Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1897-04-15
FARMERS DROWNED OUT.
High Water in the Red River
Valley Causes Loss
and Anxiety.
Government Steamer on Res
cuing Trip Sinks In Ten
Feet of Water.
Farmers and Their Effects
Being Rescued From
the Flood.

UOOOs
From accounts IN the Grand Forks
and Red River valley papers the high
wstsr he's left many Of The fsrmsrs in
tho valley in . most deplorabls condition.
The water hes gradually snorosohsd
upon farms and around farm houses
until in many cases nothing 10 visible
from tho door OF farm houses except
vast sheet OF water broken here and
there BY clumps Of trees, straw stacks,
OF farm buildings. The condition last
Saturday and this week was such that
government steamboat was sent upon q
tour Of rescue supplied with everything
possible to relieve residents and save
property, including physician. A
committee OF Grand Forks citizens went
along to render assistance.
The description gwen OF conditions
along the river by those who have been
in that country are something terrible
to anticipate and unless aid 10 secured
ct once the loss Of life is certain to be
heavy. Most OF the farmers have
abandoned the houses and barns and
families occupy the roofs Of houses and
the live stock from tho farm are located
on tops Of barns and sheds, many Of
them standing in water almost covering
them.
It seems almost Improbable that .
stesmboat could leave the channel Of
tho man stream and rescue stock and
persons from farm buildines, but in
many localities this was the case.
From Marvel word comes that ell the
farms in the low country there are
covered with water, and many OF the
farmers will lose all Of their possessions.
From that place to Warren, Mlnn., il ID
almost one sheet Of water and the Snake
river 10 doing much damage in that seo-
ton. From Warren reports come that
many Of the residents we're caught by
tho rising water during the nights and it
came up 90 quickly that the highest
trees we're sll that they had in the way
Of . place Of safety. and they have taken
advantage Of them where they will have
to remain until assistance reaches them.
At the Barlow farm north Of Grand
Forks the water is deep enough around
the house to allow Q steamboat to land
at the front steps. Mr.. Barlow has lost
about 1900 bushels Of seed grain, all
that he had, and he claims that unless
the weather moderates very soon he will
loose all Of his stock.
To add to the distress the government
steamer ran against cake OF ice Sun
day, sixteen miles north of Grand
Forks, and sank IN ten feet OF water.
There we're seventeen persons on board,
among them Billy Bulge, Editors
Carruth and Winshlp, DR.. Davitt and
others. The steamer was going down
the river near the center Of the channel
40 slo WY as possible, when she struck q
large cake OF Ice which stove big hole
in the bow. Many cakes of ice had been
struck before. The boat could not pro-
csed and Capt. Haynes immediately
ordered the steamer backed into the
woods on the river bank. 1t settled in
minute and half from the time the
hole was stove IN. Everybody rushed to
the upper deck. and were perfectly safe
there. but some of the boys climbed into
trees, TO be on the safe side, before they
knew how far the boat was going down.
It was extremely fortunate that the
boat chanced to reach shelf Of high
land. The presence Of mind of Captain
Hayes and Engineer Frank Dixon, and
their prompt action was what saved
most il not all those on board the
steamer, for If the boat had gone down
10 the river, many would undoubtedly
have been drowned.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
GRAND Forks, n. d., April l3.-The
government steamer Ogemah was sunk
in the Red river II miles north Of here
during the forenoon. The boat was
sent out to furnish relief to the settlers
who had been driven from their homes
BY the dood and were in imminent
danger Of being drowned and Of losing
Ill Of their belongings. When oppos'
ito the Hoyt elevator huge piece Of
Ice struck the boat. and Immediately
tho front started to settle in the water.
Tho boat was mid.stream in water 90
~ r. - "a
mind Pilot Hayes had tho engines re.
versed and backed the steamer into the
. bank, whore IL sank amidst trees in
~ feet Of water. There were IL per.
sons aboard, the number being com.