, 1870-04-30
THE FLOOD At MUsCATINE,
The Lcyee Hroken-Great Dcsxruc.
ton OF Propcfty-A 11nilroad Bridge

From hs Anseafiae tlo.ta1 Journal, AiprR e
A rise Of about two inches since Saturday
the island leyee to g1ve way this morning.
About daylight, TIC are informed, . break Of
only few inches WIS discovered bv Soma one
coming to the city. The alarm was given, but
the active exerdons Of large crowd resulted
in signal failure to stop the prodestined
assumed the proportions OF gigantic cataract
At 10 o'clock this morning the laTee haa broken
in three p1aces. Many skira were employed
all day IN bringing parties from their sub
merged homes 10 places OF safety. Farm
houses are filed with water, md the occupants
crops and much other property to the raraSea
the me1ciless waters, which ara
carrying away fencea and aubnerging uawly
ploWed fields Men, women and children have
@ been escaping ~ day with such articles Of
We will not venture conjecture or guess
ns to the probable loss sustained By island
residents, but it viii no doubt bo very great
OF course nll the islaud will not be snbmerged
--probabiy ouo-half Of it, the richest paIt Of
and fertile lands promised an abundant yield,
and handsome gardens with vegetables so en-
ticirg1y spread before Us, are in few mo-
ments changed to great dverbcd and become
worthless for the present season, at least
From The Museatfne Journal, Apri1 "a
Although tho river IL now failing, the water
On the island ia still creeping up, and many
who yesterday considered themselves the
favored ones are compelled to abandon their
hoNea and seek mora elevated location.
Tho breaks in the 1evee hare been enlarged to
twice their size yesterday, aud the water Is still
pouring In with current OF about eight OF
ten miles per hour. Along the railroad the
water is moving mp toward the city, cutting
away tie bed to a considerable e1tent, but q
construction train is kept busy along tha road
asfar vest as the bridge, near the old tair
grounds. -
The water west of the railroad IS stl1 from
ten to twelve inches lower than, that in the
river, and it viii, OF COURSE continue to zisa un-
til it has found it's level The island folks do
not appear to be very communicative, and we
are therefore unable to give any particulars |
further than those gsthercd in our osn obser-
vations- The damage to crops md property
of every description has been great, md the
losera have the heartfelt sympathy OF all.
For the information Of those residing else
where, and all others who sre not aware Of the !
extent Of hluscatine Island, or its location, we
will give brief description Of it.: Muscadue
slough il an arm or bayou Of the Mississippi |
River, and probably once formed the main !
channel Of that mighty stream, which it diver !
gea from at Muscatine, and runs southwest,
south aud southeast, till it unites again with |
the -"Father Of Waters" mile Or 50 ADORE
the mouth Of the Iowa River. It's
TO thirty yards. The range Of high
bluffs which leares the Mississippi at aIusea-
tine continues and forms tho western bound
ay Of the slough at distance from it Of one
half . mile to four miles, incIosins some Of
the finest and best improved land n the State.
The eastern bank Of the slough Is low The
island thus made bE it is Of considerable im-
portance- being eighteen miles in length and
eight miles at its greatest breadth About
ane-thizd Of it Les in thia county. md two~
Thirds in Louisa County. It is level, sandy
prairie, noted far and rear for its productions
Vegetables md corn being the chief articles