Today in History revisits the Sunday, April 10, 1949 edition of the Obituary where spring flooding dominated today’s front page. The Red River was nearing 30 feet and several families in the Lincoln Drive area were evacuated due to the rising waters. Rain and an ice jam in Lincoln Park contributed to the flooding, though the jam cleared without needing demolition. Grand Forks was nearly cut off from the north, with highways blocked.
RIVER LEVEL NEARS 30 FEET
Continues To Rise 1 Inch Hourly
Several Families Evacuated From Lincoln Drive Area
Rising at the rate of an inch an hour, the Red river Saturday night (April 9, 1949) surged to a height of 28.73 feet, City Engineer A. F. Hulteng reported, with every indication of hitting a 30-foot level this afternoon.
Several Lincoln drive families evacuated their homes, according to Mrs. F. H. Willging, executive secretary of the Grand Forks Red Cross chapter.
Intermittent rain fell on Grand Forks most of Saturday, aiding the rise of the river. An ice jam in the river bend in Lincoln park, which had been holding back about a foot of water, went out Saturday before a demolition crew directed by Hulteng had an opportunity to use dynamite.
More Rain Forecast
More scattered showers were forecast for the city today, adding to the probability that the river’s rate of rise might increase.
Grand Forks was virtually cut off from the north by floodwaters. The Grand Forks division of the state highway department blocked off traffic on Highway 81 Friday and rerouted travel on No. 44. However, the Forest river went over No. 44 about seven miles north of the county line Saturday and was continuing to rise Saturday night.
River Free of Ice
Weather observers reported after a survey of the watershed area that the Red river was free of ice south of Grand Forks, but that small amounts were to be found north of the city.
At Crookston, the level of the Red Lake river went to 16.6 feet Saturday, following an ice jam. Dynamite was being used to get the jam moving. It generally takes three days for the Crookston crest to reach Grand Forks, weather observers said.
Tributaries Rise
Other Red river tributaries were also rising. The Cheyenne and Goose river were reported going up but were not yet out of their banks.
The Park river began receding in Grafton Saturday, apparently ending further flood threats to the city. About 20 homes in the northwest corner of the city were flooded to some extent Saturday.
Blasting was used at Grafton to relieve pressure on the Kittson avenue bridge, covered by about a foot of water early Saturday. The water level dropped about six inches following the blasts.
Little ice was seen on the Sheyenne, Wild Rice of Minnesota, Marsh or Goose rivers.
Our newsroom occasionally reports stories under a byline of “staff.” Often, the “staff” byline is used when rewriting basic news briefs that originate from official sources, such as a city press release about a road closure, and which require little or no reporting. At times, this byline is used when a news story includes numerous authors or when the story is formed by aggregating previously reported news from various sources. If outside sources are used, it is noted within the story.