Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-12-19
Street Car Lines Stopped al
Some Points State House
Basement Flooded

Flooded streets and Easements and
suspension of street car traffic on
many lines was the general situation in
which the city found itself this morn
ing as a result of the unusually heavy
downpour of rain that has fallen within
the past twenty-four hours.
More surface water floods the lower
districts than has existed for a num-
Der of years. Especially is this true
of the Yew Park and Oak Lodge sec
tions. Residents of the latter district
were having wagons come to move
them from their homes this forenoon.
This section of the city was one vast
stretch of flood water, appearing as
though a good-sized portion of the
Willamette might have cotton out Of
the usual channel.
Street Cars Stopped.
Only three car lines were able to
operate to the ends of the line this
morning. The Yew Park line was
closed at Mill street; the fair grounds
line was shut off at Belmont, and the
Seventeenth street line was closed at
Nebraska. In each instance traffic was
stopped by water standing on the
tracks from several inches to two feet
in depth. State and Chemeketa street
cars and the South Commercial cars
were the only ones able to run to the
end of their lines today.
Large Sections Inundated.
South Twelfth street from Mission
on was solid stream of water this
morning, in some places being Is inches
deep. Beyond 10Th street on the
Pringle road water covered the road
almost the entire distance to the Feeble
Minded institution, lying in some places
two feet deep and rendering auto traf-
fic almost impossible.
Shortly before noon word was re-
ceived at the city hall that a number
of people were marooned in East
Salem. Street Commissioner Low was
notified and left for the scene with
wagons with which to transport the
marooned persons to safety.
s. P. Tracks Covered.
Reports from south of town indicate
| that the lower districts are every
where flooded and that solid sheet of
water covers the country for the most
part between here and Turner and on
| to jefferson The Southern Pacific
tracks are covered in numerous places
with water and the bridges are seri
ously threatened. The company rushed
crews of workmen to the threatened
district this morning and at each
bridge and trestle crews of men arc
maintained to preveet diff from ac
cumulating and taking out the struc
ture. All traffic on the Southern Pa
cific is DELAYED. Several passenger
trains were held up in the local yards
early today until it was learned they
could be dispatched with safety. A.
last reports the S. P. announced a pas
senger train weuld be dispatched south
between and 2 clock this afternoon
oregon Electric Safe.
So far the Oregon Electric has moi
been seriously threatened, maintaining
its regular schedule both north anc
south. A number of travellers from
Silverton came over the branch line tc
Salem this morning and took the o. E
to Portland, the report having reached
Silverton that traffic from that point
through Woodburn and north to Port
land over the Southern Pacific was un
certain and perhaps impossible.
Santiam Is High.
Reports from Jefferson and Staytor
are to the effect that the Santiam II
the highest it has been known fol
wears. If the downpour of the past q
hours continues unabated it is feared
the Santiam may reach such a flooc
stage as to threaten to leave its banks
and cut across the low country from
Stayton towards Salem. The south ap
proach to the bridge spanning the
Santiam at jefferson is reported sub
merged to such a depth today as tc
make travel impossible.
Easements Are Flooded
A number of foot bridges over the
city have been washed out. Easements
throughout the city are flooded. Many
of the stores are removing merchandise
from their Easements to prevent theii
ruin.
The willamette had reached anC