St. Landry democrat., 1883-06-30
THE FLOODS.
The Mississippi River Still Rising and the
Danger Increasing-The Rain and Wind
Aid in the Work of Destruction.
ST. LOUIS, Mo-, June Fl,

ST. LOUIS, Mo-, June q.
The Mississippi continues to swell quite
rapidly. The Government gauge at the
foot of Market street at five o'clock last
evening registered thirty.three feet eight
inches above low water stage, an advance
of five inches less than a foot in the past
tyyenty-four hours, which is considerably
more than was anticipated in the time.
Many steamboatmen were of the opinion
that the river would come to stand yester-
day, and perhaps begin to go down to-day.
The levee front presents a strange appear
ance, every point of it from Carr street
south to Locust being covered with two
feet of water. The lower floors of all
the houses in the district mentioned are
inundated and the goods have been
removed to the second stories. The
storm that swept from the west over the
city early yesterday morning was one of
the most severe of the season, and greatly
added to the danger of the situation. The
rain poured down in torrents. The Signal
Service reports that 0.76 of an inch of rain
fell at Hermann, and 0.30 of an inch at Lex
ington. Heavy rains are reported from
along the Usage and Gasconade Rivers,
showing the fall to have been general. In
spite of the predictions of river men, an
additional rise of foot is certain. The
only accident along the Levee during the
storm happened at the wharfboat of the St.
Louis and ST. Paul Packet Company, foot
of Olive street. The steamer War Eagle
was carried by the force of the wind over
to the Illinois shore. She escaped with but
little injury.
The locality just north of the City Water.
works at Bissell's Point, known as Lowell,
is badly flooded and twenty-five families
have had to vacate their little homes. Many
of the families are living under tents along
the hills facing Bellefontaine road, while
others have no better place than stables and
chicken houses.
EAST ST. LOUIS.
The situation in and around East
st. Louis yesterday was very critical.
The increase of the backwater in the past.
twenty-four hours has been something ex-
traordinary, and the area it covers is now
larger than in 1881. A slight rise in the
river had the effect of booming the food
water and sending it rushing over new
territory. The sloughs between Bloody
Island and the main part of East st. Louis
are more than bankfull, and the railroad
trestles running across them are from only
six to eighteen inches above water. In the
1owlands south of the bridge bad condi
ton of affairs exists. Fortunately that
section is not largely inhabited. The To-
cality known as the sWilIows'' is COM.
pletely inundated, and the water is almost
up to the second-story windows of the
dwellings. Two large ice-houses on the
west side of the Southeastern slough stand
deep in the water. The transfer stables
are in six feet of water, and were aban-
doned two DAYS apo. the stock and
wagons being removed to stables in the
city. Inst Vest Of the stables is col
lection of about fifty frame dwellings.
Every house was flooded to a depth of
three feat. ohliging the occupants to remove
to the second Stories Koehler,s Aour.
mill near the East, ST.. T,ouis Elevator.
stunned running Yesterday morning. ow.,
;ngto tho wafer in the engine-room. II the
water continues To come the Cairo Short
Line, I. & St. L., c., B. & O., and the Lou
1sVllle q Nashville Rallroad yards Will
Suier seriously
VENICE.
The situation at Venice is watched with,
the greatest interest, since not only does
railroad communication with tiic East de-
pend upon the preservation of the dikes,
but should a crevasse occur, an immense
territory would be flooded and enormous
losses be sustained. The dikes and levees'
in Venice and vicinity are in great peril,
and are being watched and strengthened
with cease1ess vigilance. Meanwhile the.
people living in the American Bottom
are living in state of painful suspense.
.,-o~
The river rose between three and four
inckes at Alton Wednesday night, and
came up about two inches more yesterday.
Missouri Point is almost out OF SIGHT
between the two rivers and the
crops there are ruined. The Amerl-
can Bottom, it is hoped, Will es-
cape the fate of the low lands on the MS,
SO ri shore. The Madison levee, completed
only last year at great cost and much nara
I 10 IS ieieu upon W pio'eeo sie ,d ian ;ts
sn,s IN f a ha ana s op,,tortainad
thai. f will irstifv the confidence of those
who built it and those who rely upon it for
salvation from ruin.