Our little city came out very lucky in the recent high water. Heavy rain Saturday night and early Sunday morning threatened to give us another inundation as bad as that of four years ago. To make matters worse about 8 o’clock Sunday morning, while the rain was coming down in torrents the wind rose and was soon blowing a gale. It had all the indications of a coming tornado. After a few moments however, it quieted down. By this time the Rattlesnake and Salt Creek were out of their banks in places, and east of Barnard was soon flooded. A few families moved out while there was yet time. The two bridges west of town were badly damaged, but both are still passable. The big stone 3-arch bridge in the north-east part of town seemed to stand the strain nobly.
Sunday evening at about 7 o’clock, with the creeks over the banks as stated, the western horizon became overcast with a frightful looking bluish-green storm cloud, which appeared to be approaching at a very rapid rate. It seemed to be the unanimous opinion of all that a disastrous flood, accompanied by a probably fatal wind, would soon be upon us. The storm came on rapidly, looking more vicious the nearer it approached. But strange to say, when it arrived there was very little wind or rain in it, and all were very much surprised, and equally thankful to find in a short time that the danger had passed so soon.
In our untiring efforts to gather news for our readers, and regardless of expense, we chartered a special train and at 12:30 p.m. Sunday we left the Santa Fe tool house with Chas. EBERLY as chief engineer, Clarke EBERLY assistant. The company being rather short of rolling stock, they let us have a car the motive power of which is produced by operating an apparatus similar to a Corliss engine. It was a lovely trip and one long to be remembered. At least we haven’t got over it yet; every muscle in our body is sore.
From the first bridge east of town clear through to Brewer, 15 miles, there was water on all sides. The track seemed to be in fairly good condition until we reached Milo. There we found about 200 yards of track under water, the current being very rapid across the track from south to north. Several bridges were much weakened. It was generally conceded that it would be unsafe for a train to pass, yet train made the trip to Manchester the next morning, Monday; but it was precarious work.
John McCULLOUGH, a mile or so east of Ada, had 200 acres of wheat under water. All the way down the valley on both sides large fields of wheat, corn and alfalfa were flooded. We don’t believe there was much livestock lost. One dead hog at Milo was the extent of damage of this kind that came under our notice on the trip. Yet it was reported that two cows floated down Salt creek, but we have not been able to verify that report.
Frank LEWIS had about a hundred rods of 4-foot Page wire fence, rock posts and all, woshed out. He is also probably one of the heaviest losers of crops in the community.
We understand that E.M. SNOOKS lost about 150 small chickens. Mr. TUTTLE lost about 75.
We were told there are two bridges out between Will PAGAN’s and John PIERCE’s. The Loy bridge was made impassible on account of a washout of one of the approaches. The north-east wing of the Donovan bridge was washed away. The approaches to the stone arch bridge on the old J.L. MORE place was badly damaged. The bridge on third creek near the SWANK place was washed away several days ago, but was reset and wall wired so that it stood the strain Sunday.
