Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-04-27

a
| Mississippi, and men went to their daily labor
| without fear. About seven the two sloughs tina
pass through the district began to show tina
| there was water somewhere. An hour after
l wards current began to be visible, and th'
l low lands became covered with thin coating
1 of water. The river continued to rise befor
noon the back-set from the tluf
below the city had covered the create
part of the fat It was not, however, till tn,
waters burst through the confines below tht
railroad bridge that people began 10 be alarm
ed. Their alarm, however, was of the milo
sort, and for several hours only the house
holders on the lowest part of the land
| Quilted THEIR HABITATIONs.
It was loug after noon before the majority
of the people resident in that portion of the
city made up their minds that the company oi
| themselves and Mississippi food were in
compatible. The result was instantaneous.
| The truck men were the first to discover the
danger. They were on hand in force, and their
services were called into instant requisition.
Men who few hours before had laughed at
the idea of the water reaching their property,
were willing to pay almost any amount for
| the services of span of horses and wagon by
means of which they could transport their
household goods to place of safety on the
! highlands. The bridge became thronged with
| vehicles conveying furniture to st. Paul pro-
| per, and there was almost blockade of SINH
| larly loaded wagons destined for the bluff be-
| yond.
The overflow first covered that portion of
| the city lying between the river and Fifth
| street. 1t soon became evident that the per-
manence of Fifth street included the safety of
| the best part of the Sixth ward, and work was
| at once begun to interpose that as barrier
| against the approach of the waters. A hundred
,,.%o r s<~L,x.
] of stone earth, manure-anything within reach
were piled on the river side of the street, in
| the hope that the progress Of the waters would
be stayed. But the back-set from the lower
part of the river soon covered the entire region,
and towards nightfall there was naught but a
waste of waters
FROM BLUFF TO BLUFF,
the houses appearing like islands in vast
sea.
It could hardly be said that there was ex-
citement on the West side. There was little
necessity for haste, for there was no raging
torrent threatening destruction to everything
in Its path. There was simply rise of water,
with here and there an eddy or current that
gave promise of something more terrible to
come, either in reality or in anticipation, The
older residents laughed at first at the anxiety
of the newer people to escape, but they soon
became anxious as to consequences. They
first removed few necessary articles to some
place of safety-a bedstead and mattrass and
a change of linen. Then they returned to
their homes, and finding the waters still rising
they carried off few more articles of value,
and then set about the work of helping their
neighbors. The result was that all who de-
sired toa remove their goods were enabled to
do so decently and in order.
A few mistakes were made. Some people
concluded that it was not going to be much of
q flood after all, and they permitted their
houses to be surrounded with water before
they arranged for the removal of their goods.
These were compelled to call in the assistance
Of their neighbors who had skiffs at their
command, and all day long the streets were
bearing goods from the inundated region to a
locality where water had no terrors. A hun
dred boats found constant employment, and at
least score were constructed during the day
and launched for duty at an hours notice.
None of them were idle, provided they had
pair of brawny arms to propel them, for as
the day went on and the river continued to
rise, the anxiety of the residents increased,
and the general sentiment became that of self
preservation aid the preservation of ones own
effects.
About O'Clock it became evident that some
place of refuge would have to be found for
those who were involuntarily driven from
their houses. The citizens generally had
OPENED THEIR HOUSES
to their acquaintance, but the capacity of
their walls was soon exhausted, and even the
most hospitable were compelled to refuse even
their most intimate friends the shelter they
required. The police authorities exerted
themselves on behalf of the people, and towards
o'clock the schools, the old town hall, and
tho churches were thrown open, and large
quantities of household goods stored in
them. There was no lack Of hospitality on
the part OF the citizens. The only limit was
the capacity of their houses.
For the most part
THE TRUCKMEN
were reasonable and anxious to help. A few,
however, were eXtortionate in their demands.
As soon as the fact became known at the
city hall Acting Mayor Grace dispatched an
officer to the scene with instructions not only
to prevent eXtortion but to impress any teams
that might be at hand into the service for the
removal of the goods of citizens, and if peo-
pie were not able ia pay for the service to
charge it to the city. Ceief Sergeant Walsh,
Officer O'Keefe and other officers of the city
were present to enforce the order, and per-
mitted no one to exceed the bounds of pro-
priety.
THE EXCITEMENT
consequent upon the formidable size and an
gerous character of the freshet was not con-
fined to any particular division of St. Paul.
1t was as catching as small pox and was ex-
perienced alike from the hedgeling to the old
est citizen. The old settler was on deck nu-
merously; it was an occasion that called for
his utmost versatility in reminiscence, and his
oul was girt for the emergency. This amia-
BILE but harmless old party could be encoun-
tered on any street corner relating his precious
yarns about the freaks of early day floods to
an admiring circle of listeners.
During the day, and even at nightfall,
Bridge Square presented scene of unusual
animation and activity. From the long span,
which was crowded all day, splendid view of
the situation was offered. Thither citizens
wended their way by the thousands. The sad
| havoc of the devastator was visible on every
| hand; below was the swift running, silent and
| resistless water; beyond, West st. Paul, sur
rounded by sea of water.
The crowds would come, gaze at the sub
merged city, wag their heads ominously and
depart, while the flood crept higher and high
er and seemed, likcthe interminable brook, to
| rush on forever. The Third street sidewalk
| overlooking the bluff was lined with specta-
tors the livelong day, and the tops of the busi-
ness houses fronting on that street
were sought as offering the best
view of the river and it's ravages.
| Field glasses were at a premium and the mag