined. A
school house three miles aboxS town
vas dOSted away, and considerable
stock l. reported Lost A very severe
hail storm skirted Rivertoc . few miles
70 the north DEVASTATING .. "trip Of
county about three miles wide ana
many milesiu length. The Republican
r:ssr nm IS above high water mark
vt this point. Z,