Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1929-04-04

breaks its winter covering of ice first,
the towns near it's mouth have always
been especially liable to flood trouble.
In 1881, as in other years, Glendive
and its neighborhood was the principal
sufferer. Cattle were drowned and
there was a life or two lost in the flood.
The lessons Of the flood caused the
Northern Pacific railway, which had
reached Glendive in the fall Of 1880,
to alter materially its grade location
along the Yellowstone and additional
expenditures were made in placing the
roadbed we'll above the probable line of
encrOachment and in some places the
location of the road was changed en-
tirely.
Two years later another high water
season made every stream in the east
ern part of the territory a raging tor
rent, although the Black Hills district
suffered the greatest disaster Of that
year. After early spring months OF
unusually heavy SHOWS. torrents of rain
wood and neighbOring towns. In
DeadWood driftWOOd from WhiteWood
creek piled against the buildings in a
jam and it was necessary to dynamite
one of the structures to break the dam.
A schoolhouse, church and several
brick buildings besides some smaller
structures were destroyed, the property
damage reaching around a half million
dollars.
Several small towns were completely
washed away and parts of Crook City
and Spearfish were lost. A toll-gate
keeper and his wife were drowned and
several other people were reported
missing. Bridges throughout the coun-
try were washed away.
News of the disaster was received
with dismay at Billings, Livingston and
other new towns, for quite a large per-
centage of the new business men who
had recently established themselves at
from the Black Hills country and there
was close financial relations between
the two sections.
The weather conditions extended well
over into Montana, and Miles City also
had another flood visitation although
it had come earlier in the year and
cakes of ice had floated into the streets
OF the city and remained for some
time after the waters had receded.
During April, Gen. Hugh L. Scott,
then a lieutenant, was sent out from
Fort Meade to herd back some small
bands of Indians, both Sioux and
Crows who had left their reservations
He set out with a squadron after a
band which was said to be committing
depredatiOnS in southeast Montana
west of the Black Hills. The soldiers
encountered an April blizzard when for
three days they were hardly able to
see a hand in front Of them and the
his men pushed on through wind and
snow for so miles to the Short Pine
hills. The weather was SO severe that
the men would place their boots under
their pillows at night to keep them
from freezing stiff.
When they reached the Little Mis-
souri,, 1t was a roaring current $50
yards wide and 20 feet deep. Scott
swan across the river with a rope and
then rugged up an endless chain ar
rangement by which men and materials
were brought over to build a raft which
was then attached by another rope to
the main ROPE cable and used in carry
ing over the rest Of the outfit. The
horses and mules were also brought
across with the cables assistance.
The next day, reaching Box Elder
creek, the resourceful lieutenant built
a floating bridge of lodge-poles, left by
the Indians, and ropes across the
stream. A hand rail of ropes helped
the men hold themselves on the bridge
for their feet were under water a the
bridge sagged. The animals were
helped across with the aid of an end
less rope chain. The troop finally got
TO the Indian camp on Mizpah creek.
The reds agreed to return to the reser-
Walton and the soldiers acted as an es-
cOrt. 1t was necessary to go two days
On half ratiOns and cross two rivers on
the way.
Then the soldiers we're sent after a
village of Crows about 20 miles above
the mouth If Powder river. They fol-
lowed for four days before reaching the
camp where Scott was again success
full In inducing the Indians to return