Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1884-02-28
THE RIVER.


hspe,ition os the First Act in the DIsas-
troas DramA Of lsSl--Brcsk-u In The
Yellowstone aud Tongue Rivers -Begin-
ning 10 Open ~ the Wrong End.
Information from Miles City is that
the ice in the Yellowstone and Tongue
rivers has gone out aud that both those
streams are flooding the adjacent low
lands. The account, which is dated at
Miles City the 25th OF February, reads
as follows:
Our town was surprised last night by
the sudden breaking up of the Tongue
river. 1t was totally unlocked for, as
there bad been but thirty-six hours of
thawing weather, preceded by at least
twenty days of the severest cold of the
winter, and the breakup was not looked
for, for week. The water commenced
running on the Ice about six o'clock, and
in half an hour it had risen five or six
feet and loosened the main ice, and in
moment all was on the move. The scene,
lit up by bonfires on the bank, was in
describably grand. Considerable appre-
hension was felt for the safety OF those
living on the lowlands, but by the united
efforts of the citizens they were all
reached and removed to safe places.
The ice continued to run all night, and
during tho forenoon of to-day gorged
twice. producing slight overflow In the
town, but without damage to any one.
Shortly after eleven o'clock this morning
the Yellowstone started and is now run.
ming bank full. The Tongue is running
ice, but from the mail carrier from
Tongue river it is learned that the river
is clear above and tho last ice will soon
pass. 1t is believed that the dam of the
Tongue River Ditch company withstood
the brunt of tho battle bravely, although
nothing definite is known; but as planks
and timbers have passed here to-day it
is feared that some portion of it may
have succumbed. 1t Is reported here to.
day that the bridge across the Yellow.
stone at Huntley was carried away, but
the report is not confirmed. The expe-
rience of the Oldest inhabitant furnishes
no precedent for the suddenness of the
breakup. The ice was full thirty inches
thick, and as clear and solid as at any
time this winter.
tits probable that when this unprec.
edented rush of wintry water reachei
the Missouri at Fort Buford it will cause
break of the ice and food at thai
point. At and below Buford, as fal
south ut least as Yankton, the ice in th,
river is solid and thick. A rush of watel
from above would break it up. and th,
immense volume of frozen and unfrozel
moisture sliding down the inclined plan
OF the river bed would produce force
the destructive qualities of which We
are not unfamiliar with. We have seel
the Missouri exhibit its strength unde
circumstances of this nature and our ex
perience has not been of the kind whicl
brings desire for another of the sam
sort. It is we'll established fact tha
when the Missouri begins opening at it
upper end trouble may be looked fo
These first indications may not he TO
lowed by the looked for results, yet til
situation will bear watching.
Our record for the spring of 1881, til
year Of the flood, shows that the Yellow
stone opened at Miles City about the /.
of March. At that time ice in the rive
at Yankton was more solid than no
and oil this part of Dako
and Nebraska was buried under two fe
OF snow. On the Sth of March the Nj
- souri, opened at Fort Buford with hea,
flood. On the 10th of March the bre,
occurred at Bismarck, on the 23d
Standing Rock, on the oath at Fort Ra
dali, on the 25,h at Springfield and {
the 9th of March the ice went out
Yankton. Following this was seasc
, of unprecedented floods, the gorged l
. sending the water back over all the 10,
lands and submerging the country fro
bluff to bluff. This flood was large
a augmented by high water in the Jill
!. Vermillion aud Sioux rivers and n
merous smaller tributaries. There is n
, enough snow this year to produce su
damaging floods in these streams, so F,
:. have no reason to look for full repe
tion of the experiences of 1881.
The ice in the river at this point
giving indications OF breakup and b
q for the severe weather of the past tv
q days, another week wonld have given
= clear channel. Just above the ci
4 there is an opening OFFS half
mile long, but in front
:, town the ice is still strong enough
- bear up loaded teams. The freeze
has also checked the rise, which "
= occasioned by melting snow in this neie
!, borhood. A few days of soft weatl
- would loosen the ice here and this wor
"a tend to avert the threatened danger FRI
- above. In the years of the past the ri,
: has opened at Yankton on the followi
dates: 1877, February 81; 1878, Feb
h ary 10; 1879, March 8; 1880, February
te 1881, March 81; 1882, March 8; IS
1t March IA.
rs MONEY LOAN