Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1904-06-11
Much Damage Done by the Storm.

Three lives lost by drowning and sew
eral hundred thousand dollars worth of
damage to property and railroad tracks,
is the result of the heavy rainfall in the
northern Hills, which continued for
nearly sixty hours without cessation the
latter part of last week. In Deadwood
large forces Of men were kept on guard
along Deadwood and Whitewood creeks
to prevent the streams from becoming
clogged. The large steel bridge across
Whitewood creek on Deadwood street
was washed away. The entire end Of
the annex to the Waite block was taken
out when the bridge gave way. The
damage to the building will be several
thousand dollars. Many bulkheads gave
away, carrying sections of streets down
the hillsides. Much damage was also
done by water filling up easements.
At Central City, while trying to save
the brewery owned by the Black Hills
Brewing company, Matthews Bender Of
Lead was swept away in the food. His
body was recoyered two days later near
the Northwestern round house below
Deadwood. Two Slavonians lost their
lives at the base of Terry's Peak by the
breaking of dam. Their bodies were
recovered shortly after the accident
The damage in Lead was very slight,
being confined to few retaining walls
and few cellars slightly flooded. The
estimate placed upon the damage sus-
tained by the railroads alone is placed
at 100000, and in all probabilities will
be found to be underestimated.
Speaking of the railroad situation the
Lead Call says: The storm of Friday
and Saturday left its mark on the two
lines of railway entering Lead and Dead
wood, the extent that both are complete
ly paralyzed and it will be several days
at least before traffic is resumed. The
Northwestern is enabled to get just this
side of the tunnel, but from there into
Deadwood the roadbed is badly washed,
and number of bridges are either out
or much damaged. 1t was thought this
morning that the road bed could be re
paired by Thursday and traffic resumed.
But it may take longer, and will not be
at all surprising if trains do not reach
Deadwood over the line much before
Saturday. The Northwestern high line,
between this city and Deadwood, is in
condition, and it will be
many days before travel is resumed.
The Burlington people suffered alike
with their neighbor, great damage hav-
ing been done to their roadbed between
Kirk and Deadwood. The trolley line
between Lead and Puma, suffered but
little loss, aside from having few poles
washed out, but the damage to the
track from Puma to Deadwood is 30
great that it will be a number of days
before the trolley will be enabled to re.
sumo its trips between Deadwood and
Lead. In all thirty trolley poles were
washed out.
Fortunately the Black Hills and Fl.
Pierre suffered no loss and the Burling-
ton people are thus enabled to make con-
nections with their main line at Engle.
wood. The train for the east leaves the
depot at the head of Main street at p.
M, thus making connection with trains
at Englewood on the regular time for de-
parture from that point. Passengers
from Deadwood will be brought to this
city and sent out over the Fort Pierre,
until such time as traffic from Englewood
to Deadwood is resumed which will pos
IDLY be by Saturda y of the present week.
The food conditions have been gener-
al all over the Hills and much damage
has been done in many places. The
loss of life thus far reported is as follows.
Matthew Bender, George Erack, Mat
Matinovich, who were miners living at
the town of Terry. They were drowned
by the bursting of dam. the water COM
ing down the creek with such force as to
carry away the building in which they
were stopping temporarily. Their bodies
were recovered. A young man named