The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1905-07-07
Fl. PIERRE SWEPT
BY RAGING FLOOD
Houses Are Carried Away aud
People Flee for Tteir
Lives.
MANY BRAVE Rescues
Flood of the Bad River Carries Ava,
Houees Like Chips Of Wood and
Causes Gread Damage to
Property Over City.

Pierre, s. D., July 6.--Instead Of the
gala day which had been planned for
the people of Fort Pierre WRECK and
desoation is their portion.
The residence section of the place,
which was south Of Bad river, was
swept yesterday by flood in BAD
river. which took most of the people
out of their homes to places of safety,
and about midnight last night the crest
of the flood swept houses and contents
into the yellow waters of the swollen
Missouri. All told. about fifteen build
mes went down the stream, most OF
them residences, carrying all the con-
tents.
The heaviest losers in this way were:
NJ. P. Kennedy, $4,000; Marvin Weed,
$4,000: Mrs. Ruth jackson, $4,000;
Wallace Snyder. $1,000; Archie Snyder,
S1.5o0; Peter Wehrie, $4,000; Otto
Haelti, $1,000; Will Mays. $4,000; Rob-
ert Barclay, $1,000; John Barreally.
$1,000.
Besides the houses which We're swept
away those of DIR. LaVery, Bogus
Mathieson and a number of others were
wrecked SO that they will have to be
rebuilt, and the contents are ruined.
The steel bridge across Bad river was
carried out and sunk in the main cham
mel of the Missouri about 100 yards be-
low the mouth of Bad river.
While It is not practically certain
that any lives We're lost, several per-
sons are missing and nave not been To-
Gated up TO the present, but as many
people are camped in tents on the bluffs
south of the torrent the missing may
be among them.
As. there is no communication except
hoo, u
side OF the river a number OF business
places We're flooded by the Missouri and
Bad rivers, the losses being principally
to merchants with stocks in Easements
The loss up the Bad river valley must
be heavy, but the roads are in such
condition from swollen streams that
no reports have yet come in. 1t is the
worst flood ever known Oh that stream,
The oldest residents OF oft j aeTrtl ftpa.-
ing to recall anything equal to it.
Bad river has been a center of at
tention for Pierre residents all day,
the excursion boats being crowded on
every trip. While the smaller streams
running into that river are in such
condition that it is almost impossible
to travel occasional reports from up
the stream indicate heavy damage for
miles.
One family drifted down the stream
In floating house for about ten miles
cSAoAS =. ioNSSu, tlieS were taken
out in boats just short distance from
the Missouri
A rescue party has gone up the
stream where two people, supposed to
be j. N. Douglas and wife, have been
in trees since yesterday morning, a
rescue being impossible with the tor
rent coming down.
Practically half the citizens of Fort
Pierre are without homes to go to, and
many are penniless., While the people
of that town and Pierre will do all they
can to relieve the distress, it is too
great to handle locally, and Mayor c.
j. Lavery has appointed Warren Young
and Anton Fischer to act with himself
as committee to solicit aid for those
who must have it, and they are solicit
ing contributions generally, which can
be sent to either Of these men at Fort
Pierre.
While the waters are receding, much
,of the town is yet flooded. Many mar
row escapes are reported, but no deaths
are vet known nf a. a narta i,tx