The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1881-04-08
THE MISSOURI RIVER
BREAKUP.
Heavy and Oestr active Flo Ids Below
Bismarck

Heavy and Destructive Flo Ids Below
Bismarck
STEAMERS AND TOWNS DAMAGED AND
LOST
OMAHA, March 3I.-Warning was receiv-
ed this afternoon that thirty-two foot rise
was rolling down, and railways and parties
having property on the river were notified.
THIS evening they ran all the cars and emf
grants from the river tracks to higher ground
anticipating a food before morning. We do
not expect to escape without serious damage
to buildings and embankments on the river
front. Heavy ice commenced running about
IL o'clock Tonight.
ST. PAUL, March 31.-A Bismarck special
to the Pioneer Press says the Missouri broke
there to-day. The lower part Of the city
was overlooked and a great sea of ice and
water extends for five miles. Three govern
men. warehouses on the landing were wreck
ed. The river rose ten feet in a few hours,
and is now thirty feet above low water mark.
Wood choppers and settlers in the low lands
are all washed out and many are probably
river, is under three feet Of water. The
greatest loss. aside from life, will be Of cord
wood. thousands of cords being washed
away.
The Pioneer Press special from Sioux City
says thirty feet of water is in the channe! at
Yankton. The lower part Of the city was
overflswed, driving the inhabitants to the
hills; the greatest food ever known there.
The city Ut VermilliOn, Dakota, is also I'M
der. up to the second story windows Of the
houses. The occupants have taken to the
bluffs in boats, and will probably be landed
in places Of safety before morning.
BISMARCK. March 3l.-The heavy fall OF
snow and the early breaking up of the ice in
the tribui aries of the Missouri river, has
caused the highest river known this spring.
| The river has broken in places from 1OO 10
| 800 miles apart, causing gorges which have
| flooded the country in many places, but
owing to the scarcity of people but little
damage is done above this point.
The river gorged here upon its breaking at
| Fort Lincoln. five miles below, causing an
| overflow of its banks into MandaI, opposite
|
reached The bluffs safely, but the suffering
last night and to-day must be indescribabe.
| All conmuncai Jon is cut of as the wires are
down and it is impossible to cross the river.
| There is four feet of alter and large chunks
| of floating ice in tie ST reefs of the unfOriu-
| nate cify, and the thermometer has been
| down To II deg. above zero for the past
| twenty-:our hours. Tonight the river is
still thirty feet above low water and no signs
of giving way. The Mayor, Geo. Peoples,
| with skill and crew, rescued five men from
| the ice in the bottoms below tile town to-day;
| Pat agerzer was on a floating piece unable TO
speak. The people walked over two miles
on gorged ice to get him. The river is miles
wide here anl the railroad and government
warehouses at the levee are damaged consid-
erahly. and the end Is not yet. 1t is feared
still that in another gorge above over 200
heal of cattle persisted. Bismarck is twen-
| ty-tive feet above the present rise and there
fore safe, as the river wo I'D have 10 he over
twenty miles wide before the city's level
could he reached.
SIOUX CITY. April The gorge broke al
| Yankiou last evening and the water is fall.
ing six fee, an hour. AT last accounts there
was no loss of life. The damage to proper
" is estimated at $4,000, principally rail
road and steamboat property. The steamers
Butte and Black Hills, Of the Benton line,
were seriously damaged by ice, and the
H-lena Of that line and two boats of the
Northwestern Transportation Company were
wrecked. The &. X Peck is not damaged
being the only one of the twelve boats thai
| can commence trips when the river Is cl"a
| The town Of Green Island, opposite lank
ton. was entirely swept away last night
/ Every building vas broken up or toated of
by the ice, and one man carried away on 8
fioai ing house. The food reached Verinil
lion driving out the telegraph operator, since
which nothing has been heard from there
The Ve,miliion ferry boat is total loss
The wa,er here is five feet below high wate
mark, and it is not probable great damas'
will have full run.
At Bismarck il is believed 100000 railruat
ties have been washed away, involving los
Of So, 900 TO the Northern Pacific Railroa,
Company.
ST PAUL, April 1.-The Pioneer Press
Pierre. special says the white citizens are car
ing for families during the food. A gang u
=, | men and women who were warned OIL tn
reservation last year were rausackin5 houses
carving the goods to The bluffs and rifiu
them. They even broke up house ant
= hauled Ii of, and the citizens going to secur
: their property were driven of. The sheriff
To dispense the moo, organized Dalu
, twenty armed men, who quickly captures
! them. J,s. Reed, who has a fine herd o
stock, lost half Of them, and others hav
, lost IN the same proportion. Westward il J
not so bad. The suffering has been terribl
, and along the banks Of the Missouri cattl
are lying dead In heaps. and the living one
are mere skeletons. Herdsmel in Dakoii
will have small loss,
4 BISMARCK, April 1.-The river has falle
three or four feet. About $50 people wen
; over on the steamer Eclipse to-day, bn
, could not get within three miles of the tow
because of the ice. Several from the III
faied city came Oh the boat. The ice !
3 about six feet deep all over the town. III
, Northern Pacific loses about $4,000 railroa'
ties, timbers, ETC., and but few goods wer
} saved. The food was SO sudden that tn
people were glad to get on the bridges wit
clothing enough to keep them warm. Nor
d. svisions will he sent there tomorrow
About 400 people were rendered homeless
hut the water has fallen so that MANY build
ings are now clear IF water. The total los
is estimated fom S150,0O0 to $4,000.