Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1885-04-24
BARBER COUNTY INDEX.
Official Paper of Barber Countv
and Medicine Lodge.
{, P. cARUTHERS, tDITOR 4 PROPRIETOR.
Subscription Prizes. 90 Year
MEDICINE LODGE, KANSAS.
FRIDAY. APRIL. - 1881.
-FEARFULFL0ODS!
THE BEAUTIFUL VALLEYS or
THE ELM AND MEDICINE
OKERHOWI
SUDDEN AND TERRIBLE
RISE OF WATER.
II Sweeps Down on Ranches,
Farms, Camps. Villages.
CAUSING WIDESPREAD LOSS
OF LIFE AND PROPERTY
Houses Swept Awdy and Fdmi-
lies 0bGter0ted.
Pdfui Havoc Among Campers
in the Bottoms !
THE Work Of ReHefm Ned
cine Lodge!
Care Of the ZiriRg and Search
for the Dead.
UNrTRIN0s IEYToRTs OF BRAvKMnExM
AND NOBLE WOMEN
EAIR-BRKADTH ESCAPES AND M1RAc-
ULSUS REsCURs.
UNTIRINGs IEYToRTs OF SRAvKMnIxN
AND NOBLE WOMEN
EAIR-BRKADTH ESCAPES AND MIRAc.
ULeus REsCURs.
THR STORY OF THE DISASTER As GATH
Erred By THE INDEX"

A fearful and terrible food visited
Barber c, unity last Tuesday morning
April 81, 1875, and the valleys OF Elm
creek and Medicine river are marked
with the effects Of its ravages. Monday
evening Mt dusk, murky clouds were
seen lowering over the north and west,
and rs darkness came the vivid flashes
OF lightning were witnessed playing in
the restless rolling banks. At that time
the hardest rain ever witnessed in this
or any tther country, commenced to
pour down and continued without in
teuuption for FIVE hours, over space
OF country In the northwestern part Of
Barber from II TO 10 miles In width. So
far as can be learned, the heaviest rain
fall, however. WAS through the country
west on the Barber county line, COM
mencing north " Elm Mills. All Of the
country on either side Of the Ne licine
river and Elm creek is high rolling
prairie interpreted with hundreds OF
canyons and small sire ,ms dry most Of
the year. Down these ravines the wa
ter poured rs II from the roof OF house
and soon the streams were bank-ful
and the bottoms and low-lands were
covered To depth of from four 10 eight
feet, and the work Of destruction was
fairly commenced.
People had lived on these streams
for years, and had taken care to bull !
their houses aud corrals far above the
high water marks, never for moment
believing that any food would reach
their places; but in this they were sadly
mistaken. A trip through the fert lie
and lovely valleys OF these two stream
to-day will bring g. view the workings
ola small deluge, and the spectator will
be convinced that with the Almight; =,
nothing Is impossible; that mt Ills word
TIE floods beat down the strongest bar
IierS erected by man; that human hab-
ttAtions are made desolate; that the
strongest trees aie uprooted, and the
york Of scientists and mechanics all 20
Tor naught; that Ills dumb creatures
are dashed to.deathnaloDg with the in
telligent beings Of His creation, and
that everything animate OF inanimate
can be destroyed. Ills workings are
Indeed wonderful. Why our peaceful
and Goc-'earing people should b. sub
Jet d to tortures and even death; Why
family ties should be sundored IL not for
US TO know; but these things have hap
poned.
There are different theories as 70
what cause.-the terrible rush OF mighty
water. Some say II was the bursting
OF mighty wassrspOut; others say
mat an unprecedented rain alone was
responsible. We incline sto the latter
View; but 1t the tame time can't I'M
derstand how such a sudden rise could
occur simultaneously on the Medicine
river and Elm creek, 10 or IL miles
spart, where the rise started. And Il
did come sudden.
The experience OF everyone who wit
messed the food Is similar. A mighty
poaring was heard above them; q look
outside brought to view huge pillows,
rolling In most frightful manner to-
ward them; everything movable was
lifted high. On;these waves and carried
with the food; they would strike
against and crush I'm the sides Of houses;
al the rooms with water; Get the furni-
tnrekahoat; and, unless the structure
was securely anchored, It would floai
away to destruction, IL not lodged
against a friendly tree or bank. Fence
posts were snapped of or pulled entirely
out Of the ground, and strong barbed
wire wns broken a. the finest thread
would be. Woe to the unfortunate
dumb brute or human that CHANGED tc
come In contact with this floating net.
work Of wire and postsi
The water was full Of debris and
heavy rolling quick sand and mud, and
q person caught In the torrent was soon
loaded down II he CHANGED to be clad.
In the fat or bottom directly east OF
and adjoining the city OF Medicine
Lodge, the heaviest damage toproperty
and the greatest loss OF life occurred.
Elm creek skirts this bottom on the
east half mile from the city. and this
stream runs In a southwest course.
IL IL bridged southeast OF town. Ordi-
narily Il IL about 70 feet wide, very
shallow and can be easily forded. Its
banks are from four 10 sir feet high.
and along these grow trees and under
brush. Spring creek IL west Of Elm
and washes The foot Of the hill on which
Medicine Lodge IL situated. IL runs
directly south when passing the town
and connects with Elm . few hundred
yards below the corporation limits.
Tkfa akrnmr., rrslfwa~tl- 4. 49,. a