Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1881-04-27

us a copy,o of the Vermillion STANDARD OF
April 2lst, from which we take the fol-
lowing account Of the food:
THE BREAK UP.
million-under-the-hil has at last
met the fate which has heretofore been
predicted by many. but. not in the. man
ner predicted. Instead OF being washed
away by the river cutting the banks,
it has been swept away by the flood and
ice.
Sunday, March 9th, was the warmest
day since autumn, and the snow melted
rapidly; nobody supposed. however, the
ice would move that night; but about
ll:D p. NJ, those who had not retired
heard the ice grinding as it broke up and
moved down stream. In u few moments
it gorged below the island, and the rapid.
ly accumulnting water soon began to run
through the streets. The Baptist church
bell was Immediately rung to alarm the
people, and in few moments the streets
were full Of men, women and children
hurrying to the bluffs, some leading
llurscs and cattle, and others carrying
whatever clothing they could lay their
hands on during their hurried exit. /.
Before all could escape the water on
the north side of the city along the
bluffs had, risen to the depth OF three
feet. and covered the railroad track Civ
ing many of the fugitives an ice water
bath.
Boats We're soon brought into requisl-
tion aud those who had heard the alarm
too late to escape were taken off to q
place OF safety. Some, however, believ-
ing, like the sinners in Noah's time, that
there wasn't "going to be much of a
'uower after all, i" walked up stairs and
remained in their residences the remain
der OF the night.
Byymorning the water had gone down
so that all that part of the city eust of a
line drawn from the east end of the
depot to Reeves corner, and from thence
to Chrrs residence on the bank of the
river, was clear of water except for some
distance along the railroad track. All of
th' city west of that line, was, however,
under water to the depth of. from three
or four inches to three feet.
The situation remained as above until
in the afternoon when it raised west of
the line about foot, but did not cover
the rest of the city. BY Tuesday morn.
ing the water had subside.l to about the
same depth as Monday morning, but
raised again in the afternoon little over
loot and kept gaining slowly until
wednesday evening, when it began to
rise more rapidly, and Thursday morning
1t mad covered the depot platform to the
depth OF several inches.
THURSDAY MORNING, MARCH 3lsr.
the river rose rapidly until it covered
the highest point, by the bank block, to
the depth OF from four to five feet. The
ice III the river also commenced moving,
and by ~ o'clock, q. M, rs far rs the
eye could reach in every direction, lex
ccept in the bend fronting the city moth
ing could be seen but moving ice. The
timber. in Van Meters grove kept most
OF The ice out OF the city so that but lit
tle'dsinage was done by it during the
day.
About nine q. N. the buildings CON-
mcnced moving, Buffers, photograph
gallery moving first t,.aml goinglto pieces
III The rapids which extended from De-
pot street to the river. Others followed
IN quick succession during the day and
night. until forty buildings had been
carried down and smashed to pieces
against the ice. During Thursday night
the water rose three feet higher than
during the day previous, and the Dakota
Rpublican printing office was taken
down stream. This additional rise sub
sided before morning.
During the, morning, Thursday. the
water tank from the railroad crossing
oyer the Vermillion river above the city,
came down in the moving ice, and still
remains on the river bank In the ice,
west of the city. In the afternoon Mr..
Plnkham's house, from near Meckling
fo.tted past the city in the moving ice,
and stopped in the gorged ice about a
mile below town.
10 add to the horrors of the situation
terrible blizzard prevailed during the
day, making if almost impossible to row
boat against the fierce, bowling, north.
west wind. About dozen persons; in.
cluding woman and two children, slept
III bank block Wednesday night, and
Wee caught there by the rising waters.
B',ats were sent over during the day
Notwithstanding the extreme dangers ,and
some. Of them we're safely brought to
the shore. The remainder was rescued
the next day.
Towards night the solid ice in foont
OF the city moved out and gorged down
below the island, and in an incredibly
short space of time the ice had packet
the river channel full back TO the ferry
landing at Douglas mill; and up to the
present time not rod of that packed ice
has moved out.
FRIDAY, APRIL lsr,
the water remained about the same a,
on Thursday, except that it rose. a few
inches during the day, and carried away
DR.. Carl Jensen's house, Fred Oakley
barn, and one or two small buildings
Early in, the morning parties went tt
work OF the wrecks which covered til.
gorge below town, and worked lndustri
ously during the next three or four dny
plunderinG the. wrecked buildings ani
carrying Oft everything they could Ia,
thelrs hands on--no effort beng mad.
to stop them.
Every boat in the city was brought in
to requisition and during the day, an(
each day thereafter until the next, We'd
neslaY, were run from daylight untl
dnlk, saving property from the stores
ana from the residences that had escar
ed tic food.
sA. EDAY, SUNDAY, MONDAY AND TUEsDA'
but ..ttle Of general interest transpired
Tie water lowered but u few inches dur
ing hat time, and from Depot street eas
70 ~ gorged ice in, the bee, Of the rive
1t 80 like a 'mill-race. Everybody tina
had property IN the fated town were bus
ny engaged in boating it to the shor.
~h'c hundreds gathered on the bluff
ann M watclied thay whirling, eddying wo
.ets, aud indulged IN specnlations upo
every conceivable aspect OF the food IN
Its Consequences. :.
"WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6rH.
the water commenced rising about to
o'clock. aud BY eleven the ice commen,