American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1918-06-21
SNAKE RIVER VERY HIGH.
Only Once Before, Since White Men
First Came, Has the River Been as
High as Now.

High as NOW.
The Snake river has been steadily
rising for the past ten days and has
reached the highest stage since the
floods of 1894, so say the old timers
here. The steel girders of the wagon
bridge are under water and man has
been stationed at the structure to
keep drift wood from lodging against
il and endangering its safety When
ever log of more than ordinary size
hits the structure it gives it for
midable jar Men are also stationed
at the dam below the wagon bridge to
keep the drift wood moving along
over the falls.
The bottoms above town are flooded
and it would take but very little raise
to convert them into vast lake. Just
outside the city limits on the north
end of town, it would take less than
a rise of a foot to send the water
lcoursing down the old Oregon Trail
where it parallels the river. An equal
rise would flood the spring which
supplies the northern part of the city
with water.
Fears for the safety of the wagon
bridge are felt by many, but those who
are familiar with its construction say
there is no danger except from drift
wood. and there is little drift wood
running. The almost total absence of
drift wood is surprising to everyone,
as in former years when the water
was not nearly as high as now. drift
wood ran heavily. 1t is thought by
llG CT
winter resulted in most of the wood
along the river being gathered up. As
to the safety of the bridge, it is an
chored to solid rock to a depth Of
about two feet by heavy iron pins.
lcemented in. W. T. oliver, who is fa-
miliar with the construction. is of the
opinion that water might overflow the
bridge to a depth of several feet and
not carry it out unless it was struck
by heavy timber. or a jam of drift
form sufficient to break the bridge
.timbers.
The river is stationary and will in
all probability begin falling soon, al
though it may remain at a high stage
for several weeks.
Horse Island ranchers have been
forced to move out, as have the ranch
ers in the bottoms. Much of the land
flooded will have on it a deposit OF
sand and silt. but it is not believed
that enough of the stuff will be car
ried onto the land TO permanently
damage il.
1t has been noticed that many visi-
tors from other parts of the county
come down to the wagon bridge tC
take a look at the high water and a.
the falls. The latter present sigh
really worth seeing. The water is 81
muddy that it is of a sort of a russo
color and it tumbles over the rocks II
such a mass hat the foam wake run'
,, far down the river.
One rancher from Crystal was dow
e at the river the other evening and h
+ said that he hoped no winds from IN
y west would blow toward Crystal unit
. the Snake river had reached a per
d lmanent stage It is well known tha
= as long as the river rises and falls tn
= mosquitoes hold sway in untold mum
= bers all over the Snake river VALLEY
e The Crystal ranchers insisted tina
e when the breezes blow just right thes
T. Snake river birds take it into thei
silly heads to take JOY ride and tha
they go on long journeys and visit IN
Q !ranchers in the hills and cause thel
/ to express their feelings on the matte
s in violent language, and that is VIII
he wants no breeze to blow from Ii
west for quite a while.
: 1t has become the custom for SON
= men to assemble on the bridge in II
le evening, after the daily hate in II
form of the dust storms has subside
and speculate on the various subjec
connected with high water in Il
Snake river. The other evening Il
= discussion centered on the speed
= the water and the estimates range
! all the way from four miles TO tt
. miles per hour. One enthusiast WI
of the opinion that he could with eai
l. hike as fast as the water was flown
ri and he was Immediately challenged
in the gentleman on his left and offer'
ly a wager that he had overestimated h
hiking abilities. The stake of d