The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-07-02
a WESTERN oALAMITY.
THE nURsrINe OF A LEvEE.
Thousands of Acres of Rich Illinois
Land submsrged-Crops Destroy.
ed. and People Fleeing From.
the Rushing waters
Loss of Life. Et8

tutee v ClOCk yeSthIuhy uuIuLuk ~ VIVA
is known as the cutoff, just above Gin
cinnati landing, some fiiteen'miles below
Hannibal. At noon to-day the creyasse II
Eve hundred feet wide and is constantly
increasing In size. There are seyera
other dangerous places in the embank'
ment which will doubtless give way, and
. at this time it seems impossible to pre-
vent the flooding OF the vast area OF farm
ing land protected by the leyee. The
water is now. spreading rapidly, and an
area OF several miles in extent is already y
overAowed. 1t is impossible to compute
the immense amount OF damage that will
result from this food, but it will aggregate
several hundred thousand dollars.
A slight idea OF the damage may pc
gained from the fact that an extent OF
country forty miles long and from four to
dve miles wide was protected by the en-
bankment. This is probably the richest
farming land in the State, aud the yield
of grain;this year would have been enor-
nous. The news OF the break at midnight
spread like wildfire, but it scarcely pre-
ceded the rushing Of the terrible flood OF
water, and the excitement during the
night was intense. Families were COM
PEELED to leave their homes, in many cases
with scarcely any clothing on, and flee for
their lives. AS the river at the cutoff
where the crevasse occurred is forty feet
deep, the water poured through in vast
volume and with overwhelming force.
An entire family, Mr.. Freeman, his wife
and children, were drowned. No trace
can be found Of them or their house.
They lived but few rods below the point
where the break occurred. Freeman was
wealthy farmer, who was very highly
respected. So rapidly did the water rise
that men, women and children rushed on
the embankment to save themselves, as
they did not have sufficient time to get to
the high ground east OF the river. The
break had been anticipated for several
days and hundreds OF men had been at
work strengthening and watching the em-
oankment. 1t is feared that other lives
have been lost than those reported, but
as the alarm was sounded Us soon as the
disaster occurred it is hoped all reached
places OF safety. The loss Of stock will
be great.
Farmers had been paying ten cents a
bushel to get their wheat threshed. The
harvesting OF the wheat crop began about
three weeks ago and threshing commenced
last Wednesday. Every team and every
machine that could be secured had been
in service night and day for ten days past,
including Sunday. But many had hoped
the disaster would be averted and had de-
layed moving to places of safety.-Mile al.
ter mile Of fine corn fields are ruined and
thousands OF acres Of wheat In the shock |
and still unshocked have been submerged.
The flood has not reached the railroad
embankment, butthe track will be flooded
and the damage to the Chicago, Burliug-
ton and Quincy line to Louisiana will be
large. The water is spreading very rapid.
", and could be seen from New Canton,
which is seven miles east OF Cincinnati
landing,
Over 100000 acres Of land are submerg-
ed and crops ruined. The break is in
creasing, and the levee, which cost S2S,-
900, will be seriously damaged The new
leyee in process Of construction from
Quincy nerth Is almost ruined and. rich
farming lands are under water. The loss
in this county will be heavy.
Another break has occurred on the levee,
near the first, and the water is pouring |
through with great velocity. 1t is now
said the back water will not wash away
the wheat which is shocked and stacked.
That the leyee would break has been ap-
pretended for several days, and farmers
have driven their live stock to the bluffs |
several miles east, also up the leyee TO
this city and other places OF safety. i
The river is now falling, and II rapid
decline follows nearly all the corn and |
cut wheat can be saved. But II the over
fiow lasts more than three days the loss
will be total. Some idea OF the damage
which will result may be had when 1t is
said this leyee Is about fifty miles long
and embraces within 1t fully quarter OF
million acres OF highly cultivated and
the most fertile bottom land In the State,
more than half OF which was in wheat.
Many large farms are owned by citizens
OF this city, and should the overflow con-
tinue their losses will be very heavy.
In this city the water Is entirely over
the river banks, and runs along the side
Of the railroad track on the whsrf. In the
southern part OF the city 1t is two feet
deep. The Hannibal and st. Joseph
freight depot is almost surrounded, and
skiffs are plying in some OF the streets.
1.-THE st. Louis and Keokuk railroad track
lbetween here and Quincy is submerged
and trains abandoned. It was reported
that another crevasse he'd opened near the
east end OF the bridge which crosses the
river here, but the report proves to have
been based upon the fact that the water
was trickling through the ebankment.
Should break occur at this point the
water would rush through with such force
that not only would the whole bottom be
Inundated, but crops and everything else
be swept away or destroyed.
The Class Of 80 Rt Washington College.
Observer Of yesterday.
The class Of 80 Of Washington and
Jefferson College numbers twenty.iour
members and diagnosis shows the com.
bined age to be 54S years, months; aver.
age % years, O,months. Length, 1SS feet,
s inches; average height, 8 feet, s inches.
Total weight, S,457 pound; average, IN
pounds. Members Of Philo and Union
Literary Society, 10; franklin and Wash
J ington, I; belong TO neither. Nine ex-
J pect to study theology; will study law;
, medicine; . will perhaps till the soil; 2
, will go into business; l will be mechanic
and ! is undecided" The Presbyterians
: number III Methodist, 4; Episcopalians,
} 2; United Presbyterians, l. Republicans,
. 20; Democrats, 4. About 12 have mus
r taches; IL have none. Ten expect to get
unarFia1. IA ara dnnhtfnl Tho y,nf,o ~