Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1881-07-16
DEs N ONES UNDER WATER.
Disastrous Effects Of the Recent Excessive
Rains.
Des Moinc Register, July Is.

AhhAubs
Des Moinc Register, July Is.
All of Monday night and all day yes
terday until 2:3O p. m. tho Des Moines
river continued to rise, though somewhat
slower than at first. The water backed
up the sewers and filled all the cellars as
far up town US Second street. The eel
lars Of Schermerhorn & Co., E. s. Todd,
Des Moines Cracker bakery, Chaplin &
Merritt, Hewitt Bros, Osborne, Hosick
& Co., Q. L. Harbach and others in the
same locality have more or less water in
them. The water backed into the Reg
lister press rooms from the Court avenue
sewer yesterday morning at 10 O'Clock,
three inches deep and up to midnight
has fallen but an inch. -''
Nearly all of the homes at the termi-
nus of Sixth, Seventh, Eighth and Ninth
streets are greatly damaged by water
and the inmates moved out. Ihe trans
street are four feet deep in water, aud all
ing out stable furniture and feed to save
them, working with men and horses in
water from three to four feet deep. All
was safely taken out except lot of CORP
in the Glib, which was left under the water
too deep to get at. There are perhaps
over hundred families in this locality
that were forced TO move out yesterday,
and as many more who found it neces-
sary to move into their second stories,
The movers employed all the boats avail
able, aud those unable to get boats con-
structed rude RATS. The water ran swift
ly over the Des Moines and Fort Dodge
railroad track at Seventh street, washing
great cutters and otherwise damaging
the track. Tho Des Moines river was
comparatively clear yesterday, but the
Raccoon was we'll loaded with all man.
ner Of drift-huge logs, little islands of
earth, pieces Of bridges, whole culverts,
trees, roots, etc. 1t required thework of
several men to keep this drift from set.
tling against the railroad bridges and
! giving the water an increased power to
wash them out.
The state of affairs in south Des
Moines is much the same, only more 80.
The people who took refuge in the Sec
ond stories have very generally moved
out, occupying the school houses.
churches, and whateyer other available
buildings that are high enough to es.
cape the flood. The river rose high
enough to run slowly over the levee yes
terday, again cutting il away, and the
city Immediately started as many teams
to work hauling earth and filing up OF
could work on that narrow place. AL
day long these men and teams worked
under the immediate supervision of the
mayor and chief of police, and no doubt
saved the levee, and to the people Of the
south side many of their water-bounC
homes. The house of Mre. Harris, sit
ting at the west Of the levee, was partl,
!. washed away yesterday, the kitchen go
ing and taking with it o great deal o
her household goods. This is very sc
we're loss to Mrs. Harris, which she ca,
ill afford. The grove at the north of he
house is almost bowed out of sight wit
the weight of water and the lodgemen
} of dlitt and logs. The barn yard, doc
, and fine garden of Mr.. Taylor Pierce j
, one spectacle of water waste, and eve
his brick house appeared to be seriousl
threatened for time yesterday. -
] AS there was no possible way for til
/, small stock of south Des Moines to b.
saved it must have very generall
drowned. The people suffer great los
in many ways, and are mostly very uns
BILE to stand it without great discomfol
and Inconvenience.
: The water stopped rising at 2:32 yer
: terday afternoon, with the water sever
: teen feet above low water mark, and 81
k inches above the highest mark durin
;, the flood on the 9th day of Apfil las
y There were 30 inches rise from o'cloc
d Monday morning to- o'clock Tuesda
c morning, and from 2 o'clock yesterda
/. morning to 2:3O it rose three inches.
When it began falling at 230 yestel
> day afternoon it fell at the rate Of q
inch an hour, thus going down taste
than it rose. and further dang,
L or damage is not feared at this writing
II The Raccoon river tails at the same rat
IS AT oonFAx. =
u Mr.. Smith, manager OF the Weste
e Union Telegraph company at this poil