The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-07-07
BRYAN'S HOME
 IS FLOODED A Bad Storm at Lincoln,
 Neb. TRAIN SERVICE IS ANNUILED
MT. and Mrs. Bryan Narrowly
 Escape Being Drenehed.
In Response to An Inguiry About the GsRey statemeat, The Nehra.kan Declared He Had Nothing
 ts Say.


 under water today. the results of thunder storms last night which last ed for nine hours and at one time as- sumed. the proportions of e cloudburgt.
 The flood has not alone caused an immense loss to property ownerss principally the railroads. but has been attended by a loss of life, the extent of which is not definitely known. At least one person, miilgman named William Nelson, is known to have been drowned. and the police station has q report that a woman and her three children living in the bottoms of the west portion of the city were victims. but this report has not yet been con- hrmed. Not one of the Ave railways running from Lincoln was able to get a train, either in or out of the city.
 With telephone wires out of commits sion and Fairview cut off from Lin- coin by a washout on the trolley line. William J. Bryan had ample opportu- nity to peruse the strictures upon him. self delivered yesterday by ]. M- Guffey. National Committeeman from Pennsyl- Yania in response to Mir. Bryen's attack upon himself In a speech on July 9th.
 T have nothing to say" was Mfr. Bxy- ans response to an inquiry about the Guftey statement
 Last nights rain was torrential, ac- companied by vivid flashes of hght- ming and the terrific roll of thunder for hours The last trolley car from the city to Fairview was compelled to turn back. The rain ceased at about daybreak and a large party of repair men swarmed along the line to drain or the flood and make restorattons where needed.
 Mir. and Mrs. Bryan narrowly. escap- ed being caught in the first downpour. They had driven to the Rock Island depot to greet some Central Iowa De- mocrats who were passing through. and reached FaIrview just ahead of the flood. A half hour iaters the road leading down the hili from the HryAn home tu the trolley line was a EhnAiow | riyer rushing down the rapids with a roar like a stnalf Niagara. The Bryan | hay crop suffered damage and the noiea on ore side of the newspaper | tent were thrown down by the sheer weight of water which soaked tns canvass For a time the Associated Press wire to Fairview was Lns onAy .ls, communication between Fairview aud inc outside world. but afterwards. the | teIephone wires were restored and DIT. | Brvan endeavored to get news or the whereabouts of Theodore Bell. the cali fornian who is to be temporary enslr. | man of the convention at Denver: ana who was the most important visatcf I GXQEGttA AAee | attempta were unsuccessful
 | Eanairnen reached Fairvicw Gt o,cIock. reported that the trolley bridge over Antneiope Creek. 2 miie | east of Fairvfew, had been WAsneu away together with considerable trach age. They thought 1t possiole, 1esplss a.s l the deep mud, that carriage mi9nt l get through by a round about route. | Iutomobiles could not by any means | raaira the trtp, That this condition or | aeTaIra should exist at this parucuiar | time when the convention IS apout to beRin is regarded peculiarly s,.. nate, as the downpour was on ,irs- L heaviest in many years 'h 'i'' | nity.
 u.,p. strenuOus FaIrview Visit. Fairview. Lincoln. Neb., July - Will Theodore A. Bell. tenpoL@.y <, | chairman of the Democratic NA.su,,a' s,a2s Convention at Denver. reacn tne ., .r. e,,,. rado capitol in time to open tne eOn- yentIon tomorrow This was a question which more then | nlatform or vice presidential canal. | dacy aRitated W. J. Bryan ana loeAi | Democrats today. 4. MT. Bells arrival was e eomeoy' nl.. | departure was a melodrama- The nrs' | act brought him to Lincoln enent " naners" inevitable in dramatic plotsanc ir this case meaining the platform and his speech as temporary chairman ol | tha conventlon. W. J. Bryan. tns | lrindlv old gentleman in the play, occu' l risd the calcium light when the plat | ter of hoofs introduced the nero Mr Bell, his carriage bespattered with s snus ana his clothes hinting of the noos l conditions in which the scene was set
 ssit Creek was on a rampage; tho bridKe over Antelope creek had peer partially washed away and tne nsrs l bad arrived through remarkable 0lt' | 0cuities at the old homestead. Ins
 sct was closed with a hurried admont,
 tion on the party of the kindly ote
 gentleman" that If the hero wished Le l sava inc situation he must get away
 an the arst train. Train after tratE
 was chosen, only to fail as possibi1'
 itv of egress--the flood was every 1 Ivhare--expidient after expedient wal | cboaan only to be abandoned. II l seemed that the convention of wnicE the hero was an indispensable part wal | to be abandoned when the low ccnae' | dian in the person of General Manager SsIcher of the Chicago. Rock Island and Pacific Railroad burst in througE l the medium of a telegram and prefer l red A special train to conquer th' machinations of the flood. With tht.
 fine curtain on the first act descended
 The curtain on the second act aros'
 with Theodore A. Bell hero of the play
 humping away on a handcar in com
 nsny with four brawny railroad hand
 and a tireless correspondent in the al
 rection of set scenery, representing
 flood and blasted alfalfa crops
 They were strainfng every enort v
 an endeavor to reach the special tran
 provided by Mir. Melcher on the othe
 side of the washout. This act close
 with the flood passed and the hero ol
 board the special train. introduced a
 a medium of bringing the act 10 ns
 The third act was laid at FairvieS
 with W. J. Bryan awaiting news
 tbe hero who was reported at laet a
 safely aboard the special. his dimcul
 lies past and the situation saved.
 otber words, it seemed certain tha
 MT. Bell would arrive in Denver ]
 time to brina down the gavel whie
 would open the democratic nations
 convention at the hour set for the ceE ! Naw