The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-04-09
Special DISPATCH to the Standard.

special DlSpatCll 10 lne standard.
Glendive, April s.-The Yellowstone
river has caused greater damage to life
and property this year than ever before.
Four persons, Mrs. r. w. Synder, her
brother, Eugene O'Connor her niece,
Nellie Reagan, and a visitor, Miss Rose
Wybrecht lost their lives last night
trying to reach the Northern Pacific
railway track, block from their ranch,
a half mile above Glendve, during the
overflow of water and ice.
The ice began moving out at ESQ
o'clock in the evening and continued
flowing until $3.50, when it jammed.
During this time the ice demolished two
of the ice breaks, one and three, in
front Of the piers of the steel wagon
bridge over the river at Glendive.
When the gorge broke it took a combi-
nation span over the slough on the west
side of the bridge, breaking it into
kindling wood. 1t was during this gorge
that the four above mentioned were
drowned. A fifth member Of the party,
Joseph Myers, was rescued from a tree
this morning at o'clock by several
daring men who risked their own lives
to save him.
The party of five left the ranch to
reach the track, but before they covered
| half the distance the water was waist
deep and they were assisted to a tree
by Myers getting up first and O'Connor
assisting from below. O'Connor was
the first to be washed from the tree,
Mrs. Snyder the second and Miss Wy
brecht third. A huge piece of ice
struck the tree and broke it in two,
carrying off Miss Regan. When Myers
found the tree was falling he jumped on
to a piece of ice and, thinking he would
have to swim, removed his shoes and
outer clothing. Finding no opportunity
| to reach high land by swimming, he
| grasped the first tree he came to and
| climbed into the branches. After seven
hours exposure in his undergarments
| he was taken from his perilous posi-
| ton, and is now rapidly improving.
Another neighbor remained on his
roof till daylight, when he got into a
canoe and padded to shore.
| 1t is thought that the family of James
| Sullivan, wife and six children were
swept away by the overflow, as no trace
| of them can be found. At 4:30 o'clock
| this morning the third span of the
bridge was swept from its piers and
was swept down stream about two
miles, where it now rests in an upright
| ,,os;+;o, uo1f ~, hour Ia ter the Hrst
span from the Glendive side slid into
the water like swan and gracefully
f1oated "a mile below town, where it now
rests.
The large ice break in front of the
draw span stood the crush with very
little damage. The lowlands along the
river for miles are under water and ice
and the Northern Pacific tracks were
flooded for half mile west of town
which delayed No. ! several hours
Hundreds of live stock We're swep1
away by the overflow. Meager re-
ports from above and below town are
slow in coming in, and there is no tell
ing what damage will result.
The citizens of Glendive met this ev-
ening and considered the advsabilit,
of rebuilding the bridge at once, as il
has become a necessity. This has beer
the greatest misfortune that ever b..
fell Glendive and Dawson county. The
| bridge cannot be rebuilt in its entirety
for less than $4,000.
Relatives of the drowned persons
have attempted suicide, but We're pre-
vented. The affair has cast gloon
over the entire community and will nm
doubtedly be more far-reaching Whn,
the worst is known from above and he
low town.
4 Cutting Scrape.