Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1879-07-09
rHE BLOW At BISMARCK.
Particulars Of h Disaster Which Send,
the Montana On the Docks for
RepAfra.

Repairs.
Bismarck Champion, July3.
Last Monday evening about the time the
train was expected the clouds began to
thicken over ~Lincolnwsrds, and people be-.
gan mutterlng that q big storm was brew
ing, but little they thought what havoc 1t
would create In and about Bismarck before
it ended. About 8 p. m. It suddenly burst
upon Us from the southwest, a perfect bur.
ricane, hurting the dust from the streets in
clouds, untilsit~was impossible 10 see across
the street, blowing down signs, breaking
In window glass and hurling everything be.
fore 1t in its madness All kinds of ru-
mors were rife az. to the damage that was
being done, among which was the report
that the Northwest Transportation COM.
pany's stables we're blown down. The
was not altogether true, as it was only the
barns used for the mules that was over.
thrown. At the hotels and steamboat Of
fees great anxiety was felt for the safety of
the steamboats, at the landing, and for the
Helena, which had only gone cut half an
hour before, deeply laden with 100 tons of
freight and fifteen passengers. A
courier was at once sent down to the land.
ing, and returned in about fifteen minutes
later with the information that the Montana
Was q total wreck and the Dakota almost as
bad. A train was Immediately ordered out,
and a Champion reporter, together with
about a dozen others, climbed on board, and
started for the scene of the disaster, and
we'll might it be called 30. The upper
works of the beautiful palace steamer Law
scattered all over the landing for q distance
Of 500 yards from the river bank. The
railroad track was so covered with the de-
bris that it was impossible to e" down close
to the wreck. The train was Immediately
stopped, and the party made for the scene
Eof destruction, wading through huge pud.
dies Of mud and oyer all kinds Of fancy
woodwork that but . few moments before
went to make up the elegant saloon of th,
beautiful steamer Montana, the pride o
Missouri waters. The steamer appeared q
first glance to be one gigantic mass of ruin
but on closer inspection it was seen that i
was not 30 bad as at first reported. She LAY
Close to the bank, the Dakota Just outsidl
and above. All the cabin and upper work
abat the smoke stacks were completely de
molished and aattened out on the lowe
deck. The magnificent saloon, with it
beautiful furniture was all ruined, TIL
steamer arrived Saturday, had NO passenger
on board and had commenced loading 70
her return trip to Benton. The crew wer
principally engaged in Watching the depal
tyre Of the Helena, when the storm bura
upon them, hurting her down on the sta,
board side, and crack, crack, and the saloo
deck went over with . fearfuicraSh and th
sir was filled with boards and spllnters. ]
was fortunate that there were no passenger
On board, for some Of them would have bee
injured If not killed. But luckily IA on
was hurt but the stewardess. who was in til
cabin at the time, and went down With h
getting janmsd, il between ON tinbil
and receiving some severe cut
The next steamer visited VI
aY F,og TIE .DAC0TAH.
This steamer was moro fortunate, lyip