Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-04-04
A Mississippi Flood.
SCENES OF DANGER.
The ST. Paul (Minn.) Pioneer Press of the

The ST. Paul (Minn.) Pioneer Press of the
2sth says:
On the morning of the 9th the river at
Pierre presented grand spectacle of power
and terror as it reeled along, bringing up on
its troubled bosom enormous blocks of ice.
some lying fat and others on edge in the
stream and all groaning and crunching and
roaring as the ice king was being ground to
powder in the mighty teeth of iron. AT about
7.3O that morning. as many were standing on
the bank of the river looking at the monster
struggling along, there came suddenly per-
ceptible check to the motion, and smultan-
eously to that sudden rise of the water,
amounting to as much as four feet in ten
minutes. This caused a sudden stampede
from the lower portion from this side of the
river. The luckless inhabitants of that town
were to be seen hastily climbing the hills
which border the bottoms on that side. Many
here laughed at their discontinue and only
one man took heed of the warning and at
once began taking down his stock and re-
moving it with his effects to the adjacent
bluff. How they did laugh at his haste. but
soon panic seized upon Pierre, for with a
sudden jerk the level of the river came up to
the level of the streets.
Then there was rushing to and fro, with
mand; household goods were hastily thrown
into passing vehicles and all the town was
soou in motion towards the bluffs. MANY
were to be seen on foot with bundles on their
backs, and at the heels of all rolled a thin line
of dirty water, which showed quite a great
aptitude for finding low places, which it sud-
denly filled and on it came towards the
bluffs. 1t came up to and passed MANY max
ing their hurried retreat, but soon came a
surge. and it left water three feet deep where
before only few inches had showed itself:
boats took the place of trains. Then those
who were at first cool and were not going to
leave took fright. and they rushed in water
two or three feet deep, and with boats heavy
laden fioated along on the muddy food for the
bluff BY p. NJ the water was up to the
floors OF almost ali the houses in the town.
From the first check to the motion of the lev
torrent at in the morning up to this time the
ice had remained stationary in the channel.
slightly gorged against the island Just be-
low US We could see the icy walls steadily
gaining height at the upper point of the is
land. and - steadily could we see the surface
OF the river rising inch by inch, and then il
gained upon US continually. From the Sec
ond story window could be viewed the houses
in Fort Pierre being hustled about. crushed
or turned over, and also the people putting IN
tents and making all kinds Of camps upon the
clay hills, while their property and comforts
BILE homes were being destroyed in the great
death struggle between the two titanic pow
ers which lay between US. On one side il
was hurry and hustle, end shelters were being
provided Of every conceivable form. One
deserves mention. 1t was perched upon the
top of the highest hill, and consisted of a
sheet-iron camp stove it'll the joints of pipe.
camp-stooi. man and . pistol. Before
rundown al bad cone to some order, and The