Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-06-17
THE FLOOD.

The St. Louis Republican, of the 18Th says:
Yesterday the river rose 20 inches. At O'Clock
last evening it had gained depth Of from inches
to feet on the first floors of all the stores on the
levse. At dark last evening it Vas feet 10 inches
below the high water mark of 1874
As the rise for the last half of yesterday not
so rapid as for the previous hours it may be hoped
that it will soon reach its extreme height. The
news from the Missouri favors this hope, and, if
that mad river should subside its effect will be
felt here although there are reports Of a further
rise in the Upper Mississippi. Rain fell yesterday
morning, though not to any great extent; about
P. NJ there were signs of clear weather. and before
shutdown not a cloud was to be seen, and the wind
was from the north Should fair weather now set
in the river will be stationary, if it does not
mence falling tomorrow. At its present height
vast deal of water is spreading over the American
bottom and it will require time for it to return
within its banks.
Even should the destructive course Of the water
be stayed where is incalcuable damage will have
been done by it. All along the banks Of the Upper
Mississippi the Illinois, the Missouri, and the Lower
Mississippi, most melancholy evidences of devasta-
ton will be presented. Hundreds of we'll improved
farms will be destroyed the labor of years Of IN
Wearied industry. These seven years inundations,
for such they seem TO be, will now be looked upon
as certain to occur, and will deprecate the value of
bottom land which, before this disaster, was being
sought for by many persons Il is not a high esti-
perty will be destroyed by this visitation.
The dixie erected by the city from Bloody Island
to the eastern shore of Illinois, at cost of at least
half q million dollars, stands firm, and is yet ten or
twelve feet above the water, and abrasion, from
the current on the upper side of it. report was
circulated yesterday evening that some of the citi
zens of Illinois, acting under the deusiOn that the
dixie operated to turn the water upon their lands,
we're about to assemble and cut away portion of
it, so to make channel for the water the
eastern side of Bloody Island. To prevent any out
rage of this kind the Mayor directed portion of
the police force occupy the dixie until the strange
deusion of our Illinois friends should pass away
very large amount Of lumber has been washed
away from the upper part Of the city. The actual
loss will not be less than 100000 feet. A good
many RATS Of logs have been, and are yet, in danger
Of breaking loose from their fastenings. All the
saw mills in the northern part Of the town, on the
river, were stopped by the high water yesterday,
and some of the boundaries and machine shops on
the levee, in the southern part Of the city, were
compelled TO stop from the same cause. In the
cross streets leading to the leyee all was hustle and
confusion ia attempting to receive and ship goods,
there being room for the transaction of business.
The Lafayette (Ind.) Courier reports the Wabash
river higher than it has been during the last half
century, and the damage all along the Wabash val
ley as immense.
Dispatches from Cairo state that on Saturday af
ternOOn crevasse opened on the Mississippi side Of
the town, through which the water poured at pow
erful rate, filling up the whole space between the
levees, and is now running over the embankment
on the Ohio side About 900 feet Of the track Of
the Illinois Central Railroad is washed away. The
south wing of the new hotel fell in on Sunday; the
balance was expected to fall during the might
Nearly all the houses are tumbling down, and
drifting away or sinking. Scarcely building in
the city is expected to Withstand the food. The
water is q feet deep in the second story Of the
Taylor House, and still rising rapidly.