The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-05-22
ALL ABOUT THE WEATHER
Monthly Report of the Section
Director for Montana.
COLD AND DISAGREEABLE
Very Hard Month on Stock - Owners
Were Obliged to Feed-shortage of
Hay-HigE Water-Grass and
All Vegetation Dormant.

conditions in Montana for the month
of April has just been issued by E. J.
Glass, section director at Helena. The
report is as follows:
Weather.
The weather during the month of
April was cold and disagreeable.
Warm periods during the month oc-
Cured on the 9th, 18th and 18th, and
also on the 25th; the coolest tempera-
lures were generally recorded on the
LIST. The average number of clear days
was 10. partly cloudy 10 and cloudy 10;
inch of precipitation fell was three.
The weather was very bad on stock
of all kinds. Stockmen were obliged to
feed their stock the entire winter and
April found many stockmen, some
without, and the remainder with small
supply of hay on hand; many cattle
and sheep after getting a taste Of green
grass would not touch the last years
growth, and the new grass not having
grown sufficient to enable the stock to
derive any nourishment from it, there
by causing them to meet the severe
storms of April in very weak condi-
ton, causing many old cows to perish
with the storm. A severe storm passed
over the eastern portion of the state
on the 9Th; many calves and some old
cows died from the effects of it. A
large sheep owner near Sunnyside, in
Choteau county, lost during this storm
1900 head of sheep in a corral, by the
sheep piling up on each other on the
leeward side of the enclosure trying to
escape from the wind, until 1000 of the
band We're smothered to death. An
-1,n Nov 1.nV,
county estimates his loss at 1000 during
this storm.
Another source of damage was from
the effects of the high water during the
sudden warm period on the 9Th; high
winds greatly assisted in the rapid
melting of snow in the valleys and foot
hills and caused the rivers to overflow
their banks. In many streams ice
gorges formed and backed the water up
until the pressure became so great as
to break the gorge, and everything was
swept away by the enormous wave of
water The Yellowstone river had an
ice gorge formed in it near Glendive,
and when it broke the immense volume
of water swept the lowlands, drowning
u people and doing an immense
amount of damage to property ana
stock interests. The Northern Pacific
railroad traffic was interrupted by
many washouts along the Yellowstone
river. Milk river, in the northern part
Of the state, was higher than it was
ever known to be before: the damage
was quite severe. In many places in
the vicinity of Havre and Chinook
thousands of acres of grain and mead
ow lands We're overfiowed, and. when
the water subsidized it left the ground
covered with very thick deposit of
sand. thereby rendering the ground
valueless. Many cattle and sheep were
drowned in the bottom lands. c. w.
Ling, the observer of the United States
weather bureau at Havre, writes as fol-
lows, dated April Ii:
"Since the water has receded in the
Milk river to it's normal height. dead
horses and cattle in the river and VAL
ley can be seen for miles up and down
the river. The damage to settlers in
the valley is more than can be esti-
mated at present; many farmers will
be unable to put in crop owing to the
deposit of sand on their farming
lands"
A large band of sheep was drowned
near Bow Elder during the high water.
The Great Northern trains were at
standstill for several days. The Mon
tana railroad received so much damage
that it has been unable to run any
trains since the 9th Of April.
At Crow agency, G. N. Crotsenburg,
voluntary observer at that place, re-
ports:
1.-THE Little Big Horn river overlooked
the ground on which the agency is sit
uated, but no damage of any conse-
quence resulted, aside from the incon-
venience Of those families who were
driven from their homes for from four
days to a week each. This is the first
time that any of the Indians or whites
have ever known the valley to be over
flowed at this point 1t was probably
two feet above all former records: the
B. & M. railroad suffered much loss;
no accidents, however"
A severe "Norther'' began on April
30 and continued to May 4: this was
the most severe storm of the season,
and on account of lambing season be-
ing general throughout the state, thou
sands of lambs persisted, also many
calves.
The River Press at Fort Benton
says:
1.-THE storm caught the sheepmen at
a most unfortunate time. In some
cases Landing operations have been in
progress the past two weeks and have
now become general: with but few eX-
centions where ample provisions for
feed and shelter have been made, the
lamb crop will be a total failure while
present conditions continue. The fact
that many have exhausted supplies is
anOrlef DdQ feature OIL lHe SITUATION.
The closing scene of one of the longest
winters on record is a most discourag-
ing experience to the live stock inter
ests of Northern Montana"
Crop Conditions.
The review of the farming opera tons
during the month can be told in a very
short paragraph for the month of April.
Flowing began in the western portion
on April 8. and seeding about one week
later; in the eastern portion there was
some blowing done at intervals between
storms during the latter part of the
month in sheltered localities; in many
places snow remained on the ground
almost continuously during the month.
Grass and also all vegetation remained
dormant, as though it was winter
throughout the month.
Closing out pianos at cost. Aug.
Meyer, III E. Park.
Forgot Bears to Think of Snakes.
From the Philadelphia Record.
bo hot ho1 oil ont If