The following newspaper account was published 106 years ago. In light of the present flooding in New Orleans, I was suddenly reminded of it once again. The article was published in the Springfield Times newspaper of Springfield, South Dakota, and concerns a sudden spring flood on the Missouri River. Springfield sits high above the river and was unaffected, but the farmers who lived in the river valley, many near the tiny village of Bon Homme, were inundated in the middle of the night far more rapidly than they had expected. My great-grandfather and his family (same last name as my own) lived in the river valley near Bon Homme. So, keep an eye out for a familiar name.
Also, as you read, keep in mind that "the bottom" is what they called the land lying in the river valley. Also note that this flood took place some years before my own grandfather was born. Comments in brackets [ ] are my own.
April 20, 1899
The Flood At Bon Homme
A correspondent yesterday sent the following concerning the flood at Bon Homme and the island [also named Bon Homme].
Tuesday morning found the bottom opposite the red bridge all under water 6 feet, and rising 2 feet an hour. J.T. Kountz started across with two skiffs to tender assistance to the families whose houses were in two feet of water and others approaching the mark. Mr. Wadams had all his earthly effects on a knoll by the house, the safest spot in sight.
From there Kountz rowed down to Frank Byrnes', who, with all his cattle and hogs, was waiting proffered assistance, should there be any. From there he went down to Frank [Younameit's farm] and found him and his family stowed away in the garret [attic], and the water slowly reaching them. The roof boards were knocked off, and six children and the mother were handed into the skiff, when all rowed two miles across the big expanse of [flood] water to the main land. [One of the six children was only a one-month-old.]
F. Blachnik and wife and five children, with George Royer's family, were then rowed to Frank Byrnes' house to await the arrival of the gasoline ferry "The Swallow" from Springfield, which Mr. Peter Byrnes had ordered down in charge of Capt. Hutton... Mr. Blachnik remained on a ridge with his horses [surrounded by water]. Jake, the Russian miller, rendered valuable assistance in the rescue with his boat.
...Today the people are turning their attention to Bon Homme Island, which is also submerged with families looking for assistance. They will be hard to reach on the swift current with no really good skiff here.
END OF ARTICLE
Update: In the 1950s, the Army Corps of Engineers began building several dams on the Missouri River in South Dakota. The area affected by the flood in the story above, including my great-grandfather's farm, has been permanently under water since the early 1960s.
