Evening star., 1959-11-23
FLOODS
Rains Cause Slides in Cascades,
FomiIies Fleeing Rising Rivers
Continued From First Page

Continued From First Page
Snoqualmie River 25 miles east
of here, also was being evacu-
ated.
. = First ClOSings in Years
1t was the first time in years
that all three transcontinental
rail lines and major highways
across the Cascades were closed
at the same time.
The State patrol advised
truckers headed for the Puget
Sound area with perishable car
goes to swing north or south
around the blocked passes.
Some went north to Okanogan,
Wash, and thence to the coast
via Hope, B. C. Others were
routed over the Southerly Satus
PaSs-the only one open in
Washington-or down the Co.
lumbia River highway in Ore
gon.
A freak windstorm hit Yak
ina. Wash, last night, causing
minor damage. The wind top
pied a chimney, broke windows
and damaged buildings in a
.four-block area.
All through the mountains
high winds and high tempera-
lures boosted the snow melt.
AT Hyak, where the Milwaukee
train was stalled, it was so
above early today.
= Rainfall at Stampede Pass.
80 miles southeast of Seattle,
'totaled 6.71 inches in "a hours
to 4 am. today.
More Rain Expected
The Weather Bureau forecast
continuing intermittent rain in
the Cascades today, with grad
ually diminishing wind.
A big mud slide 81 miles east
of Seattle severed Pacific Tele-
phone Co.'s main coaxial cable
yesterday and cut off service
to Central Washington for two
hours. Service was rerouted via
Portland, Greg.
. The State Patrol reported
u. S. Highway 10, a four-lane
route that carries heaviest traf-
'f1c over the Cascades, was
CLOSED indefinitely. Mud, rocks
.and debris clogged the highway
'on both sides of the Snoqualmie
Pass Summit.
A river running parallel to
q. S. 10 overflowed and under
mined the roadway.
: At midnight an estimated
,250 cars and trucks were held
at the Snoqualmie Pass Sum-
init. Later many of them got
out on the east side, when the
highway was partially opened
toward EllenSburg.
The Snohomish Valley was
being flooded by waters from
the Snohomish and Stillaguam-
ish Rivers. Civil defense Off
cials requested Coast Guard
aid and called for civilian out
board powered boats to evacu-
ate families in the area.
Lights could be seen blink
ing throughout the region as
farmers signaled to rescue
crews for help.
Rivers, already over their
tops, were still on the rise and
the rich farming area braced
itself for more punishment.
Calls Situation Critical
Harold Peterson, Snohomish
County civil defense director,
said the situation was lex
tremely critical"
There's every reason to think
tomorrow will be worse and
the next day will be worse than I,
that" he said.
Many secondary roads were
closed and some bridges were
in danger of being washed out.
The Snohomish River was four
feet above flood stage late last
night. The Stillaquamish was
two feet above flood stage.
The Green River Valley,
southeast of Seattle, also was
in danger. The Green River was
reported four feet above flood
stage.
The unSeaSonably warm wind,
called a chinook locally, melted /
mountain SHOWS and brought
huge downpourS of rain. The
swollen rivers and the rain loos-
ened the mud slides in the
mountain passes.