The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1919-1935, 1920-03-19

ing the team in tow, Lewis led them
back. over stirrup deep in water.
Singer preferred the ice route back
to the shore, jumping from block to
block. sometimes slipped into water,
until the deeper channel was reach
ed when he doubled nip with Lewis
and the two reached shore safely.
The crossings had been made from
the Lewis pasture. Singer was
numb With cold but found warmth
and dry garments at the Lewis road
ranch.
Sunday afternoon immediate ac-
| tion was deemed necessary to try and
keep the river in its main channel.
Cutting a new channel would mean
ia $4,000 loss to the county by rea-
son OF the bridge being left obso-
'ete. 1t was learned dynamite for
. blasting out the gorge was availa-
bic at the n Bar ranch and Dan
Bailey on horseback was dispatched
after it from this end and met Ray
Wilson conveying % sticks Of the
explosive from the ranch Dan re-
manned overnight at the W Bar and
! returned the next morning To get
in proximity to the gorge it was nee
essary to have a boat and none be-
ing available instructions were given
10 three local carpenters. Bob Nalley,
Tom Nadsen and Harry Mowry, to
build one without delay They
worked all Sunday night and COM
pleted a fiat bottom boat, three by
twelve feet in dimensions on the un-
also turned out two pairs of oars
Monday afternoon it was reported
that 100 head of cattle. owned by
William Rroaddus, had been isolated
on an island up the river but reces-
sion of the water allowed them to es-
tcare without loss. It was also re-
ported here that several gorges had
i:broken. one at the old Bert Wilson
iplace and another at Clyde Montgom
GTy's half mile down the river. A.:
! the \ Bar ranch the water was at
| the tank, between the house and the
| barn. establishing record. People
, residing along the rivers level had
taken to the hills for safety. though
| so far as known no houses were
damaged by the flood tide
Arrangements had been mad. in
Broadns to carry forward the dyna
mite plans when George Davidson ar
| rived with the word that no gorge
remained under the bridge here,
indicating 1t had also disappeared
from points above aud below
Davidson had left Alex Campbell $
place and coming down the river
saw horse tracks where F.. A. Blenk-
ner census ennmrator. had gone
i'll with intentions OF swimming the
river to the opposite shore. David
son tried to follow suit but after
nearly drowning his horse in the at
tempt turned back again Failure
to learn more of Blenkne~ brought
misgivings and he continued north
ward until he found Blenkner safe
at the Stanfield road ranch. Then
50 close to Broadus he thought he
might as we'll come on over and get
the mail He was four hours nego-
tiating the distance from the bridge.
picking his way through the ice and
at one place was compelled to swim
his horse about so feet Indications
We're that a new channel had been
dug and the embankment approach
to the river washed away.
Wednesday morning il was re
ported another gorge had formed on
Big Powder below Smith Barker
with the back water extending fo'
a considerable distance.
George Taylor i'll Broadus did
his share by remaining in almost
constant telephone communicates
with other points and, keeping il
close touch with the food conditions
:, DIR. Earl Linville and George Lin
willie in order to save some maroonec
cattle ON Big Powder had TO swim
them across slough. and this wai
done just prior to another raise il
the river