The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1916-07-08
RED RIVER STILL
ON THE RISE
Continued From Page one.)


The river here is steadily rising, the
water having raised one foot and two
inches last night. At noon today the
| river gauge showed that the water
here is just four feet below the crest
stage of the water in the spring flood
The gauge read 25.9 feet at noon, the
highest point reached in the spring
flood being 29.9.
The rise of the water last night has
driven many more people living in the
iowlands away from their homes. A
large number Of Moorhead people were
this morning compelled to seek higher
ground with their household effects,
and an increasing number Of houses
are being inundated.
Wahpeton Easements Flooded.
| Reports from Wahpeton this morn
ing stated that the water has begun
/ to back up into the easements of the
stores at that place. The report stated
that the water in the spring flood be-
gan to enter the Easements when it
had reached stage Of about foot be-
low the crest.
The Wahpeton reports stated that
the tide was still rising there, although
| it is difficult to learn from further up
stream just what the stage OF the
water is.
Rain Would Boost Flood.
From reports all along the valley as
far south as Ortonville, Mimi, 1t is
shown that the entire valley is under
water. not from the overf1owirg of the
Red so much as from the heavy rains.
Fields are perfect lakes all through the
valley from Fargo south and every
creek and draw is running bank full.
The Sheyenne river is still at high
stage and there is still vast amount
! Of water to be drained off the fields in
| this vicinity.
With the saturated condition of the
ground even a slight rainfall would
boost the floods in the streams Any
water that falls now will run off i'm
mediately, the saturated ground being
incapable Of taking up any more.
So far the Chicago, Milwaukee &
| st. Paul railroad has not had its train
service interrupted because of the
flood. Last spring during the flood a
considerable stretch of track at White
Rock was washed out. but the tracks
| at this point have been raised so that
| there is no danger of a recurrence OF
the washout unless the water should
go considerably higher than it did last
| spring.
Foot to Auditorium.
A rise of one more foot will again put
| the water onto the floor Of the armory
section of the auditorium. At noon to-
day the water had reached a point
! where it was washing a considerable
amount of the foundation of the build
ing. The little confectionery and ice
cream parlor across from the audi
torium is flooded again, the furniture
and fixtures being moved out this
| morning.
The south end of the dancing
pavilion belonging to Henry Hector in
| Island park is again away up in the
air where it has been floated by the
water. The loss to Mr.. Hector will be
great as since the spring flood he
| went to the expense Of putting in a
new hardwood floor and a new piano
| The entire park is surrounded by
water while the flood is gradually ad-
vancing into the grounds Of st. Johns
| hospital. This afternoon the water
had reached just past the engine house
J at the hospital.
Four Drowninqs So Far.
The floods in the Red river and its
tributaries have been responsible fol
the deaths of four persons so far.
| The drowning of Ralph A. Nelson
of Peoria, ILL.,, in the swollen Buffalo
| river eleven miles east of Moorhead
Mimi, and of Lloyd Smith at Twin
! Valley, Mimi, were the latest fatalities
| because of the floods in tributaries OF
the Red river.
Nelson was drowned trying to swim
across the stream to the rescue Of q
herd of marooned cattle. while Smith
boy of 16 years, was drowned when
he became caught in the swirling wat
ers of the Wild Rice river. which is
out of it's banks.
| Previous drownings due to the flood
were at Mooreton and Rutland, n. D.
a boy and man being claimed.
| Regular Bathing Beach.
| The foot of Broadway at the audi
torium and the pavements of Fourth
street south have became veritablt
| bathing beaches. Yesterday Afternoon
and last evening boys and girls and a
| large number Of grown folks had a lo
of fun wading and swimming around
| in the cool, clear water. Unlike the
usual condition of the Red river, the
water is very clear.
J. P. Hardy is thinking somewhat OF
turning the auditorium into a nata-
torium or just bathhouse.
| Yesterday two small boys approach
| ed Secretary Hardy in his office ir
| the building and asked permission tt
use the building to change their 'cits'
clothes for bathing suits.
Mr.. Hardy thought best not to gran
the request and the boys had to seel
some other place to make the trans
formation.