The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1916-02-11
ICE JAMS AND FLOOD
Ranchers Along Five Mile Greek
Have Narrow Escape from Ser
ious Property Loss.

Ice jams forming at various points
on Five Mile creek caused the flood
water incidental to the thawing of
the heavy snow in this section to
overflow the banks OF the creek
channel and spread out over several
ranches north and east of Meridian
Monday night and Tuesday to an ex-
tent that threatened for time to re-
sult in heavy loss of property.
Three or four families were forced
to leave their homes hurriedly, and
livestock and poultry were saved
only by prompt moving as the flood
wave approached shelters and barn
yards. The liberal use of giant pow
der to break up the jams and strenu-
GUS efforts of ranchers in the flooded
district and their neighbors were
necessary to relieve the situation.
The suburban tracts of Marcum, De
Won, Williamson, Haekert and Estes
suffered the most from the flood.
The first and greatest trouble was
OF TIC Na6OA dGlOSS II I've Mic
just east of town where the ice piled
UP as high as the bridge railing, ex-
tended up stream for 200 yards at
width of so feet or more Thisraised
the water as high as the floor of the
bridge and quickly caused the over
flow of the adjoining land. The water
reached the doorstep of the Sam Will
hanson house in the east part of
town and the family vacated the
place at once. The Kendall and Joe
Devon families lower down the creek
and near the Bailey place.also moved
out.
The ranchers and all available help
worked on the jam Monday night
and also Tuesday and Wednesday,
and while unable to clear the channel
entirely they managed with the use
of dynamite to break up the ice jam
and prevent the situation from be-
coming more serious. This work un-
doubtedly saved both the wagon
bridge on the state highway and the
bridge of the Interurban line. The
Interurban company installed tenn
porarily three big arc lights to facil-
itate the labor at night.
Other ice jams formed at the ice
house near town where there is a
small dam across the creek, at the
Snyder bridge and at the o. S. L..
bridge,and dynamite was used effect
lively at these places, too. Wednesday
night the water in Five Mile and 9TH
er waterways in this vicinity had re-
ceded materially, and while there is
yet a great deal of ice and snow to
move away it is believed that all dan
ger of further flood trouble has
passed.
The actual loss, aside from the in
convenience sustained by some of
the ranchers and their families, has
been slight for a situation that for a
few hours threatened so seriously.
Roads and bitches along Five Mile
and also on Eight Mile suffered some
damage.
In town several families living on
the south side of the o. S. L. tracks
made ready to move out when the
water backed up along the Interur-
ban grade Monday night, but no ne
cessity for seeking high ground de-
yeloped. Cellars and barns were
flooded but residences were not
reached although there is still good
deal of water and snow in the lowest
places. yern Richardson moved the
piano from his home at O'Clock
Monday morning and George Atwater
called for assistance to move his bees
to higher and safer location about
the same time.