Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1885-04-24


to be four feet above high water mark.
Every one of the family was drowned,
and only two logs remain to mark where
the house stood. The bodies Of Mrs.
Paddock and the children, three BOYS,
ranging from 3 to Z years, and a girl
baby aged 10 months, were found near
Samuel Ferguson's, who lived q mile
below, and who is q brother of Mrs.
Paddock. The bodies were buried
Wednesday afternoon in the Ferguson
cemetery. The body of Squire Pad
dock had not been found up to yester-
day evening; but he is undoubtedly
drowned, and perhaps buried under
tons of drift and sand. Mr.. Paddock
was justice of the peace in this town.
ship for quite a while, and was well
known and generally liked.
Next to the Paddock place lived Sam
Ferguson and family. He, his wife and
four children barely escaped death by
climbing into the attic of their house.
1t is built of cottonwood and concrete,
and was not washed away, though bad
ly wrecked. Mr.. Ferguson lost his
fencing and several head of cattle.
John Wheat, wife and three children
saved themselves by climbing into the
lott or their house. The water was
several feet deep below them and the
building was damaged.
j. X. Browns house was surrounded
by water and driftwood, and the water
came nearly on a level with the tops of
the beds. He lost so head of cattle, a
large young orchard and his entire gar
den spot. He made business of rails
ing vegetables.
n. S. Priest lost several head Of cattle
and q miles of fence.
DIR. Brattan lost number of head of
cattle and fencing and Robert Warren
Jared in similar manner
s. K. w. Fields was damaged by loss
OF fences and several head of cattle.
Charlie Currie lost q number of calves,
q fine young colt and any amount of
fencing. His orchard is badly damaged.
Elm creek cut through his place into
Spring creek, and unless this break is
repaired great damage must ultimately
follow.
Elm creek bridge, at Curry's place
was not seriously damaged, though the
approaches to it are gone. The bridge
across Spring creek at Curry's place, is
still standing.
John Beebe lost a number Of cattle
and his bottom fencing.
Eli Smiths and Mr.. Payne's pastures
were also damaged and cut up, and the
bottom fences torn out.
This, then, brings us to town, on the
south side of Elm and Spring creeks.
| WEST OF THE MEDICINE.
AS far west as we have heard from,
destruction and devastation visited the
farms and ranches OH the Medicine riv-
er. The oldest inhabitant had never
heard of the water being so high by
four feet, and houses that were sup
posed to be above the highest water
marks were surrounded by water, NOV
ed great distances and even destroyed.
Louis LOckart's house, just above Sun
City, had water foot deep in it; and
in fact all the houses in the bottom.
Jake Bibb lost several head of cattle.
Turkey and Mulberry creeks were as
high as the Medicine, and in every di-
rection from sun City fences, stock and
crops were destroyed.
The Evans ranch, above Lake CITY.
was badly damaged, and several head
OF stock lost. 1t went through a SINH
lar experience last year.
All Of the bottom south and east of
Lake City was covered, though the
town escaped. The heavy rain flooded
the streets, but did no particular dam
age. Sand creek, east of Lake City
was very high. Frank Gordon, above
Lake City lost his cOrraIs, feeding
troughs and any amount of fencing.
His fine Hereford bulls had been taken
from the feeding lots the day before.
Lakes pasture was damaged by the
fences being taken away.
r. l.. Carter, who owns the Carl place
lost number of cattle and a large
amount of fencing
j. A. Andrews lost several head of
cattle in the Medicine river flood and
thinks that many of his cattle on Elm
creek will be found dead.
Dolly Espey's and DIR. Bonds places
were entirely surrounded, their houses
considerably wrecked and their fami-
lies barely escaped. The same can be
said of several other places south of the
river. At G. w. Ebersole's the water
ran into the house, and he saved his
horses by taking them out of the top of
the stable. A party Of movers camped
there lost their wagons and outfits and
bar ely escaped with their lives.
The water extended over the bottoms
on both sides of the Medicine in one SOL
id sea, two miles wide all the way down
past the knight place, the Hooker
place, the Hayes place, Vanslyke's farm
occupied by r. F. Little and tore up
miles OF fences. A family camped in q
tent near Titles saved themselves but
lost q lot of furniture, bedding and
household goods. And on to town this
same story is told, on both sides Of the
river. The bottoms are covered with
drifts and dead stock Of every descrip-
ton; barbed wire is wrapped around
trees and stumps, posts are everywhere,
and the work Of the food can be seen
seen for years to come.
SOUTH ON THE MEDICINE.
Where the Medicine river and Elm
creek come to gether, a half mile south
west of town, was to be seen q grand
though terrible sight, both streams be-
ing spread to their utmost capacity
with floating houses timbers, dumb
brutes and debris generally. The two