, 1923-07-24
Travel BY RAIL
AND HIGHWAY TO
POINTS WEST IS
At A STANDST|LI
Burlington Suffers Big
gest Damage in Track
and Bridge Washouts as
Result Of Cloudbursts.

All railroad and highway
traffic from Casper to points
west of here was at a stand
still today as the result of
bridge and track washouts
and indications today were that nor
NAL conditions would not be restored
on highways for three days while
n railroad at least will require
three weeks to put its track in re-
pair. This Yellowstone highway to
the national park will not be passable
at Bonneville for three days., 1t was
reported at the district office of the
state highway department here.
while the Birdseye pass road has also
been closed by n washout at Teapot.
on this side. The towns isolated
from traffic with Casper include
shoshoni. Bonneville. Riverton. Ian
der and Thermopolis.
With five bridges washed out ana
miles OF track torn up as the result
Of terrific cloudbursts, the Chicago.
Burlington s Quincy railroad this
morning faees three weeks OF repair
work before any train service can
be given between Thermopolis and
Arminto. a distance of 75 miles.
During this time all traffic for Their
mopolis and points north is being
routed around through Alliance. Neb.
and Billings. The snms procedure
is being used for passengers from
Thermopolis and points north to
Casper and towns nearby.
Tho huge amount of damage. tho
greatest in tbs history OF the railroad
in this part OF the country, came
from two huge c~loudhursts. a few
hours apart. Dry gulches ran full
to the banks last night and streams
like AIkali creek and Badwater were
turned into raging torrents. The
heaviest damage is reported between
Bonneville and Lysite and from
Bonneville north through the Wind
River canyon.
Due to all telegraph lines BEND
down, complete reports Of the dam
ago have not been received at divi-
sion headquarters here. 1t is anti
cipated that tho storm havoc may
be even greater than Mt first antici-
pated and the railroad is due to suf-
fer huge financial losses.
The Chicago & Northwestern rail-
road also felt the effects of the
storm and all traffic west Of Cas-
per has been suspended with the
probability that there will be no
trains running for three days. Two
bridges went out between Waltman
and shoshoni and the track vas
washed out IN numerous places.
The second heavy storm which
struck this section Of the country
was responsible for the damage to
tho bridges. These structures were
over creeks hat are ordinarily dry
but which were swollen by the rain
until they became raging torrents.
The Northwestern service south OF
Casper has not beef impaired. The
Northwestern extends from Casper
westward to Lander and It is this SER
vice that must DO discontinued until
the washouts are fixed.
At the district office Of the state
highway department here It was
stated today that a soo-foot channel
was cut around the state bridge on
the Yellowstone highway at Bonnie
vile. Water was so high that it
stood two feet deep in the depot
there. II Is estimated that It viii
be three days before n crossing can
be made with safety by automobiles
and they will have TO ford the stream.
The road leading to Birdseye Pass
is also washed out, It was reported
here. Tourists bound north n
south will be delayed until crossings
can be prepared. This will be done
at the earliest possible moment aud
announcement will be made as soon
as tho highways r pen
The flood stage OF the North Platte
river, reached early Monday after
noon. had receeded by early evening
and tho river has rapidly dropped
back to nearly normal proportions.
Dead bodies floating down the
river yesterday afternoon indicated
that there had been considerable
live stock loss due to the c~loudburst
in the Bates Hole district,
Although tho residents OF the low
lying districts OF the city were
werned. the water did not rise to a
sufficient height to Inconvenience
them. 7