Northwest History. Alaska. Floods & Flood Control.

• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1937
• Subjects: flood; Nenana; Alaskan town; Tenana river; Fairbanks; Alaska; ice; railroad; Fort Yukon; Chena river; George Preston; Red Cross; the States; Yukon's tributaries; Northwest; Pacific > History > 20th century; Pacific; Steamboat; Yukon
• Online Access: http://content.libraries.wsu.edu/cdm/ref/collection/clipping/id/91521

Two Quick Floods Inundate Nenana: Residents Driven From Alaskan Town While Tenana River Continues Flooding. Two Quick Floods Inundate Nenana Residents Driven From Alaskan Town While Tenana River Continues Flooding FAIRBANKS, Alaska, May 20. (7P)—Two floods in swift succession left Nenana a stricken town today with residents driven from their homes, schools closed, business virtually paralyzed and the Tanana river continuing its spring rampage. Gorged with ice, the Tanana spread in the railroad and steamboat shipping center, 50 miles southwest of here, yesterday in repetition of Monday's flood which covered most of the town. Few buildings were untouched by the water. Telephoned advices said the water again was dropping, but with warm weather melting snow and ice the danger was far from past. Refugees from the river found haven in the Alaska railroad's station and warehouses. There was no call for aid and the town's population of 850 apparently was taking care of itself. Hundreds of tons of freight in warehouses for shipment on riverboats the last of this month escaped damage. Ice on the Yukon's tributaries softened rapidly in a temperature of about 65 degrees. Efforts to communicate with Fort Yukon on the Yukon, 150 miles northeast of Fairbanks, which was flooded Saturday, failed. Information from the trading post of 330 persons depends on amateur radiophone. Work of repairing flood damage at Fairbanks, flooded last week by the Chena river, progressed rapidly. The Chena was at its spring normal. George Preston, president of the Red Cross here, said the organization would care for any persons in distress, but so far there were only six applications. Voluntary contributions came from many places in Alaska and the States.