The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-04-07

One hundred families living on the
bottoms between Bismarck and the
South Dakota line have been driven
from their homes and about 20 fam
lilies living in Bismarck are ready to
move on q moments notice should a
further rise in the Missouri river be
noted this afternoon.
Meteorologist Orris w. Roberts
remained at his post in the govern
ment Office. all last night, making
hourly observations, sending out
warnings and answering scores OF
calls from all points contiguous to
the river. Messengers were des'
patched by horseback as far south
as Hartford, 35 miles from here, not
flying residents to move at once.
Large Gorge Forms.
A large gorge formed late yester-
day between Huff and Fort Rice,
south of Bismarck, and choked the
river to a point 20 miles above Bisl
marck. This gorge resulted when
the ice from the Yellowstone river
struck the ice from the Missouri,
which started to break between 4
and o'clock yesterday morning.
This morning the river was re-
ported to be falling at Washburn,
35 miles north ,of Bismarck, with
the channel free from ice; but re-
ports from Mannhaven, IS miles
Rec, rs miles west of Mannhaven,
at II o'clock showed the river to be
rising at the rate Of q foot an hour
and that the expansion was filled
with ice. The stream is also chok-
ed to the South Dakota line.
Situation Looks SeriOus.
Forecaster Roberts admitted at
noon that the flood conditions look
serious for late this afternoon or to,
night. This rising of the waters at
Mannhaven and Rec, above Wash
burn, should cause still higher
stage at Bismarck tonight. The
flood stage is IA feet. At>11:30 the
Official reading at the guage was
1911 feet and at 1890 the government
reading was 2O.7 or rise of 1A feet
within an hour. The government re-
port then stated that the ice had
begun to move down stream.
Trains Are Stalled.
Coast train No. 3, due in Bismarck
. at 11:4O this morning, is stalled
here because of the soft bed under
the company's tracks on the fats a
half-mile east of Mondan. At 1910
an eastbOund evtra was sent out
from Mandan but found the water
six inches deep over the tracks and
returned to the Mandan yards. Be,
fore the arrival of No. 3 from the
east, an emergency engine was sent
out and was also forced to return.
Train No. is being held here and
train No. 8 at Mandan.
Crew of 50 Men 1t Work.
A crew of 80 men was dispatched
to the district east of Mandan this
morning in an attempt to strength
en- the road-bed which has become
undermined in some places and in
others is too soft for a train to pass
The most encouraging report for
the railroad officials on the ground
supervising the work was from the
government Office to the effect that
the ice had started to move at 11:20
The length of time that the trains
will be held at Bismarck and Man
dan depends upon the amount OF
ballasting to be done and the possl.
bility of further damage to the road
bed by the flow of ice.
Warnings Given In Time.
Warnings were given in time to
the residents located in the bottoms
so that they could save their chat
tells. No fatalities have been report.
ed to the government Office from
any of the points up or down stream:
(Cootinuod On Pago Threo.l