The Owosso times., 1904-04-01
Death and Serious Damage and Loss
at Sugar Co. Farm.

at Sugar Co. Farm.
The Saginaw Courier Herald gives
the following account of the flood at
the Prairie Farm of the Owosso Sugar
Co:
Saturday night and Sunday there were
rumors in the city that Emmett T.
Bowen, manager of the big Prairie
Farm south of the city. was missing
The report was groundless, however,
as the Courier Herald reached him by
telephone Sunday at p. III. Sherman
said war is hell, said Mr. Bowen,
"but if he were here he would conclude
that war wasn't in it, The dykes that
were complete are intact, but Friday
morning the water came on to the farm
from the north side, where the dyke is
unfinished, and 100head Of thoroughbred
cattle drowned before they could be got
out. We had removed some Of the horses
but had 80 here and got 80 of those out.
Forty others have been standing 10 iheir
shoulders in water since Friday and we
are making desperate efforts to get them
out. Ny head foreman, Gilbert Bert
ram, 50 years Of age died last night
from exhaustion and exposure,
as all hands have been waist
deep in the water for 60 hours.
After working hours to get out the
stock, Berbram and another man were
in boat which capsized and they were
in the water half an hour, and this add
ed TO the exposure to which he had been
subjected. Mr.. Bertram died soon after.
A number of other men are in badshape
from exposure, The lower floors of
the large boarding house and office are
flooded several feet and people are liv-
ing on the second floor and this is the
case in every building on the farm"
A report from Mr.. Bowen yesterday
stated that only five horses We're drown
ed the rest being taken care Of A
number of men went up from Chesaning
Sunday and helped remove the horses.
The ice is piled Up many feet at the
mouth of Flint river.
Manager Emmett T. Bowen of the
Prairie farm arrived in the city Tuesday
afternoon with the body of Gilbert Ber-
tram, the foreman who died from expos
ure To a representative of The News
today Mr.. Bowen told the story of the
sudden rise upon the farm and the loss
es that attended it. These he described
as being greatly exaggerated, saying
that the financial loss would not total
two thousand dollars. In addition to
the sad and deeply regretted death of
Bertram the losses thus far include five
horses and eighty head of cattle. Thurs
day last, Mr. Bowen said the farm was
in excellent condition without water.
Friday the flood began and at one time
during the day the water came up four
feet in three hours This sudden raise
was more than had been anticipated.
although when the farm buildings were
constructed they were put above the
highest water mark. Early this season
for handling high water and there is no
doubt but that an ordinary flood would
have caused no trouble On the farm
has been about ten feet of water in
many places. This is today reported
at standstill, but once when the drop
begins it will pass off as quickly as it
came. Mr.. Bowen says:
None of the dikes broke. Those on
the east, west and south sides are stand
ing today as strong as when first built
and top above the water. 1t was upon
the north side where the dixie is uncom-
pleted that the water flooded in. Dredg.
es were working at this point when
the waters began to rise. The Flint and |
form a junction nearby and |
the waters from both emptied in the |
farm Sunday morning the ice in the |
shiawassee and it's mouth had formed |
gorge as high as the tree tops Later |
in the day the sun came out and broke |
the gorge.
The seventy-fve residents of the farm |
are now living in the large dormitory |
here. It was reported Tuesday that
hey had been taken to Chesaning, but |
Mr.. Bowen says this is not true. When |
ne left the farm all were in good health, |
and well stocked with provisions. The |
arger part of the household effects of |
all had been removed in anticipation of |
the flood and there will be no loss on
his item. The animals are all placed |
n the second floors of the barns and /
here is no possibility of any further
rouble to them. The hay and feed is
also fifteen feet above water at the
present time Saginaw Evening News.