Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1883-06-26
RIVERS OUT OF BED.
The Missouri and Mississippi Still RlS-
ing and RaVaging the Country,
st. Louis and Kansas City Monaccd
by the Flood--No Immediate
Prospect of Relief


KANSAS CRY, June 25.--The river
shows 20 feet inches on the signal ser
vice guage and rising steadily. 1t has
risen six inches since last midnight. In
habitants of West Kansas City are pre-
uaring to leave, one or two families hav
ing changed quarters to-day. There is
much apprehension regarding ice houses
and other property along the river in that
vicinity. The water is now considerably
higher than any time since 1881.
ST. LOUIS, June 20. The river is still
rising slowly but the, situation, both here
and in East st. Louis, is practically uh-
changed. Bowman dyke still stands the
pressure and that and other weak points
are constantly being strengthened.
Threats were made last night to cut what
is known as the Madison county dyke,
which is high embankment running
eastwardly from the river mile and
half, about midway between Brooklyn
and Venice, but after long and
angry wrangle between number
of inhabitants of the former place and
and some people living north of the dyke,
it wasS decided nothing should be done,
as the cutting of the dyke would let more
water into Brooklyn, and inundate that
part of the town not now submerged.
The people were very determined, and
guarded all night with shot guns and
other weapons.
A large volume of water is still flowing
through the breaks made yesterday in the
Chicago & Acton and other railroad tracks
and is spreading out and covering more
of the bottom toward the bluffs and
along the VandAlia railroad, but no dam
| age to the latter is yet reported. Re-
ports from points along the Missouri
vafy considerably. At. some places the
water is still rising, while at others it has
fallen from FIVE inches to two feet 1t is
safe to say, however, that there is con-
siderable more water to come down from
this side of st. Joseph, and the rise
here may be foot higher.
A dispatch from Bismarck says the
Yellowstone river is already as high as
last year and the Missouri is rising at that
point. kilograms from other places high
up the Missouri indicate that the usual
June rise has commenced, and in ali
likelihood some part of it will reach here
before the present food recedes to any
great extent Should this be the case,
the situation will become alarming, and
the destruction of property along both
upper and lower rivers will be appalling.
The river rose another three inches to-
day and still coming up slowly. No par
ticular change in the situation on this
side of the river. The whole of the levee
is now submerged and in the lowest
places the first floors of stores are flooded
from few inches to couple of feet
deep. Business in houses on the river
front is suspended, except in two or three
doggeries, where scatfolds have been built
A little excitement was occasioned in
East st. Louis this afternoon by the
threatened overflow of the Cairo Short
Line track by backwater, but the dam OF
earth and sand-bags hastily thrown up
on the water side Of the track checked
the flow of water and averted the danger.
The Chicago and Alton, in connection
with the st. Louis and Wabash, are driv-
ing piles in the break in their track
above Venice, and it is expected they
| will have good trestle across the gap by
| Wednesday, and their trains be running
again. A large number of farmers and
land owners on the American bottom and
residents of Venice and other towns be-
tween East st. Louis and Mitchell, held
a meeting at Venice this afternoon, and
after exchanging views on the situation,
adopted the following:
Resolved, That inasmuch as many of
our people have been sufferers by foods
for the past three years, and the present
general overflow has rendered destitute
large number of people who, without as
slstance, will be unable to put in crops
during the coming year, we deem it
our duty to appeal to all who are able to
assist those thus situated; that descrip-
ton OF the misery entailed upon our sec
ton of the country would seem like ex-
sggeration, so fearful in its nature is the
truth, and that it will be at least thirteen
months before another crop will be raised
and in the meantime destitution in all it's
forms confronts the sufferers. In view
OF these facts, we feel justified in appeal
ing for assistance, and request that all
contributions be sent to Henry Robin
son, president of the board of trustees of
Venice, ILL.,, for distribution.
A large number of the sufferers re-
ferred to in this resolution are either
camped in tents on ridges, surrounded
by water, or are in the open air ON the
bluffs beyond. Many are also housed in
box cars on railroad tracks, and good
many of them will be obliged to be fed.
Their crops are totally destroyed, and
they are destitute of money or any of the
necessaries of life
The national stock yards of East st.
Louis are in no danger of being flooded,
as has been reported. They can easily
stand rise of three feet and it would
require four feet to stop business. The
Union yards on this side of the river are
also well protected and in no danger.
The situation in East Carondelet and
Cahokia glows worse daily. The water
covers that whole section of country and
some flooded out families are beginning
to suffer. Their wants will probably be
supplied tomorrow. The railroads which
have lost their tracks have abandoned
the ferrying system between here and
Alton and have arranged with the Van
dalia road to run their passenger trains.
The Indianapolis and st. Louis will send
their trains to Efiingham and thence to
Mattoon.
The Wabash will use the Vandalia TO
Allamont where it will take its own track.
and the Chicago & Alton and c., b. d
q. will run TO Smithboro where they will
connect with their own roads. All other
eastern lines are using their own tracks.
and all western roads are getting trains