Peering at the Past Raging ravines, icy bluffs, miscues and rescues

Part five of a series.

John Prieve was able to save the life of Nicholas Smith and also rescue his team of horses after a surge of water had caught them in a gulch deep enough to prevent escape on either side. Smith’s wagon was never seen again; the wagon wheels were found among driftwood a mile down the ravine in the Crooked Creek valley southeast of Caledonia. Some others in Houston County were not as fortunate during that spring flood of 1876.

Flooding has long influenced life in the Root River Valley, not surprisingly, as far back as the early decades of statehood. In a Houston County history published in 1882, most of the newsworthy events in the year of 1876 concerned the tragedies and heroism during the first of two disastrous floods that year. Following the rapid melting of snow and the storms in the second week of March, the Root River was the highest in memory, and the smaller tributaries and ravines were full as well. In that time of year, danger involved not only the depth and powerful rush of the water but also its icy temperature. Travel was either perilous or impossible.

Also in the vicinity of Caledonia, Mr. and Mrs. Peter Hill were traveling home from town when they attempted to cross a flooded ravine. In the middle of the crossing, the fast-moving current swept away their sleigh. Mr. Hill, tightly grasping the reins, was pulled onto the bank by the horses. His wife’s body was not recovered until 10 p.m. – four hours after the accident.

Three sons of Cornelius Leary were returning home from school, all mounted on one horse while attempting to remain dry while crossing a stream north of Caledonia. In the deepest water, the horse “got beyond his depth, and the boys were thrown off together.” The oldest boy grabbed one of his brothers and was able to get to the bank. But the youngest boy was swept downstream until becoming entangled in a pile of driftwood. His father “hastened to the rescue of the child after he had been in about 15 minutes. The child was still alive, but soon died from the exposure of the experience in the icy stream.”

It was feared the dam on Thompson’s Creek at Hokah might not be able to withstand the pressure as tributaries filled the mill pond, owned by the Southern Minnesota Railroad. In danger of destruction were the railroad machine shop, Fisher’s Mill, White Brothers’ Mill, Thompson’s Mill, the furniture factory, cooper shops, depot, lumber yard and several homes. “The town was spared that dire calamity by the superhuman efforts of the railroad employees and other citizens, who worked like beavers all the latter part of the night, in raising the embankment or dam. It was estimated by good judges that the water in the mill pond raised about four feet higher than ever known before.”

However, the bridge across the pond and the bridge near Fisher’s Mill were both moved downstream about 15 to 20 yards. Losses were slight at Garrett’s Lumber, which did end up somewhat closer to La Crosse. The Root River inundated the nearby bottom land while transporting “driftwood and cord-wood.” Pine Creek caused considerable damage between Hokah and the Mississippi River. The Howe Bridge at Cushing’s Peak was swept away.

The Southern Minnesota Railroad sustained damages, and trains could not pass through the area during the week. Telegraph lines were down, but there were unsubstantiated reports from Lanesboro and other places up the railroad tracks that the river was four or five feet higher than the highest water mark.

Highly frightful was the plight of Peter Benson, who lived about two miles north of Houston. The day after the storm, he was walking along the top of a steep bluff where the water had frozen as it fell. Benson “lost his footing… and was precipitated with fearful velocity to the bottom, striking trees, rocks and other obstacles… unable to cling to anything and arrest his fall. His skull was fractured in two places, his jaw broken, his leg broken, and he was severely injured in other parts of his body. He lived but a short time after the accident.”