The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1920-11-29

Lne Ice mas frozen Cnlck enOugl
heavy vehicles to cross.
Strong Current
Mild weather over the entire North
west caused the ice to go out 1t
broke at Williston three days ago,
but first warning Of what might hap
pen here was received yesterday
from Mannhaven and Washburr.
Within a few hours a seven-mile
hour current was carrying down the
river great and small blocks of ice.
After the breaking up here it was
feared that the river might becom ,
blocked with ice at Sibley Island, a
few miles south, and back water over
the banks, engulfing the machinery
of the bridge company, but this fear
was dissipated late in the afternoon.
Bridge Men Lucky
Several employees of the bridge COM
pany are thanking themselves today
that they escaped with their lives.
THE ice broke almost without
warning" said one of them. I'VE
knew it was coming but were work
ing to get material away and were
not looking for it so soon. There
was cracking noise and then one
could feel the piling Of the bridge
going out from underneath. .,.
1--WE ran---and | think we all made
the bank in nothing flat. 1t seemei
to be following us as we ran from
the center We would feel a section
giving away from us as we passed it,
and if we had delayed five seconds
in starting some Of us wouldn't be
here today"
The bridge gave way from west to
east, and the fact that the men ran
to the east bank instead Of the west
saved their lives. $40
Within short time the temporary
bridge had disappeared, except for the
piling around pier No. 3, a little to
the west of the center OF the river,
and stretch of the bridge on the,
Mandan side where the river is very
shallow and little on the east side.
Capt. l. P. Baker and O. w. Roberts
received first information of the i'm
pending run of the ice. Joe Starbuck,at
Washburn, Baker elevator represen'
tative and river observer, received a
message from Mannhaven and he
telephoned to Mr.. Roberts and Capt.
Baker Both notified the bridge com
pany.
The word was given that the river
had risen nearly six feet at Wash
burn and there was strong current.
The immense pressure began to break
up the ice on down the river.
Bridge Men Get Busy
Supt. c. w. Cubbage, Of the Founda-
ton company, Immediately began
preparations to save all the material
that could, be saved.
o. w. Roberts, weather observer,
Immediately got in touch with rep
resentatives up and down the river,
getting conaplets reports on the situa-
tion.R People south of the city began
to prepare for the ice flow.
There is a great deal of livestock
allowed to roam in the lowlands along
the river south of Bismarck, and Mr..
Roberts effort was to give warning
to persons along the river having
stock and also to avoid any damage
that might result from the sudden
rise of the water.
Every man employed by the bridge
company responded to the call to
duty on the temporary bridge. One
bunch began to take up the narrow
gauge railroad track on the tempor-
ary bridge. When the crash came
they had succeeded in saving all Of
the switch track, or about 200 feet.
Cars, and other machinery on the
temporary bridge also was saved.
Save Big Engines
There were two big hosting en-
gines on the ice at pier No. 3, WHICH
was being built on sandbar. Work
ers slid them over the ice to the
Mandan side, saving them and other
machinery being used on this pier
There was apprehension after the
briuge went out that the work on
pier No, 3 would be destroyed or
badly damaged. The concrete caisson
is 23x6Ox1S. It was eighteen inches
above the water and had been sunk
eight feet into the ground. 1t ulti-
mately will rest probably Is feet
under the surface of the river. Tim
bers around the caisson were torn
away, but it was believed by Supt
Cubbage that the concrete would not
be dislodged. l.s
Nothing on either bank Of the riv-
er was damaged.
Between 2 p. m. and 5 p. M the
river fell twice and rose twice. Once
it fell six inches and rose six inches
later. and another time it fell three
inches and rose three inches. At
five o'clock it was stationary, and
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