The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1952-05-09

ITOZ0H ground anu frozen river. IL
left as quickly as it had come. The
momentary panic it caused soon pas
sed and damage was slight. When
warned floodwater was again moving
down the valley in 1852 farmers
gagged their emotions and protective
activities accordingly.
But there was no comparison be-
tween the movement of water in
1852 and 1889. Unreasonable warmth
found the ground and river thawed.
Water from heavy accumulation of
winter snow was being let loose from
innumerable tributaries into the Milk
River.
Unbelieving and reluctant to leave
their land and homes some farmers
left so shortly before the water reach
ed them they did not take changes of
clothes. The marks left on the barn
by the '39 flood prompted some to
bring the deep freeze from the base
ment and put it on saw horses, jack
up to comparable level the kitchen
stove and refrigerator and move out,
reasonably satisfied they would be
above damage.
Those who refused to believe there
was danger in this slow creeping mass
of water found themselves moving
livestock in boats.
However, the delay in leaving, the
clinging to the hope the water would
MT reach them, materially affected
nothing. These reactions and results
were natural. The movement of the
water in itself was deceptive. Even
deeper was the human reaction to
leaving ones home, and hard won
possessions. Moving livestock was
no small matter, and stoically the
farmer was prompted to protect them
at home rather than move them some |
distances always sure the slow |
relentless waters would never reach |
his highest ground. A farmer in the
middle of 'lambing" moved his sheep
to the top of hay stack which form
ed an island plateau, continued his
work and was dropped food until he
could be brought out. Others determ-
ined to stay with their land to the
last were forced to swim out on
horseback. Boats rescued some.
The element of courage, tena-
city, and refusal to be panicked,
characterized the determination of
the man of the soil to stick around
and protect that which is not only
his home but his livelihood. 1t is
a part of the ingredient that has
also kept these men and their wives
and families on the land, toiling
and tilling through years of hard
ship and rough going. 1t is part
OF the human emotion that says
such hard won gains should not be
left in foolish moment of panic
as if by standing by the disastrous
ravages of nature on the rampage !,
would have to take all these things
into consideration.
But, unimpressed by the years of ;
truggle, blood, sweat and tears, the =
Tater moved ever d ownward 1t
onverged in boiling fury into the
trained and overlooking channels of
lie Milk River. Faced with eIe-
ents they could not control, even
18th all the strength that had sus-
lined them over the many years, the
lrmers moved to higher ground to
ait.
They waited while the water reach
its crest and moved downward to-
ard the sea. They waited while
bling currents of water washed over
Id past their land. They waited
lille the water stood over their land
i'd their roads, in their houses and
lildings. And gradually it subsid- {
They waited, some of them as long
80 days, then they started the trek
ok to see what had been left.
That they had, and no foolin', been ,