The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1875-10-08
UNION OF WATERS.
The Missouri River Breaks
Through the "NarroWs" Into
The Platte.
From the Platte City Landmark.

iOih tHc 4 i'titc 'lE l-3H'!lHiTh.
| Reference has several times of late
been made in the Landmark TO the
| threatened breaking through of the Mis-
souri, river into the Platte at the Mar
| rows," about ten miles from Platte City.
| The catastrophe occurred last Thursday
morning ut o'clock. For distance of
| ten or twelve miles. following the course
| of the river, the two rivers pursue Il
| parallel course, being separated, after
the Platte leaves Farley. by flat, allu-
vial bottom, averaging not more than
two miles in width. The .'Narrows" is
| the point where the two streams have
approached each other the nearest, and
is about eight miles from the mouth of
Platte river. For thirty years it has
been predicted that the Missouri river
would some day break through this mar
row strip. This bottom has never with
in the memory oflhe.' oldest inhabitant.'
been more than holf Il mile in width.
Every successive rise of either river has
reduced this distance, until within the
last three months it became evident that
the calamity could not be much longer
averted. At the ordinary stage Of wa
ter the Platte is nearly four feet lower
than the Missouri, The current of the
latter stream, rendered stronger by the
recent rise, has for wears been thrown
from the Kansas bluffs directly against
the Narrows The soil being sandy and
alIuvial, and of late the waters have
made greas inroads, great bodies of
land and huge trees being swept into
the current.
As already stated; on Tuesday morn
ing the few remaining feet OF earth in
tervening suddenly gave way and the
waters of the Missouri burst with great
fury into tie Platte. SO suddenly did
it come, that the ferryMan ut Waldron.
4 mile O- two distant, made narrow
escape. He was in the middle of the
stream with his fiat boat when the tide
came. 1t is described rs Il column OF
water full four fees in height coming
with great rapiGity. 1t struck the flat
boat and threw it with great force
against the opposite bank.
The rise at Waldron is about five or
six feet. The back water reaches to the
dam ut Platte City. At Cows ferry it
is t feet, and ut Darnall's two miles south
of Platte City, the rise is eighteen in
chps.
The break az The "Narrowsn is about
three hundred feet in width and con-
stantlv increasing The effect is of
course u great calamity, because much
ofthe very best land; in the county will
be destroyed. Thus far the principal
sufferers are Mr.. John Acker and the
tenants of the Burnes' land, but every
body on the island Gas it now Is from
tie Narrows TO the mouth OF the Platte
river) will suffer more or less injury.
What the effect will be upon the flour
ishing village CT Waltiron is all conlec-
ture, some contending that the town
will eventually be ruined, and others
asserting that the change of the river
will have no bad effect. 1t is certain,
however, that the increase in elevation
of the waters OF the Platte, which. of
course. is permanent, will cause the
bottom lands To be more easily over
flowed when the usual rises occur.
The calamity is Il serious one and the
pecuniary loss must be very heavy.