Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1881-06-07
DON'T $50 WEST.
BETHEL, June /, 1851

E,lnor DemOcrdt A recent letter from
. rriend in Dacota Territory speaks OF
mapy things that may be Of general interest
70 the readers ofthe DEioCRAr, and more
especially as the Lewiston Journal in It's
last issue speaks very encouragingly of
Lewiston mans prosperity at farming in
that country, which might mislead the
minds Of seine young men who are about
deciding 10 go West" agreeable 10 the
advice of the venerable Horace, unless
they should hear something from the other
side Of the story. The Billiards" or
tornadoeS are known facts and are frequent
in the winter months; and are fearful and
destructive, in which both man and beast
frequently loose their lives. This spring
another destructive element did fearful
damsse through that whole country. The
Floods Came We quote
MARINDAI, II. T., May ;, ISL.
We have been out OF the
world for four or five weeks. or course
Won have bad accOutS OF onr ''big wave,
which came down the Missouri sweeping
All before il. The ice gorged Just below
Ysukton and turned the river from it, bed
flowing all the low lands. For miles the
bottom lands were covered with water and
Great cakes Of ice. Ii came down the 10Th
NJ March. aud il was very, very cold.
People expected nothing of the kind. and
- were unprepared Many lost all they
owned, and many thouandS OF sheep and
cattle were drowned.
LITTLE village across the river In Ne
b-a>ka was entirely washed away, in
almost a moment of time, Il consisted OF
- houses. = store, church &C. people
climbed upon roofs, into trees, only TO be
washed away, some remaining night
AMI q day
A, Gayvi,ie 70 miles below, the river
divided and ran each side OF the village
The people gathered in the upper part OF
= store. where they remained some two
we,L- before boats could reach them.
A. NCtchuug. few miles below that
some tao hundred got iuto grain elevator
yb,-c they remained about four weeks,
almost starved. 4 large part OF Nermil-
IN, "a civ below, VAS washed away. There
w.. intense Suffering OF cold and hunger.
Wew,rc on the high lands called out here
49, .Rlaas we could see the low lands
-,,,r,5 with wafer. and 10 looked ike the
c..,sp s~ far ~ the eye could reach.
United the old people most who had
worked ala these years. aud haze lost
cy,r,thin- and must commence anew.
tn. t,od carried on ah the bridges Tor
milo, aroUud. across creeks and rivers
.B,t.n. 81 an communication with the
.pt>aie wo.,i We have been deprived
~ Groceries. and lived or sisted on such
tbiu-S As We happened 90 haVe,-even now
Ia tbe bread we have j. made from meal
crouad IN a coffee miiL
a. YAaktou they were supplied rati1nS
hv the .rumrut Tor many weeks.
an tbc steamboat. on the Missouri were
BADLY smashed. and the Pail Road washed
out
W have ,oue trees here that 30 iult
,-ro,, i'm Na.ne. anon. them the Box Elder,
ouit, q pretty tree. with large leaf ara
shaly-Go,, lot crow ,yfy tall Also the
.CottouWloG- which resembles The pop
lar iu the lelf-crow> from cuttings 10y
rapidly and 10 s. very handsome tree
have seen bus ole Indian vet and he
looked too silly % Do very savage, how
ever, would no. care 90 have one come
aioag when gm q zone.
They are NO. allowed trampiug howeyes.
They we-, wiser than the white man up
che river. AMI predicted heap BIC water
and pitched their tents on the hlut> three
weeks before the food
Buffalo meat can be- had AZ YSnktOn,-
70 comes from the West.
Rattle snakes are not very abundant.
bat n-g-.a dogs are plentiful W" were
showed IN last wjnte- and had - burn our
cattle sheds to keep from freezing and the
season j. now nearly two months late.
d
fifth, i no, a dismal look. Tor emf
grants from our good old state Of Maine,
lst them take this experience. But ! sup
pose that the very idea OF danger and
hardship, are real allurementS TO some Of
Cur Young Americas. Though l am
con,eu. % endure a comfortable living
among friends down east. J. G. X.