Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-03
'pR0iA|SED TO P1IHGLE defy UNITED STATES
Scramble for i1e Appraiser Dynamiers in Arkansas
ship at Psburu. Change Course of River
SMALL ARMY AFTER PLACE DO BLASTING AT MIDNIGHT
Pennsylvania Senator'S and Three Act Dbnce railing by
Representatives Interested Government
T0REsTALLED PRESIDENT IMPOSSIBLE TO CROSS STREAM
Varying Regarding Sheriff Deputies
in Launch
ubilaut
Sheriff and Deputies Embark in
Launch, But Are Ipleas-Pine
Bluff Jubilaut.
r"cial Disp,tch - Ehc S,ar.

special Dispatch - y h. star
PINE BLUFF Ark, December 3.-rn
absolute defiance OF the rulinc of the
United States government. which refused
permission to defect sli.htly re course
of the flooded Arkansas river in order TO
save that portion of this city which was
threa atened. a party of worknen. identity
unknown, began at midni mt to blast out
a neck of rock and earth the removal or
which, it IS believed. has elieved the tu-
alton and saved the town IN des rnc-
Ion.
After two hours of hard work in ira
darkness a hundre ed yards of the edae
Of Pine Bluff had been blown off aud
the mysterious workmen disappeared as
unobtrusively as they had come
The United States government eng nee-s
n charge OF the levees at this point
heard Of the blasting operations I'D
within few minutes received orders
to stop the work at all hazards Sher-
iff Phipot was also notified by the
chief government engineer. Capt. Par
kin. He was told that he would be
expected to use all the forces at his COM
sent a launch filled with deputies to
the scene.
Officers Are Helpless.
None of the boats. however was able
to get across the river on account of the
strong current Engin :ers and deputies
alike waited helpless on the opposite shore
while the flashes and reverberations told
them what was going on.
With the arrival of daylight, all Pine
Bluff was jublant, for the river had ap-
parently gone down t.ifie. and the pow
erful current which had threatened to
sweep the business section of the city
out OF existence was detected, SO that
| it's force was spent against strong levees
far down stream. Drastic as was the ac-
| tior- ct the dynamiters, sentiment
| throughout the city regards their action
in defying the government as entirely
justified by the result.
Begin Blasting at Midnight.
The sound of the explosion of the heavy
charges Of dynamite began to be heard
throughout the city shortly after mid
night. Everybody understood what the
sound meant. and the streets filled quick
ly with an approving crowd Citizens
gene. aliy were conHoent lndt SOME per
sons in authority were in charge OF the
work, and that the blasting away OF
Boyds Point would result in the preven-
tion Of large property losses.
The crowd massed itself for the most
part on the river front close to the fine
new courthouse. which Was one of the
buildings most directly threatened. The
night was very dark and the sky cloudy.
Up the river, on the opposite shore
vivid flash would occasionally break the
,1o@I f<,ll k>,vf l.1 1Ara.r
reverberating roll of the explosion.
See Current Swing.
Directly in front of the spot where
the crowd stood they could see the river.
After the blasting had progressed for
about half an hour the current began to
swing d little to the eastward almost
imperceptibly at first, and then more and
more apparent. The crowd set up a
great shout, and an immense bonfire was
lighted at a street corner in celebration
of the nights work
BY 2 o'clock the point of rock was
completely torn away, and the watchers
could see that the current was no longer
striking the bank in front of the court
house. 1t continued to turn more ard
more to the eastward until daybreak.
when the force of the stream was striking
the bank nearly Two mil $ below.
No one could be found who would as
SEIue IcSpOuSlDlilty loI lIC
which were conducted in a regular and
we'll ordered manner and apparently ac-
cording to a defined plan. It was no
ticeable that there was no interference
by the local authorities.
The property and the section of the city
now endangered Is not nearly So valuable
as the courthouse. hotel and other proper
ty which had been in peril Citizens In
general feel that the situation is rapidly
clearing up and are beginning to resume
their business pursuits.
The only damage done during the night
was the destruction of a portion Of the
main building of the Berlin stable, part
of which collapsed Wednesday.