Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1881-04-27
GENERAL ITEMS.

On the Goth inst. Governor Ord
way, of Dakota, spoke before the
New York Produce Exchange. He
gave a clear account of the disaster
which has recently overtaken the
farmers of the southwestern portion
of that growing Territory. 1t is a
disaster unparalleled in the history of
the Territory, and one therefore
which could not be foreseen or avert
ed. The unusually cold winter
caused the formation of an enormous
quantity of ice in the Upper Missou-
n River. A sudden thaw and freshet
broke up the ice on hundreds of
the rivers course A short distance
below the town of Yankton, at bend
in the stream between the high bluffs,
a jam occurred, and the enormous
blocks of ice, wedged together by
the force of the current, made dam
AS strong for the time as a granite
wall. The ice constantly accumula-
ting against this obstruction flied the
channel for the distance of nearly ten
miles, and the river overfowed its
banks and spread far and wide over
the fiat bottom lands. A large part
of its waters made a way for them
selves northward across the country
TO the Big Sioux River, a distance of
about thirty miles, spreading devas-
tation over hundreds OF farms, drown
ing the stock and sweeping off fences,
granaries and houses. Two villages
on the banks of tl,e Missouri were
entirely destroyed: the Ice masses,
whirled along by the powerful cur
rent, battering down the houses as
effectively as bombardment from a
battery of heavy artillery. About
100000 acres of the richest farming
country in Dakota is covered with
water to depth of from two to Sly
feet Most of the inhabitants have
lost all their possessions save the bare
land of their farms The devastated
region is the Oldest settled part OF
the Territory, and the farmers were
forehanded, wellto-do people; but
like all farmers in a new country,
their savings were invested in stock
and improvements on their land
Their destitution is complete. They
have no animals, tools or seed tc
plant new crop, and nothing to live
upon until harvest time. Over 1000
of there unfortunate people are now
supported by public charity.
On a recent afternoon the engineer
of the train FROM Brunswick to Lewis
ton, Me, saw young lady aud gentle
man standing on Topham bridge JUS
as his engine was running upon 1t. HI
put on the air brakes, but it was too
late to stop the traiu After momen
of terror and hesitation the man grasp
ed the womsn's waist with one arm ant
bridge post with the other, and, rest
ing one foot on stringer, swung him
self and his companion beyond tn,
bridge and out of the way of the loco
motive. The train rushed past. bu
the man's nerve and strength did no
fail bin, and he regaiDed the bridge viii
the woman in his arms.
: Accidents sometimes occur in whicl
truly marvellous escapes from death ar
recorded. Such one occurred in Hart
ford q morning or two ago. Fifteer
girls were ascending on an open freigh
elevator in an envelope mauufac,ory
They bad reached the 6fth floor wheI
the belt broke, and the elevator, charg
ed with its living freight, plunged to
ward the basement, which it reached il
a twinkling. Strange to say. although
several Of the girls received injuries
10 bones we're broken and no one VA
seriously hurt
Mormon missionaries are working il
Iennessss.