The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1914-06-04
Letter from Mrs. Kate Strong.

Geary, Okla. May 27, 1914.
Editor Reporter:-I guess little
pride prompts me to write a few
topics to The Reporter. We are hav-
ing fine rains now, although earlier
in the spring was quite dry in this
sun kissed land as the boosters
call it. Suppose some of the people
in Decatur county saw an account OF
the 20 foot rise of the South Canad-
ian river, May 3rd Some call it the
River OF Hell,' but Satan's dominion
would not last over night near that
ra ging river of quicksand The agent
at Hydro telephone Fred to bring his
hogs, $50 head, over Saturday morn
ing, as he lives on this side, that the
rise would not reach Bridgeport Chat
is where the bridge was until Sunday
evening" he got his hogs to Hydro
but the rise reached Bridgeport Sun
day at a. m. and he never shipped
his hogs for week and then shipped
to Fl. Worth, Texas, and he did not
get home for week and a thrilling
experience he had crossing the river
at 5 .. m. Sunday. The big steel
railroad bridge at Bridgeport, gave
way. The gigantic cement piers had
been undermined by the terrific cur
rent and the bridge sank instantly
carrying with it six men who were
standing on the bridge when it col
lapsed. The sudden rise and immense
volume Of water was due to melting
snow in Colorado and heavy rains
near it's head Hundreds on each
bank watched these men go to their
death and at night about 80 beacon
fires were built along the river banks
in hopes of rescuing some but all
thought no man could live in that
River of He'll" flowing along
smoothly for several yards and then
a mountain of water and sand Will
shoot up ~ to IS feet high and
just the same way as far as the eye
can see. 1t is sight to always be
remembered. Three men were saved
between Sunday night and Monday
morning from the icy water. One
man was carried down the river two
miles when he grabbed small tree
and was rescued by roping boat to
the shore Monday morning. The
agent, Mr. Mccoy, was rescued nine
miles below after clinging to the
roots of tree until daylight. He
said when he saw the bridge going
The jumped clear as he was an expert
swimmer and then grabbed tie and
chung to it until he was torn loose,
then he got on an island but was
soon swept from this, soon getting his
| feet on another submerged bar but
was. again spent into the current
| which finally swung him near the
south shore and against the exposed
roots of tree and he chung to these
until he could reach the muddy bank
| in utter exhaustion. With the COM
| ing of daylight he saw house and
staggered to it, but found it empty.
man happened to see him and took
him to his home and sent for the
doctor and for a few days the agent
| was in critical condition. He was
to have been married to Lela's sister,
in-law but now he says he has no de-
sire even to take bath and may not
want to get married either. The
body of Leo Linegar was recovered
week later. He was raised on the
river and could swim it anywhere
but failed that time. Is bridges
went out and thousands of dollars
of crops and stock were destroyed.
One man lost 12O head of cattle and
100 head of hogs. 1t seemed as
though the elements that night tried
all in their power to kill those men.
A heavy hail fell with the rain. Awful
things happened other places you
read of but when they occur so near
home you feel much worse. A stab
bling ARRAY in Geary the week fol-
lowing the bridge disaster in which
brother-in-law Of Leo Linegar,
nearly lost his life. Troubles never
come singly. The two men fell out
over the planting of some vacant
lots, as all towns have worked that
| up to plant vacant lots in something
useful. Well these had better have
gone to weeds. Since writing the
above the river has been on another
tear and took out 20 bents of the
temporary bridge that was put in at
cost of $4,000. The way they es-
! tablished the phone line across the
river during the flood was by making
large kite, the wind being in the
east carried it across and was caught
and then the wires were drawn
across.
Suppose this part will be published
for it is the most important part to
me. ! want to tell you about the
pride. Those pictures in the Febru-
airy Reporter of Mr.. Strong and my
self were taken Feb. 4th, 1914, not
off other pictures, but Of the old folks
themselves. That date, by the way,
l received nice letter from John
Caldwell of Des Moines in congratula
ton. / remember him so well, al
ways thought so much of his mother
when was girl.
Another Strong item is I would
like to come back to Iowa this sum-
mer but Mr.. Strong will not get him
any new teeth or stop chewing gum.
do not mind his smoking but abhor
the gum practice. Well shouldn't
say very much against him as at one
of the clubs a labor saving device in
the home, was the roll call My
answer was my husband, he did the
sweeping, made his own bed, kept up
the fires, brought in the fuel, fed the
chickens, gathered the eggs (but 4
had to cook them).
Will close hoping some one will
lenjoy reading this lOng letter, Will