The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1882-02-24
Tremendous Rain.StOrm.

A rain-storm unprecedented in its wide
spread area and disastrous effects swept over
the West, beginning about the 18th of Febru-
airy and ending about the I'D. The storm, it
seems, began away out in Texas, and moved
slowly northward, completely inundating the
country as it progressed. At st. Louis we hear
the first serious results of the deluge.
For nearly forty hours it poured down q steady
torrent, the rainfall in that time reaching the
extraordinary average Of seven inches. All the
water feeders of the Mississippi, in large re-
gion of which st. Louis formed the center,
were soon raging torrents, and the Father of
Waters itself soon began to swell
its volume at an astonishing rate.
For twenty-four hours the great river
rose at the extraordinary rapidity of six inches
an hour. The levee was covered with large
piles ofImerchandse, and all the available help
in the city was called thither to remove the
goods from the threatened danger, but with
only partial success. large amount Of mer-
chandise was swamped by the waters and either
swept away or seriously damaged. The loss will
amount to many thousands of dollars.
At Cincinnati and Louisville similar scenes
were witnessed and similar losses are recorded.
The Ohio river, swollen by the numerous trib-
utarles, overlooked its banks in an incredibly
short time, sweeping away hundreds of thou
sands of dollars worth of property, and bust
ness of every kind WAS completely paralyZed for
the time being. At Cincinnati all the rolling mills
and foundries stopped work, and nearly all the
factories located near the river. In the foun-
dries the damage is very serious, for the reason
that it will require at least sixty days to dry
out the moldlng floors and get them
into proper condition for use again.
Throughout Missouri, Central Illinois and
Central and Southern Indiana the disastrous
effects of the storm were felt. All the rivers,
creeks and rivulets were flooded, and, spread.
ing over the adjacent country, swept away
fences, and damaged the growing wheat The
losses throughout the West will reach into the
millions.
At New Albany, Ind, the damage was very
great. All the shops and factories along the
river were forced to suspend.
Jacksonville, Evansville and other points
along the Ohio river also sustained serious
damage from the flood. Railroad traffic at
many points in Illinois and Indiana was par
italy abandoned through the destruction of
bridges.
Along the Lower Mississippi immense dam
age has been produced BY the breaking of the
leyees and the inuadation of vast areas of
country, and planters are enduring great hard
ship from the loss of live stock BY drowning
The city Of Helena. Ark. was completely
drowned out. The greater portion of the town
was several feet under water and the streets
were naYlgateG In SkIffs.
Serious loss of life is reported in connection
with the storm. At Paducah, KY, five persons
who lived on flatboat were drowned. as was
also man named Little, who went out in
skiff to their rescue Near Helena, Ark, six
children were drowned on the plantation of the
late Col Ellis Chas. Washington, colored, when
hefound that the plantation would be oyerfiowed.
put his wife and six children in dugout to
take them to place of safety. He had Just
started when the dugout capsized. Al the
children were drowned. Washington and wife
were saved by clinging to the capsized boat.
4 man, uanea Green, vas drowned pear