Remember When?

105 YEARS AGO • MAY 17, 1917

RIVER BOOMS; FLOOD DANGER

If Hot Weather Continues River May Exceed Record of 1894

WASHOUT ON COUGAR GULCH

Road on North Side of River Cut by Big Ditches

Creeks Threaten Bridges

The chief concern of many dwellers throughout the main valley of Sanders County just now is not what the outcome of America’s entrance into the great war will be, but what the Clarks Fork River is going to do.

The river has been steadily rising during the past week and is still on the rapid upward trend. From a normal flow of 10,000 feet per second at Thompson Falls, it went to 37,700 feet last week and starting at this point last Thursday it made a 40,000 foot advance during the week going up to 77,300 cubic feet per second. Presently the river flow at Thompson Falls is 35,900 cubic feet per second.

According to many old timers the conditions are ripe for a repetition of the high water of ’94 and perhaps the establishment of a new record. In that flood year the streets of Plains were navigated in boats and the railroad was under water at Plains, Dixon, Perma and many other points, so that traffic was held up for days. The wagon roads were also entirely impassable.

Some extensive damage has already been done by the flood conditions. At Cougar Gulch an enormous fill in the main road was completely washed out by the heavy flow of water; the creek there is only a tiny stream, almost dry in midsummer. So complete was the washout that it will require a forty-foot bridge to close up the gap. This will be constructed at once. Cougar Creek has also taken out the road in June of 1964 and most recently, April 2018. Until it is finished the road from Thompson Falls to Trout Creek on the north side of the river is closed at this point. There is also an obstruction at the Clyde Austin ranch where several rods of road have been washed out by the overflow from Sims Creek.

On the south side of the river the road is still open, although the Dry Creek bridge is a little shaky. Both bridges on Prospect creek are in danger if the creek should rise much above its present flow. A prolonged hot spell would probably take the lower bridge out.

The ferry at Noxon is temporarily out of commission on account of the flood. Foot passengers are taken across, but the water is too high to risk heavier traffic. The cable is being tightened this week to pull it above danger from floating trees.

The power plant here is making ready for any eventualities that may occur. All of the flash boards and even the upright supports, with the exception of about thirty-five of the main beams have been removed, and a section of the bridge across the top of the dam will be taken out to permit large trees to pass.

30 YEARS AGO • MAY 21, 1992

FOREST SERVICE TEAM REBUILDS GUARD STATION

The work of preserving the structure which was constructed in 1908 is being done in phases. The preservation team did a preliminary site investigation to determine just what would be needed. The Forest Service had already replaced the old roofing.

What the team has done this past week was to place support jacks underneath the building and demolish and remove the existing and deteriorating foundation. They removed the interior floor to access to the super structure of the first floor to permit the construction of a new foundation. They cut and hewed a replacement sill log which was deteriorated. We removed porch decking, jacked and cribbed the entire building, placing jacks underneath and breaking out the foundation.

The second day they dug the foundation, poured the footing and set rebar. They work eight 10-hour days and straight through the weekend. Through the weekend they built the forms for the foundation wall. The log that was hewn to go back under the foundation was then replaced. Tuesday and Wednesday, they stripped the forms and set the floor joists, and drew in the logs in the northeast corner that are spreading. They plan to return on Memorial Day.

The Regional Historic Preservation Specialist Bernie Weisgerber explained: “The mortar mix between the logs is commonly referred to as ‘chinking’ but that’s inaccurate. The chinking is the blocks of wood that is used to fill the space between the logs. The daubing is the mortar mix that goes over the top of the chinking, but over the years, the terminology of it has evolved to chinking. There is also a void in the end of some logs. We clean it out and build a ‘dutchman’ a piece of wood that goes in and replaces the void. We have three locations where we have to accomplish that.” There are artifacts that came out of this building – mule shoes, a piece of cant hook that put the original logs in and the normal things, bones and bottles.

The Bull River Ranger Station was constructed between 1907 and 1908 by Granville Gordon, with the help of Ben Saint and Jim Berray.