Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1912-03-02


21,OOO inhabitants in the Western
Punjaub. Founded 400 years ago by
a great Baluch chief, Ghazi Khan,
1t has seen dynasty after dynasty of
rulers pass away-Baluchis, Kalhoras.
Duranis and Sikhs-until the district,
mainly in the possession Of five
Baluch tribes, settled down to peace
under the British flag. Dera Ghazi
Khan became the headquarters of the
civil administration, and under the
shadow Of a strong cantonment the
fiourishing trade mart for river-borne
traffic prospered exceedingly, and in
its buildings and places Of religious
worship showed the existence Of con-
siderable wealth.
But, at last, the Indus, which knows
no. fixed bounds between the gorge
at Kalabagh and the low rocks Of Suk-
l1ur in far-off Sind, and wanders about
at its own sweet will, made up its
mind that Ghazi Khans capital had
stood in its memory too long. Slowly,
but persistently, it approached, some
times cutting to the north and some
times to the south of the doomed
town, but always eating its way near
err and nearer. At last, a violent
SCOOP bitten out of the valuable cult
waited lands above the cantonment,
reused all to a sense of danger. The
troops were removed, and the garri-
sons in further Baluehistan were
strengthened. Then several protec-
| +s,,o ,,,o,lxe - dffforaut fxvDas urara. 4 Ia
vised, and bit by bit very large sum
of money was spent. Some years
passed, during which the Indus made
various and gradually successful at
tempts to counterfeit the power Of
man, for it was not to be denied the
path that it had chosen.
The last phase commenced in the
summer of 1908, year of very higf
flood. Its power, increased by the
pace of the extra volume of waters
outfianked and cut through the stone
embankment, which, constructed IL
1899, was the sole surviving relic Of al
the protective works. Once this de
tense was gone, the river moved IN
land with great rapidly. The whole
embankment, a mile long, was swal
lowed up in 55 days, and the Indus
} advancing still further after destroy
ing the rich groves and garden land
on the outskirts of the town, fore
Swallowed its real intentions by nib
bling off one angle and sending a foo,
round the low-lying, poorer quarter
at an abnormally late period of tn
season. This much effected. It san
quickly down into its more sluggis
winter channel, and did but little harr
until the next flood season Of 100!
, The Indus. however, does not work II
, wicked will by advancing in straigh
r lines, but both in its larger and in 1t
q smaller movements It travels first b
, cutting a bay inwards, and then b
q looping off the projection that ha
been thrown out. Thus in 1909, ha'
ing brought its channel directl
against the Inflated town, It RENAME
practically quiescent there, while d.
J. vouring voraciously all the garden
Z and hamlets TO the south.
When It had quite finished this II
i ward journey below the town, in tn
D. course Of which II travelled a full tw
= miles at one place, It again turned Il
/ attention to Dera Ghazi Khan. I'll
houses It destroyed there we're anon
4 the oldest and most costly, but II
t. greatest width eroded was only II
e yards. Then September came, ar
with It the winter respite. The sout
end, which had suffered the most
n the previous year, hardly lost houi
e, in 1910, but the destruction range
e.; from short piece there to a lari
or area in the north. The Indus, howeve
spent most Of its time straightenir
"a its course high above the town, al
thus the catastrophe was not col
e pleted that year. Nevertheless. the
eroded was congested with humanit
an only very old Indian towns q