The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-05-27
Missoula River Rises Fast;
Crest Not Yet Here Thinks
Government Expert Kramer
Building on Bank En-
daogered by Rapid
ly Growing Flood.

The MisSoula river, fed by numerous
streams and rivulets. which, through
the melting of immense quantities of
snow during the past weeks have be-
come rushing torrents is rapidly ris-
ing and will continue to rise for sew
eral days, according to experts. Fri
day the gauge placed near the Hig-
gins avenue bridge by +. w. Kramer
district hydro electric en- gineer of the
forest service. gave the height of the
water in the Missoula river as "a feet.
Yesterday the gauge recorded the
height at 1O1s feet, the highest reached
for about four years.
Another Rise Expected.
The gauge was first installed on
May II, and at that time recorded u
height Of 10 feet. Later the water
gradually receded, but commenced
rising Thursday night, as an increase
of six inches was shown on the gauge
Friday morning. The river will rise
at least another foot, in the opinion of
Mr. Kramer, who has made an inten-
sive study of the snowfall during the
winter, and believes that the worst Is
yet to come.
The Rivers Record.
Mr. Kramer submits the following
table which shows the gauge height in
feet during the last 10 days: May L.
10 May Is, 9.S; May 10. 9.3; May 90
3d. May 81, 9.S: May %, 9.3: May 23
81; May "a SO: May 25, "a; May 26
10.5. According to a high water mark
painted on the Higgins avenue bridge
the high water mark of 1908 would
have read 14.6 feet on the gauge now
used. 1t is believed from estimates
made that the 1913 high water woulG
have read between II and 1l.5 feet or
the gauge.
The Flathead river. which joins witt
| the Missoula river, the two making
what is known as the Clark's Forl
river. has risen four and one half feet
during the last two weeks, though tn,
| rise has been very gradual. The re.
ports of the height for the last tw,
| days. during which the Missoula rivel
has risen nearly two feet, has not ye
| been received, however.
Danger Farther West.
There is not much danger for thu
| people living along the Missonla rive
as far west as the conjunction will
| the Flathead river. according to MI
Kramer, as the banks are fairly hiel
| all the way. The worst sufferers vii
be farmers along the Clark's Forl
| river in Idaho and Washington an
| lumber companies in these states. i
1918 q great deal of damage was don
to them during the high water an
Mr.. Kramer believes that when tn
water rises another six inches, dam
aging floods may be expected on tn
Clark's Fork river during the follow
ing week. Studies of the stream sho,
that the peak of the flood will rcac
Newport, Wash, from five to min
days after the flood peak passes Mis-
sOula.
Building Threatened.
While it is not believed that the hig
water will do much damage in tn
vicinity Of Missoula, expect perhap
along the river road west of the cit!
there is one building. on West Fror
| street, which is already seriousl
damag ged by the flood. and may col
lapse unless the waters reCede. Th
building is n two story concrete strue
ture, owned by the Gleim estate. an
already has been undermined by tn
! high water SO as to split in two. 1t
thought that the outer section. whic
is an addition to the original build
: ing. will fall into the river any tim