The Portland daily press., 1881-04-28
SPREADING STREAMS.
Bottom Lands in the West Still
Submerged.
BUILDINGS FLOATED OFF AND
FAMILIES LEFT HOUSELESS.

ST. JOSEPH, April 27.-The bottom opposite
this city is flooded for more than half mile
west from the bridge, and three miles west a
sheet of water thousand feet wide is running
over the bottom. The track of the St. Joe
and Western Road is submerged and some of
it washed out The machine shops in Elm
wood are flooded and work suspended, A
number of families have been rescued to-day
from flooded houses in the bottom lands in
the vicinity of this city. Merchants ex-
perience great embarrassment for want of shl D.
ping facilities No damage is done in this eli ty
by the high water.
OMAHA, Neb., April 27-The latest phase of
the flood is fall of inches in the past "a
hours, not sufficient to materially change the
situation of affairs or allow establishments
shut down to resume work. The principal ac-
tivity of the day is the protection of emban k
ments exposed to washing away as the water
recedes and a high wind drives the wave
against them.
WINNIPEG, April 27.-Ice moved out of the
Red river very quietly this year. The Assini-
boine also broke up to-day, the water rising
very high, and is now within 10 inches of the
highest point reached last year. Navigation is
open and steamers are loading for all points,
ST.. PAUL, April 27.-The river has con-
tinued to rise slowly all the afternoon. The
current continues swift and it is feared the
flood is not SO near a crisis as was hoped
A dispatch from Alaska on the Minnesota
says the water there is still rising. Several
buildings have f1oated away and are lodged
against the railroad track. The water is pour
ing into the second story window of building
on Main street, Minneapolis and the st.
Louis track is covered out Of sight. Business
is almost at a complete standstill.
A dispatch from st. Peters higher up says
the ST. Paul and Sioux City railroad is cut off
here, the water being nearly foot deep in the
depot The situation at st. Paul grows worse
NO dry land is left between the channel and
bluff except the single length of the embank-
ment over which the bridge runs. Culverts
under it are almost choked and the bank may
be broken through tonight. A strong current
and eddies are forming today and threaten to
Reeas hs, ana hs1 doPpe over many nous es
public buildings and shops. 1t is proposed to
purchase 500 tents by subscription for use of
the homeless.
Dispatches from points below here on the
Mississippi show the river rising rapidly
KANSAS CRY, Mo-, April 27.-The damage
to property to-day by the high water is great
and as both the Missouri and Kansas Rivers
are still rising there is mnch alarm on bottoms
where the packing houses, ice houses, stock
yards and many wholesale houses are located.
A hundred families have been driven from
homes already, and thousands of people are
tonight in great danger of similar fate, their
houses being four feet below the level of the
river, with frail embankment alone to pro-
tect them. The large ice house of Stevens &
Osborn, meat packers, was undermined to-day
and 5000 tons of ice lost. Ice houses of Fon-
her Bros Packing houses, containing 1000
tons are in great danger. Sales ice houses
both succombed, destroying about $4,000
worth OF property. Workmen employed by the
city are throwing up dyke in the bottom to
prevent further damage if possible. Across
the river in Harlem all is waste OF water A
month will be required for repair of railroads