Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1897-03-25

emptying into the valley as quickly as
it will when 1t gets warmer, and then
We will be ready down here to handle
it.
Saturday morning the Missouri
loosened up its ice and started on its
journey south. The ice being exceed.
ingly soft and rotten there was no
trouble for it to get loose and break up
in chunks small enough to cause no
trouble.
Vermillion reported q gorge at
Mecklin and one below, neither OF
which we're of aoy consequence to en-
tail any serious damage. The Mis-
souri, did not rise but little higher than
last year and all along from Yankton
down scarcely any damage is reported.
Some fears were experienced by the
jefferson people that gorge had been
formed directly west of their town but
acknowledgements that there was
very little darger.
The damage this year has all been
made by small streams such as the
Sioux, the Vermillion and Jim river
and the small tributaries. All pile
bridges whether wagon or railroad
seem to have suffered on these streams.
The railroad bridge across the YER
million west Of the University town is
now a suspension affair, the piles hav-
ing been taken out, while at Yankton
three railroad bridges across the Jim,
all of which suffered considerable from
the overflow.
Taking everything into considera-
ton this section of the country ex-
perienced very little damage in COM
parison with towns along the Missisip-
pi and in eastern Iowa. Reports com.
ing from that section indicate thousands
of people have been made homeless
and property destroyed to the amount
of seversl million dollars. The only
lesson to be derived out OF our OK.
perience here is that the better bridge
you build the less liability to loss and
the cheaper in the long run.
J. Hardness who was surrounded by
the overflow on the Sioux lost his corn.
His corncrib fioated down the river
with several hundred bushels In it
while q considerable quantity on the
ground is scattered between here and
Sioux City.
Woodbury. Card suffered no damage
In conseqdence of the overflow.
An adventure that threatened to ter
inmate fatally befell P.O. Hangen, who
on Friday afternoon, the 10th UNDER
took to cross Brule Creek, three-quar-
ters Of mile northeast of Lamont
postohice. The Creek was at that time
q raging torrent and his only means Of
crossing was small raft constructed
by himself. and a. his course was
through pasture among lot Of trees
Of all sizes many only showing the tops
above the water, the natural result was
that Hangen had not gone far before
himself and raft had parted company
and after several attempts to reach
shore by swimming he finally took
refuge in the top Of . tree and called
Justify for help. About twenty persons
gathered, all willing to help but with
out the means to reach him as he was
about 30 rods fran the west side and
had the deepest water between him
and the cast bank Of the creek and
also the most dangerous current. Mr..
Bjorgum, living four miles down the
Creek, the owner Of the nearest boat in
the neighborhood, who under such
difficulties a. are presented by dark
ness, currents, eddies and trees finally
succeeded In reaching his man and
bringing him to the east bank Of the
creek where friends were anxiously
awaiting him, and from all accounts
the young man is none the worst from
his unpleasant experience.