Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1919-03-20
WORST FLOOD IN
C|TYS HISTORY
Heavy Rains and Rapidly Melt
ing Snow Cause Pine to
Overflow lis Banks.
LARGE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE
Bridges Flooded and Damaged and
Many Homes in City Were Sur
rounded by Water.

The first of this week Alma was
visited by the worst flood in the
memory of even the oldest inhabltant,
and no available records speak of a
time when the waters of Pine river
reached higher level than they did
Monday night.
Starting with a heavy rain on Sat
urday, on snow covered ground,
the river started to rise, the river
stage at 700 a. m. Saturday being
Just three feet. Sunday morning at
700 il had reached SO feet and at
p. m. had raised to 10 feet During
Sunday night there was a noticeable
drop. and Monday morning the river
was at 90 feet At 600 p. m. it
had gone back to l0.6 feet, thus
reaching the high point of the flood
of three years ago. At 900 p. m.
1t had raised to ia feet and an hour
later was at 12.l feet. At this time
the flood had reached it's crest and
then started TO slowly recede. At
100 p. m. il was just u feet. Tues
morning at o'clock it had dropped
10 IL feet, and during the day the
waters receded rapidly.
II was not until late Monday that
any serious flood was expected, as
early hours of the day. In the after
noon it came up rapidly, forcing the
waters out of the bed of the river
into thu surrounding districts. The
waters went over the race embank-
ments, and in spots cut them up
badly.
Early in the evening of Monday
the State street and Woodwork
avenue bridges were impossible, and
lac Monday evening, it was deemed
advisable to stop traffic on the East
Superior bridge over which the
water was then pouring in torrents.
AS the waters started 10 rise many
of the homes in the low districts near
the river became surrounded by the
muddy water, which also started TO
back up in many of the easements in
the business districts and in hundreds
Of homes throughout the city. As
it continued 10 rise scores Of homes
along River street, near the foot of
Gratiot, near the creek on Prospect,
and on Park avenue were entirely
surrounded.
Tuesday because of the high water,
which flooded the Easements of the
schools so that not fires could be
built, the public schools were dis
missed
Ely street near the retaining wall,
State street near the State street
bridge and Woodwork avenue near
the Woodwork avenue bridge. were
badly cut up by the swift current
causing a damage that viii run into
hundreds Of dollars alone. Both the
State street and Woodwork avenue
bridges were badly damaged, and will
need some extensive repairs.
1t is almost impossible to estimate
the extent Of the damage from the
flood The various residents of the
city, whose homes were surrounded
by water all suffered. Many of these
lost fiocks Of chickens, which are
costly at present. The merchants
whose easements were flooded, nearly
all had losses. The city has sustained
big loss, and The Alma Grain &
Lumber company has sustained big
damages from the flood.
Early Monday evening the pump
ing station was flooded, so that the
city was left practically without fire
protection. The pump at the plant
of the Central Michigan Light q
Power company, which is connected
with the mains, was set going, how.
ever, and gave Alma a little water
pressure during the night. The Re
public Motor Truck Company Inc.
which had three large pump fire
trucks completed and ready for ship.
ment got them ready for instant use
in case Of fire, and would have beer
able 20 have rendered valuable as.
sistance to the city, had a fire taker
place.