Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1886-03-20
UNDER WATER.
Reports OF n Heavy and Alarming Rise
in the River at Elk Peint.

Reports OF n Heavy and Alarming Rise
in the River at Elk Peint.
At five o'clock yesterday afternoon in
formation was received over the tele-
graph at the Milwaukee railroad com-
pany's office that the ice had gorged
about six miles southeast, or down river
rom Elk Point, and the river was ris-
ing alarmipgly fast in that vicinity.
People on the train from Sioux City
confirmed the report, and
although it was greatly ex-
aggerated at that time, the situation
grew more alarming during the night,
and to-day we learn from reliable sources
that efforts are being made for the relief
of the people in the submerged district.
The water covers a tract of land south of
Elk Point, about seventeen miles long
and three wide, and was from three to
six feet deep at noon to-day, and still
rising.
LATER, ] p. ~. The water at Elk
Point is up to the town limits and still
rising. The trains from Sioux City have
lust arrived bringing boats, which
have been manned, and started out on
q rescuing expedition. The settlers are
unable to get out without assistance rs
the water is deepest towards the north
bluffs.
AT D. NJ. information was received
that the water was over the railroad
tracks. The Milwaukee folks are evil
> IDENTIFY expecting some of their bridges
: to be washed out, as they are getting a
!, pile driver in readiness for work. NO
details of the loss of live stock has
been as yet received. But il the river
continues rising as it is now, disastrous
consequences of that nature may follow.
, The ice still holds in Sioux City. and
unless that lets go and relieves the Elk
I Point gorge, there is q possibility of a
: repetition of the disasters of the 1881
: food in the Sioux Point country.
i This mornings Journals dispatch
from Elk Point gives the situation thus:
From the beat authority obtained O
gorge has been formed opposite Ponca.
!, The river has raised twenty feet from
D the ice mark. Two miles above this
e place the water is rising through q swale.
e Three miles below this city it is eight
feet deep. The water is running into
the slough west of town and is rising Six
inches per hour. The bridge was torn
y up and drawn away. The water Is re
ported seven feet deep IN Green's house.
Several farms are flooded, and the peo-
u pie are moving out. Considerable ex-
citement prevails. Boats ere being sent
Is for to Sioux City, AID others ere being
made here. All are hoping for the gorge
o give way.
i'll LATEST.
At o'clock this afternoon informa.
! ton was received that the water oil
~ Elk Point was still rising rapidly, and
the boats which had been sent out
to the rescue of theErasidents of the sub,
merged district were expected to return
about 6 o'clock.
THE FLOODS OF oTHER DAYS.
The moderate character of the weather
for a month past, which had permitted
,e a gradual melting way of tho SHOWS
"A had served almost entirely to dispel ap
90 prehensions of q flood this season, ant
he there is small probability of any inunda
ton excepkan localities where the bank
are very low and where q gorge Cal
III form and hold long enough to back tn
is water over the bottoms. This must b
Ill the cause of the submersion in Unlol
county. That same locality suhere'
as much from the great Hood Il
to 1881, as any section in Dakota, ant
ere seems fated to get q soaking wheneve
as the slightest opportunity offers.
The first great food after the settle
mept OF Dakota by the whites, occurre
= IN 1862; the bottoms from Yankton t
Sioux City were covered With water t
the depth of several feet and the on
o' conveyance between the two points We
i by skiff. Small crafts propelled by GA
=. made the trip in from Is to 20 hour
the passengers amusing themselves {
spearing catfish which abounded in gre
numbers and OF rirodigious size. In 10
y, there was another serious innndatio
covering the lowlands with ten or mo
feet OF water. Small boats were aga
resorted to as the only means OF COZ
munication between Yankton al
the outside world. The flo
lssted for weeks. Up to the time OF t
second great overflow, there were b
few settlers on the bottoms, nor aDywhe
go else in the territory for that matter, CO
90. sequently there was little damage dol
The next food OF u general charac1
was in 1881. This flood was the mi
extensive that had been known In Il
II. valley for eighty years. The testimo
of strike-the'Ree chief of the Yankto