The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-06-27
TOPICS OF THE TOWN
The Uncertainty of Things as
Viewed in Missoula.
INSECURITY OF BRIDGES
Both Water aud Fire Get in Their
Ruinous Work-Professor Aber
Gets a Fall From His
Bicycle.

grade west of Missoula last Saturday
afternoon. To have a bridge destroyed
by fire in one place while the bridge
crew was fighting water in another not
far distant place, to save bridge there
this is enough to make any man NOR
alize if he is inclined that way. The
railway men didn't moralize much.
Most of them swore. All of them said
that it's always that way when you're
busy, or something to that effect. Then
all of them went to work to repair the
damage as soon as possible. The bridge
was tolerably high one and four
bents had been burned, so that it took
some time to get it into condition AGAIN
1t is very fortunate that the entire
structure was not destroyed and that 1t
was discovered to be on fire just when
it was and not half an hour later. by
that time one or the other of the over
land trains would have been at the
gulch and there is every probability
that there would have been a serious
accident. Ed Rohkramer saw the fire
first. He was Harvesting his morse at
the ranch just below the bridge and no
ticed the smoke. The special bearing
the cavalry regiment to the coast had
just pdSSeu anu II is SuppOSeu lHdl silc
fire was started by hot cinders dropping
from this engine. Mr.. Rohkramer at
once sent a girl from the ranch up the
hill ito flag the eastbound train should
it appear, and the woman of the ranch
was sent down hill to stop the Wes--
bound train, which was due at any min
ute. Then Ed went to work on the fire.
There was but little water at hand and
he resorted to throwing damp earth
n
the spread of the fire and he was able
to go farther away and get some water
The timely arrival of section crew
afforded him needed assistance, and one
man was sent to the telegraph office
with the alarm. Then an engine was
sent up the hill with tank full of
water and the fire was soon out. Mr..
Rohkramer is entitled to much credit
for his prompt action.
The ruins of the old Deer creek bridge
that are swinging at their moorlngs
above the Higgins avenue bridge in the
| Missoula river have attracted consid-
| able attention since Saturday, when the
| bridge f1oated down the river and
| lodged there. Many who have looked
| at the deck of the bridge as it swings
| on the bar like a big ferry boat have
| crossed the He'll Gate river on it when
| it was in position near the mouth of
| Deer creek. The washing out of this
| bridge is another of those incidents
that shows that you never can tell
where it will come" This bridge stood
all Of the high water of last month
and the food of last week. Then, after
| the water had subsidized and all danger
had apparently passed. the bridge left
its piers and sailed down the river.
The friends of Professor Aber of the
state university have been much sur
| prised during the past three or four
| days to see that gentleman with his
head bandaged. Professor Aber Is the
| last man that would be expected to
| get mixed up in a bicycle accident, but
that is the cause of his condition And
it was no ordinary accident either. The
| professor is badly cut and bruised and
it is wonder that his skull was not
fractured by the fall. He does not
| know just how it happened. He was
riding down the steep hill that leads to
the Big Blackfoot bridge near the Nc
Cormck ranch, when he fell. He re-
members going forward from MS
wheel, but the sequel is a blank until
he found himself leading his wheel
some distance away from the scene OF
his fall. He was seriously cut and has
been under the doctors care for some
days. He is improving now and will
soon be wheeling again.
The circus has come and gone. 1t
was the same old story. The circus was
the best that has ever been here, bu'
the crowd was the same. 1t began tC
arrive Sunday morning and continued
to come in until this noon. Some of the
celebrants from Grass Valley anc
Frenchtown came up to Missoula after
the dance so as to be on hand for tht
circus. The crowds from the reserva
the mines came in Sunday Afternoon
and this morning. 1t is their annua
outing and they have made it a goot
one. They came in wagons, on bicycles
on the train and on foot: horseback AM
| in hayracks, Woodracks-anyWay to Se
to the circus. All of them have hat
| a good time and all of them to-nigh
seem to be glad that they came.
Hank Myers, who is out with the for
est rangers, couldn't come in for tn
circus, but he will be here for tn
Fourth. This news is conveyed by c.
following letter received from the vet
eran by Judge Sloane:
Hank is coming to Missoula,
AS sure as you are born,
And will be there July the Fourth
And help you toUt your horn.
Wen yell aloud for Washington,
For Dewey and for Schley
And wouldn't care DIN
, If Spaniard stood right by.
- ! am coming 20 Missoula,
And you may tell the boys
That l will be there on the Fourth
And help them make a noise.
1 Wen yell to see the dear old flag;
The boys in blue We'll cheer,
And will NOT be a bit afraid
When the FDIljntp are
I have been in Deer Lodge county
Since the twenty first of May
And I'm coming to MissOula
To celebrate the day
r Wen whoop 'er up July the Fourth,
And the people they'll all cheer,
= And We'll march around the corner