The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-06-28
The Floods.

2; Cincinnati, i.
LOUISVILLE, June 25.-Metropoli-
tans, s; Eclipse, l.
The Floods.
ST. LOUIS, June 25.-The river is
still rising slowly, tut the situation
bOth here and i'll East st. Louis is
practically unchanged. The Bowman
dyke still stands the pressure, but
/ that and other weak points are being
/ constantly strengthened. Threats
were made last night to cut what is
! known us the Madison county dyke,
which is a high embankment running
east from the river u mile and a
half and about midway between
( Brooklyn and Venice, but after
long and angry wrangle be-
tween number of inhabitants,
former places and some people living
north of the dyke, it was decided that
nothing should be done until to-day,
DIS the cutting of this dyke would let
more water into Brooklyn and mum
date all that part of town not al
ready submerged. The people were
vely determined and guarded the
levee all night with shot guns and
other weapons; but so far as known
no attempt has been made to inter-
fere with it. A large volume
of water still flows through the
breaks made yesterday in Chicago
and Alton and other railroad tracks,
and is spreading over and covering
more and more of the bottom toward
the bluff and along the Vandalia
road, but no damage to the latter is
yet reported. Reports from points
along the Missouri river vary con-
siderably. At some places the water
/ is still rising, while at others it has
fallen from a few inches to two feet.
1t is safe to say, however, there is
considerable more water to come
down from the region this side of
st. Joseph. The rise here may be
foot higher.
a dispatch from Bismarck says:
"The Yellowstone river is already as
high as it was last year, and the
Missouri river by rising at that point.
kilograms from other places high up
the Missouri indicate that the usual
June rise has commenced and in all
likelihood some part of it will reach
here before the present flood recedes
to any great extent. Should this be
the case, the situation will become
alar ming, and the destruction of pro-
perty along both the upper and lower
rivers will be appalling.
ST. LOUIS, June 25-The river rose
another three hours to-day, and is
still coming up slowly. No particu-
lar change in the situation is reported
on this side of the river. The whole
leYee is now submerged. In the low
oct fNlanaC tho fret fifnrS Hna1n1
from few inches to a couple of feet.
Business in houses on the river fronts
is suspended, excepting two or three
doggeries where scaffolds have been
built and whisky is still dispensed for
five cents a drink.
But little excitement was occa-
stoned in East st. Louis this after
noon by the threatened overflow of
the Cairo short line by backwater,
but a dam of earth and sand bags
was hastily thrown up ON the water
side of the track, which checked the
flow of water and averted the dam
ger. The Chicago and Alton, in con-
nection with the Indianapolis and
st. Louis and the Wabash, is driving
piles in the break of their track above
Venice. They will have good trestle
across the gap byWednesday and there
will be running again. Large num-
bers of farmers and land owners on
the American bottom, residents of
Venice and other towns between East
st. Louis and Mithell, held meeting
in Venice this afternoon, and after
exchanging views on the situation,
adopted the following: Resolved,
That inasmuch as many of our people
have been sufferers from the flood for
| the past three years, and the present
general overflow has rendered desti-
tute Il large number, who, without
assistance 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 description Of misery entailed
on our section OF country would
seem like eXaggeration so fear
full 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 destitu
ton, in its worst form, will confront
the sufferers. In view of these facts,
we feel justified in appealing for IS
sistance and request all contributions
to be sent to Henry Robinson, presi
dent Of board of trustees, Venice, III.
for distribution. A large number ofsuf
ferers referred to in this resolution
either camped in tents on ridges, sur
rounded by water, or in the open air
ON bluffs beyond. Many are also
housed in box cars on the railroads,
and a good many of them will be
obliged to be fed, as their crop is to-
tally destroyed; and they are reported
| destitute of money and the necessa-
ries of life.
The national stock yards in East st
Louis are in no danger of being flood
ed, as has been reported. They can
easily stand an additional rise of three
feet, and it would require four feet to
stop business. The = Union yards on this
side also are well protected, and are in
no danger. The situation around
East CarOndelet and Cakakaroa grows
worse daily. The water covers that
whole section of country, and some
fiooded-ou families are beginning to
suffer. Their wants will probably be
supplied tomorrow. The railroads
which have lost their tracks have
abandoned the ferriage system be-
tween here and Alton, and have ar
ranged with the Vandalia road to ru-
their passenger trains. The India
napolis will send their trains to Eff
fingham, thence to NATION. The
Wabash will use the Vandalia to AL
lamont, where it will take its own
track co Chicago and Alton. The
burlington and Quincy will run to
SmithshoW, where it will connect
with their own road and all other
eastern lines. using their own tracks;
and all western roads are getting
their trains through in pretty good
shape. The Vandalia, about which
was some apprehension yesterday, is
still two feet above water and can
readily be made to resist four or five
feet of water.