The Saint Paul globe., 1903-06-02
MINNESOTA RIVER
DEALS DEATH
Continued From First Page.

Continued From First Page.
that the drawbridge at Belle PLANE was
opened for the first time in nine years
to permit Of their passage.
The evidences OF the great inunda-
ton, due to the dam burst, began to
be felt early. Herds Of cattle were
showed above the water. CarcaSses
f1oated past at short intervals and
every little while a small shed or pOr-
tion Of a. house would scurry past. Ev-
cry foot of the way the current be-
came stronger and the rising more
evident.
Arriving at Henderson it was found
they We're too late for the festivities.
but the band and about one thousand
people were down at the river to meet
them.
Upon being informed that the only
landing place available was the bridge.
precarious mooring was effected
and plank thrown out on the bridge
now level with the gunwales, but
at normal stream always thirty feet
above water.
1T was plainly seen that with the ris-
ing of the water it would no longer be
safe to leave the boat at the bridge.
Someone suddenly thought of the
baseball grounds - the game was to
have been played there that day, six
feet of comparatively placid water COW
cred them, why not anchor the boats
there?
No sooner said than 'Dolph Schiff-
mann, Billy Simon, Jim Hickey and
Oar Reese boarded the Roamer and
dropped her down stream and headed
for the ball grounds.
But the ROamer proved her name to
be appropriate! She started on her
own accord. All control of her was lost
and soon she was drifting wildly,
broadside on, fairly and squarely for a
giant elm tree.
Schiffmann, Reese and Hickey We're
in the pilot house and saw the rapidly
approaching danger, but could do
nothing. Simons was in the cabin, and
the cook was preparing the juicy steaks
that were to be eaten as soon as an
anchorage was found.
Crash! And the doughty little vessel
struck the tree fairly and squareIy in
the center-so fairly that she did not
veer to either one side or the other,
but hung there balanced.
The first shock over, the boat began
to settle. The current bore her over
till one side dipped down and she be-
gan to fill Soon the whole interior was
Seething swirl Of muddy Minnesota
pilot house window, Reese stayed till
the boat began to settle and then burst
the door and leaped. Simons had gain
ed the water safely. But Hickey? Soon
he was seen at the gunwale bearing in
his arms the form Of the cook, who
clung screaming to him as though she
were drowning still.
A quarter of mile was to be traVers-
ed through the water before land could
be reached and then the Aloha and the
Grace came up and picked off the cast
aWays.
The night was spent at the house of
Mayor Poehler, and with the coming
of morning and investigation, it was
found that the Roamer was but little
injured.
The following dispatch, received
early this morning, bears its own tale:
Henderson, Mimi, June 1.-G 10 b e. ST.
Paul: The Minnesota river at this point
fell fourteen inches since Saturday night
The water at it's highest stage came up to
the flood Of 1887. The lowlands along the
valley have been inundated and in some
places the water reached from bluff to
bluff. Commodore Mcleod and party are
still here assisting Dolph Schiffman in
strengthening out the Roamer. which lies
disabled at this point. Schiffman and a
party, including Oar Reese, had a thrill
Ing experience. on Saturday afternoon
The party escaped with a bad fright.