The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-06-25
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ton with the north. These breaks gave the
water speedy exit to the eastward and all
day steady, rapid current has been %. ssing
out toward the bluff, and the water is now
spreading over all the bottom land north Of
the old Ohio X Mississippi railroad embank.
ment, which crosses the bottom between
East ST. Louis and Caseyville. II doesn't
seem possible to restore these tracks, and the
probabilities are that no effort will be made
| to repair the embankments until the water
recedes. Meantime the Chicago s. Alton,
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, and Indian
apolis Il St. Louis roads will convey passen-
gers to and from st. Louis and Alton by
steamer, and trains for the North and East
will be made up at the latter place The Wa
bash will use the Vandala and Illinois Cen
tral line to Decatur, whence they Will use
their own road.
The break in the Chicago & Alton track
has flooded nearly all the eastern part of
Venice and forced many families to vacate
their houses and seek safety on higher
grounds Considerable of the town west of
the c. & A. track, which runs directly
through the place, is also submerged The
Venice and Enterprise elevators are closed,
and the transfer stockyards, on the bank of
the river are no longer available Tor Use.
The damage to elevators and stockyards is
said to be $40 900 to $12, 900. All the country
in the rear and east of Venice is inundated,
and the amount of farm land on the Ameri.
can bottoms north of East st. Louis is said
to be 10000 to 10, 600 acres, and the loss to
crops is computed at not less than 5000 600
This is moderate estimate, other statements
putting both the area of land and loss to crops
at much higher figures
At East Carondelet, six miles below here,
on the Illinois side OF the river, the situation
is said to be deplorable Fully three-fourths
of the families in the town are quartered in
three school-houses and a few residences
on ridge of high ground along the track of
the ST. Louis & Cairo railroad. Most of these
people are in destitute condition, and un-
less they receive assistance there will be
great suffering among them. From this
point to the bluffs, four miles, and south
ward for ten or twelve miles, the entire
country is submerged. and presents a scene
OF the utmost desolation and ruin. Had the
flood held back two weeks longer the farmers
could have saved most of their wheat and
potatoes, as both were nearly ready for har-
vesting; but now everything is lost and
nearly all the farmers ruined. This can also
be said OF very many farmers elsewhere on
the bottom.
Creve Ceur lake, twenty miles west of
here, which came into some prominence as a
rowing course, last season Hanlon, Trickett.
and other oarsmen appearing upon 1t, and
which is really an old bayou OF the Missouri
river, has swollen so much from the high
water in the river that it has overhowed its
western bank and flooded the adjacent low
land and done great damage An immense
| Company, was undermined and fell, entail
ing loss of $4,000, and the railroad depot
hotel, and other property sustained considers
able damage.
| The little town of Cahollia, a short dis
tance from Carondelet, is all under water,
and the inhabitants move about only in
skiffs.
| Previous estimates of damage in this re-
| gion are said to be much too low 1t is now
stated that fully 10, 600 acres of wheat alone
are from two to six feet under water, and as
! much more of corn, potatoes and other crops
are submerged, causing a loss of 5000, 900. 1t
is also stated that the ST. Louis & Cairo and
the Belt road, part of which extends to East
Carondelet have been damaged fully $50, OO0
The chief apprehension tonight seems to
be that the track of the Vandalia road,
against which great body of water from
| the break in the Chicago &
Alton now lies, and which is
constantly increasing, will be flooded,
This track is north of the Ohio & Mississippi,
and much lower than the road. and will bear
up little more. The Ohio & Mississippi is
above the flood line of 1874 which is several
feet above the present rise, and therefore no
| apprehension is felt for it.
Advices and dispatches from different
| points on the Missouri river say nearly all
the bottom lands along the river are inun-
dated, and that hundreds of thousands of
dollars worth of crops have been
| totally destroyed, and thousands upon
thousands of acres of splendid
farms laid waste, The same kind of reports
come from all places on the Mississippi river
| between here and Cairo. The river rose thGee
inches here to-day. and marked thirly-four
feet seven inchef at o'clock this morning.