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Show FLOOD 1 ROUBLES If! SALT LAKE Salt Lake, Feb. 11. Many acres' In the southwestern part of the city were inundated yesterday with the first overflow of toe Jordan river, spreading spread-ing the word of warning to residents along the river, from the south to the north limits of Salt Lake. N'o damage dam-age was done yesterday, as only fields were flooded, hut the rise of the waters wat-ers yesterday proved a portent which will not be without its warning to tho residents, especially of the northwestern north-western part- of the city. During a period ot 13 hours up to last evening, the river rose 4 1-2 inches. Tb first waters of- any abundance from tbo canyons was seen, owing to the thaws of Friday and Saturday, with the light snows of last week' Much of the snow In the lower part of the hills and In the canyons melted melt-ed during the last few days, and tho result made itself felt In the riso of the river. ' It Is feared that with continued warm weather the water will reach serious flood stage today and tomorrow, tomor-row, overflowing tho banks of the river and causlnr much damage. Holds to tho southwest were flooded with the first break of the river yesterday, but the most serious damage will come when the water overflows its hanks to the north, as far as Ninth North street. A. P. Cooley, who lives at Ninth North and tho -river; said yesterday that the water was much above any level last week, and that a perceptible percept-ible Increase was shown during Friday Fri-day night and Saturday. Mr. Cooley is watching the rise of the water as an agent for the city, and in case of threatened danger, close at hand, will call upon the street department. A series of such sentinels have been set along the river -by Jake T. Raleigh, Btreet supervisor, and news of the rise of the stream will be conveyed to him when any now change la mado. Street Supervisor Ready. Arrangements have been made by the street supervisor to rush a large gang of men to the river at the first note of danger from residents north of Ninth South street. In past years there has been comparatively little damage done to the property In the southwestern part of the city, though hundreds, of acres have been flooded. The fact that nothing was done with the surplus canal adds to the danger of a sudden riso In tho Jordan. It was hoped that the surplus canal could be so deepened and widened that it would carry the water of tho Jordan river from Utah lake, and thus leave the rher bed to take care of tho water wa-ter from both Cottonwood canyons, from Parley's Mill Creek aud City Creek. But with the surplus canal in the same condition, little hope is held out against tho worst flood in the history his-tory oX the city. All of the mountain streams, too, have begun to rise, and yesterday showed something approaching flood proportions. These streams are tearing tear-ing down at a fairly turbulent rate, and it Is believed that within another few days the water which they cany to the Jordan, added with th.e outpourings out-pourings of Utah lake and tho streams to the south, .will have . but one result, re-sult, a flood of enormous proportions. Flood Cannot Be Averted. . City Engineer George F. McGonagle has been investigating the condition of the river for some time, and said yesterday that he felt certain a flood would come within a short time. The Jordan river does not now carry much move than half the water it did a few years ago, It . is claimed by experts who have been Investigating the matter. mat-ter. This Is explained through the fact that the river has carried sroat quantitio8 of 6tdiment down the! stream from the south, which, added to the sewage from Salt Lake, has stopped the flow of the stream to a great extent The Jordan river, running run-ning through Salt Lake, la seldom more than a sluggish stream, and the force Is not great enough to carry off the amount of waste matter which comes down the waterway. The first notice of the flood a year ago cBmo in the rising of tbe mountain streaniii, but this ear the great quantities quan-tities of water pouring into the Jordan from Utah lake is given as the cause of the overflow thus early. The lake at the preReut tlmo'ls 1C Inches or more above the stage a year ago, and enough "water Is coming into the Jordan Jor-dan to nearly fill it to the tops of its banks., Th'js, with the first Inrush of waters from the hills, tho overflow-came overflow-came at once. May Inundate Many Homes, Tho slight thaws of the past few days are considered very small to what will be felt within another day or two, and with warm weather or a Warm rain, nothing can bo done to prevent a flood such as was never bo-fore bo-fore experienced In tho history of tho city. Preparations are already being made to combat the flood as well as possible, such as heaping earth upon the river banks in places where great damage would be done If no fight were made, but for tbe most part there j will be little effort made to stop the surging waters," more than keeping them out of houses. , In fact, it is feared that In many places residents along the river will be flooded out of their homes, and warnings have been sent to all of them by the street supervisor. It is felt certain that the water from the river nnd mountain streams will inundate in-undate many of the homes, and some residents have already aunounccd their Intention of moving away from the river in case the water continues to rise. |