The evening times., 1900-03-17
AFLOAT ON A CAKE OF ICE.
Thrilling Experience OF n south D.-
LotH CattIeman
Tror ~ :. Louis cIobe-DemoralI

tFror, tas -. Louis CIobe-nemor-stl
SIOUX FALLS. 5. D.. Feb. 2S.-Aaoat
in the Missouri River on a cake Of i-a
barely large enough TO support the weight.
of man. with "a Wild range steer Tor a
companion. and certain death staring him
in the face unless he was able 10 force
the animal from the frail and unique
craft. was the experience one dav this
week Of John @ Anderson prominent
cattlemau Of the ceded Sioux land ranges
The scene Of the thrilling adventure was
near Crow Creek Indian Agency the de-
tails Of the incident having Just been To-
ceived here from an agency official An
derson has contract with the Govern
ment to supply beef cattle al Crow Greek
Agency for issue to the Indians He had
Just reached the agency with large herd
which had been driven overland from the
nearest railroad point. thirty miles dis
tant and before placing the animals in the
agency corral decided 10 water them al
the Missouri River, only a short distance
away
The channel OF the river at the watering
point Is Kept open all winter by the warm
water from an artesiaD well. which emp
ties into the river a short distance above
the landing The recent cold weather hal
however. frozen the river out about twenty
feet from shore, and by sanding the new
iy formed ice Anderson believed he could
water the beef herd in long trough he
had cut through the ice. and that bv get
ting in front Of the animals himself WOule
be able TO keep them from slipping into
the channel or getting so far out as 10
break through The animals. being Wild
and thirsty. rushed down upon the ice :,
a bunch. The cattleman realized the dan
ger, but before he could drive enough of
the cattle back TO shore to relieve the pres
sure on the ice. the weight OF the cattle
cracked the ice. tore IL loose from shore
and Anderson suddenly found himself in
company with one steer. floating out IN
the current on the cake OF ice AGer su-
perhuman efforts he succeeded in pushing
his unwelcome companion into the river.
when Il swan hack 20 the shore The cat
tleman now found himself floating rapidly
down the deep channel Of the river on a
cake Of ice that was none too thick or too
big to bear his weight this fact having
been impressed on his mind while il was
sinking under the weight Of himself and
the steer About a quarter OF a mile down
the river heavy ice reached from shore to
shore. His situation was now very critical
for only by the merest good fortune could
he hope to reach The heavy ice before the
frail cake upon which he was being swept
down the river was sucked under the
heavier ice by the swift current At what
seemed to him lightning speed the cake of
ice upon which he was riding approached
the heavy white line which marked the
edge CT the heavy ice stretching across the
river. With rare presence of mind the cat
teman saw that his chances OF escaping
being carried under the heavy ice would
be materially 5ettered by his riding as
near the rear end Of his strange craft as
possible. thus ausing the forward end 10
tilt higher out Of the water Swiftly the
cake of ice with its human freight neared
the icy barrier. Anderson braced himself
for leap for life, and just as the cake
came in contact with the heavy stationary
ice he put his whole strength into the
bound for life and safety His leap was
well timed. and. reaching safety on the
heavy ice he glanced back just in time
to see the cake OF ice upon which he had
taken his involuntary ride disappear un-
der the ice which he had succeeded ir
reaching.