The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1907-07-09
THREE MEN AND TEAMS CARRIED
WITH III.
ARE RESCUED BY BOATS
North Span Of springdaIe structure
Damaged BY FIoods-Are Marooned
on sandbar for Nearly 10 Hours
Crushed to Death While Stealing
Ride.
Especial TO The Gazette.)

Especial to The Gazette.)
livingston, July s.. The north span
OF the springdale wagon bridge went
down the Yellowstone Sunday mora
ing, carrying with it three men, four
horses and wool wagon. The horses
and wagon were lost. but the men
clung to the wreck and were stranded
upon a sand bar two miles below the
bridge. The river was wide at that
place and the current was too swift
to admit of swimming. There was no
boat at Springdale and no boat at Liv-
ingston. A boat was sent up from
Big Timber and the rescue Of the men
was undertaken by Herman Ultemore
of Big Timber. The boat was launch
ed a mile above the handbar and al
lowed to drift with the current until II
reached the place. The boat was then
rowed down the stream until o safe
landing place was reached. The bridge
went out about 10 o'clock. The boat
+ r Il Il ~ z Is
put out to rescue the men at noon, aud
it was s o'clock before the men were
safely landed. The men are Arthur
Thompson, Peter Decker Of Spring
dale and William Webb Of Livingston.
They had been working for Mr.. Martin
and were part Of the crew that helped
with the hauling OF the wool from
the Martin ranch to the Springdale
station Mr.. Martin and another man
had charge Of another team, and were
Just approaching the bridge when the
span went out. Mr.. Martin left at
once for Livingston to secure q boat,
hut every effort had been made by Mr..
Iashorn, chairman Of the board or
commissioners to try and find a boat
by that time to send to the rescue
Mr.. Lashorn went down on the first
train to inspect the wreck and see
what could be done about temporarily
reairing pthe damage. The excitement
! at Springdale and Hunters Hot
! Springs was great. The two places
were connected by the bridge and the
| washout prevents any direct route be
tween the two. People flocked from
Big Timber to Springdale to note the
dame done to the bridge, fearing that
If the bridge went down stream it
would carry the Big Timber bridge
out with it. The Springdale bridge
has always been a cause Of anxiety
during high water. It went out at two
different times in the past.
Fears have been felt for 1t since
the high waters of the Yellowstone
have give cause for alarm this sea
son. If the present remnant OF the
structure remains, the bridge will ba
repaired, and if not, another site will,
no doubt be selected for the cross.
ing. IA temporary foot bridge was put
up today to connect the two parts Of
the bridge remaining, but all wagon
!. traffic to Hunters Hot Springs and re
turn must be made by way of Living
!, ston.
Is Crushed to Death.
I Jesse Davis. man about % years
Of age, was crushed to death in q cal
+ Of lumber in the Northern Pacific
8 yards here this afternoon. Davis
with his Brother, ]. H. Davis. ant
i two other men was stealing a ride
q out of town in the car of lum5e... Ht
got down between the edge of the pilt
! and the end of the car, and when TIT
J train pulled up, the lumber PITCHED
\ backward against the end Of the ca
: and crushed the life out OF the mai
instantly. He was taken to the mo1
que and the coroner viewed the re
n mains. The four men came from Jan
dine, where they had been at work 10
two months past. They do not belon
to the "hobo" class. but are we
p dressed and well appearing in ever
s. way. The Davis boys were resident
Of Spokane before coming to JardinIs
They were on their way back agar
The only relative is a sister living q
M Spokane, and no arrangements VIII p
- made for the burial Of the young ma
no until word is received from her.
IL Assessment Shows Increase.
The assessment for Park county e
d. the present year, as completed toda
IS, by the assessor, shows an increaa
over last year Of sas9.ooo. The tot
m assessment is s6,Ao1,o47. The vail
re over last year would have increased
es. half million if it had not been for q
lid falling off in the value OF coal land
afs first at Aldrfdge. by reason OF q
Ior land being worked out. and second
er- Cokedale. by reason of the siiutdoS
ng. and the removal of the machinery ~
ng improvements. Every othec class
s,,r ,,,,e,, a,,txy has Increased I'M value ds