The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1897-04-30
WATER SWEPT CITY
THOUSANDS OF HOMELESS
Five Hundred Homes Washed
Away. $50 Wrecked. 20 Stores
Devastated and About 20
Lives Lost-Rescuers.


'uthrie, %, T., April 2a-ln the flood
stricken valley of Cottonwood river the
day has been one of heroic effort To-
ward tha ,ascua NJ ,hoss ur,or,,,n.,as
,,h,ya Ii,.s -. IN, 1.s.', },
a., s', eau"nse'eu anu
,' 'e"'i vi "unu'eus vi uestitute
anu hungry lo-hlght seems GER
lalh that the loss of life In yesterdays
deluge will not exceed 20. All day miss
ing people. suppos.d Yesterday IN baVs
been ,,ro,vr.d nav. h..., rnn,5 ,i,,,,
I,,, ,,. h,,.,a' ~ ,.,,,,,'..,., -. ~
80. ~. " ','"o'u Wv" ''','
's""i On INV west pluhs VT s'n'teieu
!" iarh houses Tor miles.
During the greater part of yesterday
the roaring torrent OF water cut of
communication with the submerged
district and i'm IN. y.p.r.I .xcita,,.n,
,h, a.a,s r., - ...,,.,,s, =. ,,.,.,..,''
N'' ,''' 90 S".'e' W Gus
ISSUES M"o "Neu VII the s'richeh por-
ll"n OF the Town hau, III their terror
gwen up thelr missing friends or rela-
yves as lost ana u was generally be-
l'Nru that scores hau pefisheu III their
homes or tornado cellars, hut when
daylight came this morning the Hood
had subsidized, and examinations to-day
ol houses ana cellars tailed To conhrm
the reported heaNy loss "t NE, pay
nsht iound dozens ot people still cling
ing To trees, overturned houses or TIM
hers IN periious positions which they
had SUSTAINED all during the weary
nlght For miles along the scene OF
devastation loo people. homeless. III
from exposure aud hunger. passed "A
miserable night ana morning found
most OF thetn TOO weak to anord much
assistance either TO themselves or u"
others.
The scene In the fiood-swept district
this morning was one OF desolation.
The river teil rapidly during the night,
and when the sun rose the awful extent
OF the damage done To property could
pe seen. Thefe was coniused mass oi
debris ana overturned ana uehnoilsheu
houses scattered over the valley where
last night was sea OF water Ihe
banks were Uttered with dead ear
casses OF horses, cattle, hogs ana chick-
eens. Whole blocks where Yesterday
stood home ON nearly every lot, are
stripped bare; huge trees torn up by
their roots were scattered everywhere.
great gulches had been washed out OF
the streets. gardens were devastated.
iruit trees leveled, lawns anu mower
beds cleared OF level as table. and
With the first ray OF daylight the
work OF rescue and relief was taken up
with vengeance and Kept up with
tireless energy until nightfali fortnight
made II Impossible In continue. During
the night men had been put Ia work IN
lumber yards constructing boats, anu
dawn to-day witnessed dozen craft
darting out from all directions To the
rescue OF The untortunates. People VINO
had missing ones began searching
everywhere for their bodies, taxing
risks that ordinarily they would not
nave been able 10 take. MANY OF those
who had only lost property went up
and down the stream trying 10 recover
some OF it-some parts OF house, bed
clothing ar wearing apparel. The work
OF the raftsmen proved most effective.
and one by one people were transported
from their perilous positions l" places
OF safety on land. All day long the
rescuers worked incessantly, ana
every house, drift-pile ana tree was
closely examined in search OF dead.
Excited negroes who had climbed 10 the
roof Of houses held an all-day prayer
meeting and their shouting could be
plainly heard In Guthrie. They Were
finally rescued.
The family OF Wesley McGill, report
Fh NtSt''h"N u Ni'' h''' ""'' ''''''
safe. The only bodies found during the
day were those or Mrs. FANNIE Rufiin
and five children all lodged IN pile OF
driftwood. These, WIN George owen
butcher. drowned while Iescuing oth-
ers, Frank Myers, Mrs. Ella Dumas
Mrs. Jane Watt. Mrs. Frances Moore.
Mrs. Drummond. MIS-. Dennis ana
child and Mrs. Watson are the only
identified dead. Many persons are stu
missing, however. BY nlghtiall ample
arrangements had been made Tor tht
immediate care OF the homeless ana
there was assurance oi no tufthsf SUI
fertng, AT least Tor the time being
Five hundred homes nave peeh s"ept
away, lao houses We're wrceked ana y
homeless and half as many destitute
and the work OF supplying shelter and
food for all these was no mean under
taking. But Guthrieites We're equai I.
the task. and by to-nisht tnousands o'
dollars had been subscrioeh 70 aid IN,
afflicted ana was being distrinu'eo
with good enect under tne direction ~
the Guthrie club. The damage aiohs 'h'
I tltn1ndFDn ilNtT vast WY 'Nh'hEiN'
and hundreds OF farms nave been de
a.