The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1947-10-23
Flash Floods Send Flower and
Pdrnenfer CreekSonRdmpaQe


the first three weeks of October,
combined with melting snow in the
high country has sent creeks out
of their banks in and around Lib
by, resulting in considerable prop
erty damage. Following several
weeks of rainy weather with oc-
casional bright days, the clouds set
tied down Monday, the 18th, and
rainfall continued with few inter-
ruptions till Tuesday afternoon of
this week
The rainfall has been slow most
of the time, but the common theory
of the high water which came Sat
urday night and Sunday morning
is, that rain in the high country
caused the snow to melt with the
resultant excessive rlln-off
All local creeks and the Kootenai
River have been high all week but
it was not until Sunday morning
that the rising waters began caus-
ing property damage and threaten
ing dwelling houses in the Flower
Creek and Parmenter Creek areas
adjacent to Libby. Possibly the
greatest damage was along Flower
Creek. All the outbuildings at the
creek, leaving only the house. The ,
flood threatened the house also and
the family moved out, but the wat
erS lacked several inches of enter
ing the dwelling. Mr.. and Mrs. E
Charles Haschke moved out Sun g
day afternoon from their residence
just west of Pioneer Park, Flower !
Creek threatening to enter their r
house. The Haschke's have two =
houses south of their own dwelling. !.
The further house was occupied by -
Mr.. and Mrs. Leo Leir, and was
till one end settled in il
% the creek No furniture was dl
damaged however. The house be- n
ween. occupied nv Mr. and Mrs. bl
Ace Metcaf was also surrounded by fir
water which washed much IF the d.
round ont beneath the building leo
'ut left the house sitting upright. or
he ward belonsing to the entire CT
rOuerty was washed out, and great d;
amage. as yet unestimated has re- tW
ulted from the flood. Sunday af- an
arnoon the Haschkes went to the an
oss S. Greason home but Yesterday h
Tere able to move back to their own sci
ONE as the waters were RAPIDLY
seeding. The Leir family were A.
ken in at the home Of Mr.. Leir's ~
rother. Ernie Leir Are Metcalf'sl A
owed over to the Post Cabin Cannp -
ross the river
A hard fight was made to save ~
e Libby cemetery from the waters
Flower Greek, which turned and +
yept across to Parmenter Creek. e,,e
he John Fuller family moved out M
lnday afternoon, the water coming CoI
ear up to their door. Mrs Fuller tn
epping from her doorstep into the ALI
e department rescue boat. H. B. III
allace suffered a flooded base f;ci
INT and his we'll was filled with 40,
od water ilat,
in the Parmenter area re- ~
lich are reported to have been tin.
rounded with flood water are: o,,e,
A. Senter Earl Buckingham. q
s. Leo. S. Welch, John Fuller, cre
mes ShanholtZer, the Johnsons, Tbe
'odys, Ray Ayers. James Mahoney corr
Vic Larson. The only homes ~
the section having Easements rnor
ich were not flooded are the Sen r.,
Buckingham and WEIGH resi- r;.e,
ices. A swift current two or go
ee feet deep crossed the road fill ;o1e
of Mrs. Welchs home. AS in oor .S
Flower Greek section, it has 49,
n impossible to get an accurate oa,,
mate of damage to jewellers in Me- =
Parmenter area, but it has been g osora'S
ere. sw.
libby Creek was also out of its ,a5 "a
ks and across the county road t;oS-
follows the Kootenai past Hugh pb b
Isons and Bob Bakers. No re- ~, ~ :
IS of excessive damage from its nc o :,
ers have been reported, however, csSr.
Monday morning its waters s;sta,
e falling. 81
any Libby citizens boiled their -. a,.r -
king water Monday and Tues ~, =
seepage having made it pretty sst;,
dy, but health authorities state ca,ns
as it clears out there should CIT t Ne ne
10 more need of so doing as the oroor
o,,to,,,;,s $50 'ies'eu " prevent were
81 a- li,.ils 'i III ton.
s, volunteer help and the ]. cbnea
) crews, the Company's big bull ,1h;cL
RS aiding greatly in the work The T,aae !,
wing property. This is the first RIacir
flood many of the old timers 5ress
, they have ever seen in this ssSs ne
none of them wish to Tho
anu llel: .-- Legion
INV pioneeF r u1Sifs