The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1919-07-09
Rain TORRENTS
FLOOD SECTION
OF THE COUNTY,; Try !;
COME
Deluge of Water Swells the
Streams and Rivers, Cover
Roads, Destroy bitches
MUCH CROP DAMAGE
REPORTED BY RESIDENTS
Bridges Washed Out; Grygla
People are Compelled to
Use Rowboats

Use koWboats
Detailed reports of the havoc
wrought by cloudbursts in the north
and north central portions of Bel
trami county are f1ltering through to
Bemidji, many sections being practi-
cal1y isolated by what is declared
to be the greatest amount of water
that ever fell in many sections. The
storm broke July l and 2 and tor
rents fell, greatly damaging crops
causing death to stock in some in
stances, flooding roads, acreage, ruin
ing bitches and destroying bridges.
Report From Smithport.
From Smithport, correspondent
writes as follows:
This section was swept by two ter
rifle storms on the nights of July first
and second, which practically
amounted to a cloudburst and as a
result much damage has been done
to crops, as we'll as roads and
, bridges. Practically the whole coun-
try lying north and east of upper
Red lake is covered with water, and
flood along the Red Lake river is
sure to follow when this great
volume of water seeks an outlet from
Red Lake. The lake is rising at an
alarming rate. and every ditch and
river, as we'll as small creeks, are
over eo TT their ;a'. Dank} in an onward rush
This is by far the greatest volume
of water that has fallen at one time
in this county since itwas settled by
white men. Many settlers are
Obliged to move out Ofsthefr homes;
and much hay will be destroyed along
the Tamarack. and. other rivers. c. B..
Jones lost horse by lightning on
the night of July first, and the
launch, "Storm King broke from its
moorings and was carried many
miles from shore by the high winds.
Miles of roadbed along the judicial
bitches have been washed away, and
culverts washed out
Steenerson is Flooded.
ill., a letter of correspondence
Comes a report from Steenerson
which says:
A three days continuous rain in
this section overtlowed bitches,
washed out bridges and did great
deal of damage. Grygla was under
water and the only way to get around
was in boats.
Chris Christianson and son made
a trip to Goodridge and had to run
their Ford in several places where
water was up to the hubs.
Walter Shoeberg and P. P. Palmer
autoed to Thief River Falls last week
Tuesday and were unable to get back
until Friday night, having to leave
their car at Grygla. E. A. Evans was
at Goodridge and had hard time
getting back.
Ponemah Report Similar.
o. L. Breckner of Ponemah was in
Bemidji Tuesday and he reported the
heaviest rain he ever saw in that Sec
tion. In fact one settler, who had re-
sided in that vicinity for twenty
years, stated it was the worst ex-
periences he ever passed through.
bitches were washed out, crops dam
aged and the vicinity was practical
ly isolated, making it necessary to
take a long and unusual course to
get out of the place. Water covered
the roads and streams overran their
banks onto crop fields.
RAPIDS River Report.
Report reached Bemidji that
Rapid River was swollen to huge
proportions and that a bridge four
teen miles south of Baudette had
been strongly menaced by the high
rushing water just beneath the floor
covering.
Baudette Under Water.
In Baudette practically the whole
western part of the village was un-
der water, and gardens were ruined
In the vicinity of the John Morris
home the water was three feet deep.
The sewers in town were unable to
take care of the deluge, and base
ments were flooded both in the busi-
ness and the residential sections.
The Baudette dock and the Collins
dock are both under two or three
feet Of water.
Baudette was for five days with
out train from either east or west.
There are % washouts between
Baudette and Winnipeg and several
between Baudette and Fort Francis.
;" The only communication out of Bau-
dette was by boat. several boats hav-
ing piled up on the lake from War
road and by the river from Inter-
national Falls. Thousands Of acres
of crops~are said to have been dam
aged in that vicinity.
Other rivers and streams are re-
ported over their banks and crops
Suffered heavily in many instances.