Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-05-04
CASUALTIES.
Disastrous Floods or the MIsSis-
sippi-The River Twenty
Miles Wide.

Quincy, April 18.-The food in
the Mississippi Valley is the most Sc
rious and damaging that has occurred
since 1851. The river at Bear Greek
bottom, four miles north of this city,
is twenty miles wide, the water extend
ing fifteen miles into into Illinois and
FIVE miles into Missouri. The damage
to farming property is very great, but
cannot be estimated at this time
The Sny levee gave way yesterday
afternoon at : o'clock, four miles below
Cincinnati Landing, the break at
O'Clock being 800 feet wide The i'm
mense volume of water pouring through
the breach was constantly widening it.,
and the whole Sny bottom, containing
100, 900 acres of rich farming lands,
will doubtless be flooded The levee
has also given way four miles north of
Hannibal, although large force ofmen
worked upon the embankment during
Sunday night and Monday. and super
human efforts were made to save it and
prevent the food and devastation.
Runners were sent out yesterday over
the bottom lands, to warn the people
and tell them to flee to the bluffs for
their lives.
The excitement was intense, and
farmers left everything to get their
wives and children to places Of safety.
It is believed that no lives were, but
very many narrow escapes are reported.
The damage to railroads between Keo-
kuk and Hannibal by the high water
is heavy. The track o. the ST. Louis,
Keokuk & Northwestern, from Quincy
to Hannibal, is almost entirel y under
water The road bed is washed away
in many places, and the bridges are
nearly afoat between Quincy and Keo-
kuk. The loss will be heavy, the ties
and rails having been foated off from
the road-bed in many places and lodged
against the trees in the woods. The
Quincy & Missouri track is covered
with water for a distance of nearly TWO
miles, but it is believed that no serious
injury has been done to the road-bed as
yet. The Quincy, Carthage Il Bur-
lington track is washed out for 200
feet four miles from Quincy, and pas
sengers are transferred in boats On
the Quincy, Alton s ST. Louis Rail
read there is heavy washout where
the Sny levee gave way, the roadbed
in some places being carried entirely
away. The track is also being carried
entirely away. The track is also sub
merged for distance Of two miles at
one point, and one mile at another be-
tween Quincy & Hannibal. The Tole-
do, Wabash & Western is flooded be-
tween Perry Springs and Meredosia,
and passengers are carried across the
flood in boats In fact. the entire Hi
nois River bottom in this locality is
overfown.
The Sny levee, south Of this city,
has broken at three points, and a large
portion Of the bottom on the Illinois
side is overhowed. Opposite Hanni-
bal, houses and barns have foated
away, and the damage that has been
done cannot be estimalcd. The entire
population Of the bottom have fed to
the bluffs, in many. cases leaving every
thing behind them. Meetings have
been called at Hannibal to assist the
unfortunates. Much suffering is sure
to follow this great calamity.
The river here declined one inch this
afternoon, and 1t is believed that the
worst is over.