The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-04-02
One Town Completely Destroyed.

CHICAGO, April 1.-The st. Paul Pioneer
Press special from Bismarck says the frost of
Wednesday night helped solidify the gorge at
Fort Lincoln. On Thursday morning the
water was at a standstill and the outlook for a
fall discouraging. Field glasses showed no
change in the situation, and at noon no flag OF
distress was visible. The plucky citizens,
men, women and children, were staying at
home. They had passed an uncomfortable
night but are not willing to desert the spot
With few boats they are able to go where it
is over boot tops. Besides the damage to
100 900 railraid ties are washed away, invov-
ing a loss of $35, 900 to the Northern Pacific
Railway. Five men were rescued who had
taken refuge in the woods by Maj. Peoples in
a skiff. He also visited collection of people
opposite Fit. Lincoln, who were huddled in a
single house that was high upon sand bar
and practically safe. The steamer Union was
lying near by in a safe place. There is fall
of four feet at the gorge, and every appearance
that for a mile up the river the ice sinks to
bottom and is a solid dam for that distance
If cool weather continues this dam will prob
ably last for week, and the channel possibly
be turned in an easterly direction a mile from
the old one. The power of the ice cakes that
force their way into the wood is illustrated by
the fact that they cut down cotton woods trees
two feet in diameter. The steamer Eclipse ar
rived from Fort Buford, and is therefore safe
and sound. There is no gorge above Bis
marck.
Specials to the Pioneer Press from Sioux
City say; The gorge broke at Yankton on
Wednesday, the water falling 6 feet an hour
and receding slowly. At last accounts there
was no loss of life, but damage to property is
estimated at $4,000, principally railroad and
steamboat property. The town of Green Is
land, opposite Yankton, was entirely swept
away on Wednesday night, every building be-
ing broken up and floating off by the ice, and
one man carried sway on a floating house. The
flood reached Vermillion, driving out the tele-
graph operator, since which nothing is heard
from there, though it is certain that the gorge
holds there, as no rise occurred at Elk Point,
below there. The Vermillion ferry boat is
total loss. The water here is five feet below
high water mark and it is not probable that
great damage will result here when the gorge
gives way, as the ice will have full run.
Sioux City, Ia, April There are indica-
tions OF gorge in the Missouri reaching from
point 10 miles above this city at least as far
as Springfield, OAK, 20 miles. Most of the
bottom land, five to fifteen miles wide, IS
flooded by these gorges. The town of Green
Island, Neb., opposite Yankton, has been
swept away. The inhabitants could be seen
from Yankton clinging to their houses as they
posed to have been drowned. All the bottom
lands are flooded. All were well settled. The
river steamer Western is sunk at Yankton and
steamer Fontanelle six miles above Boats at
4anktOn are so broken by ice that none will be
ready for service for sixty days The names
OF the boats lost, so far as known, are Western
Fontanelle and f. G. Batchellor-all total
wrecks. The steamers above Yankton are
left in bad shape on the bank by the subsiding
of the water. The river is now falling at
Yankton and points above. AT Vermillion, So
miles northwest of this city, the water was 10
1eet deep In the principal street at noon to-
day: All the inhabitants are gone to the bluff
back OF che town. The gorges hold at latest
accounts, the river running across the bottom
lands. The river here is rising slowly. A
rescuing train for the inundated districts will
leave to-day.
OMAHA, Neb., April 1.-Warning was re-
celved here on Thursday afternoon that So
foot rise in the river was rolling down, and
the railways and parties having property on
the river were notified In the evening they
ran all cars and emigrants from the river
tracks to higher ground, anticipating flood
before morning Heavy ice commenced run
ming about II last night. The Union Pacific
overland trains are running without inter-
ruption to Ogden from Omaha via Lincoln,
and making regular time.
BISMARCK, D. T., April 1.-The river has
fallen three or four feet. Many people went
over to Mandon on the steamer to-day, but
could not sget within three miles of the town
because OF ice. Several persons from the ill
lated city came on the boat. The ice is about
six feet deep all over the town and very
solid. More provisions will be sent tomorrow.
About 400 people are rendered homeless, but
the water has fallen so that many buildings
are now out of water The total loss is es-
timated at $250,c00 to $I75000
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