The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1883-07-05
THE FLOODS SUBSIDING.
The Mississippi Falling Slowly and Conf
dence Being Restored-The Worst
Thought to be Over.

1hOuSnC TO DC over.
ST. LOUIS, Mo-, June 81.
After rising for twenty-six days, and
reaching the highest stage of water known
since 1858, the Mississippi, to the gratifica-
tion of all, is subsiding slowly. At six
O'Clock yesterday evening it had fallen one
inch, when the Government gauge at the
foot of Market street registered thirty-four
feet ninc inches. The decline will proba-
bly, not be rapid, but will be sufficient to
greatly lessen the danger of the situation
when the anticipated "June rise" comes.
The kilograms from Upper Missouri River
points bring Information that the rise from
the mountains has begun, but over a week
must pass before the effect will be felt in
the neighborhood of st. Louis. 1t is the
opinion of many of the river men that the
worst of the food of 1888 has been seen.
In East st. Louis the news that the river
had commenced falling caused universal
rejoicing. The situation yesterday was
considered more favorable, and it is gen.
orally believed that tho worst is over. No
further danger is feared unless there should
be heavy rise. Every dangerous point
about the town is well protected against
any possible influx of water, and work
goes ON constantly. While elated over the
change, citizens and railroad officials are
as vigilant as ever, and prepared for any
emergency. At Bowman's dixie yesterday
everything appeared safe. The water in
the slough had gone down three inches
since Monday morning, and the fall was
perceptible. The new ridge Oh the dixie is
considerably above the sweeping water,
and it will require heavy rise to cause any
weakening. Cahokia Greek was higher,
however, caused by the influx of water
from the breaks at Venice and Brooklyn.
The current was quite swift, and for the
first time in four days running in its nat
ural direction down stream.
In the region known as the " willows %
and at different points ON Bloody Island,
the inundation is extensive, and many
| houses, nearly 400, are still in deep water.
Some families have been obliged to leave
their homes and, take quarters in box cars
| on the railroad tracks. .,.
The leak at Jarrett's Station has been
stopped and no danger is feared for East
st. Louis in case of the embankment being
cut. In the old railroad yards, midway
between the Relay Depot and the junction,
there is water over all the tracks. A dixie
about two feet and half high was built
between the two west tracks and those east
| of them. On the east side of this dixie
| there were four inches Of water, and on the
west side about twice as much. The water
very nearly found o level, there was no
pereeptible motion to. it. The principal
| danger along the line of the Alton Road is
| from the ground moles, which, driven from
their usual haunts by tho watcr., have made
their way to the road, d,bed, the only dry
ground they can reaeh. They are in count
less numbers, and are continually burrow,
ing and loosening the track below its sur
| face, SO as to concentrate in springs tho
water seeping through. Probably from
though not serious, break below the water
line occurred yesterday afternoon, about a
mile above the junction. An extra force
Of men and liberal supply Of sand-bags
stopped tho flow and restored confidence.
Later reports from tho flooded farming
region to the north and south of East st.
Louis show that hundreds of thousands of
| dollars worth of ripening crops have been
destroyed and hundreds of farmers ruined.
| A great number Of families have been left
absolutely homeless.
| Immense Loss Above Chester.
| EAST CARoNDELEr. ILL.,, June 26.
The river at this point came to stand
last night, since whou it has fallen three
Inches, a fact hailed with great joy by our
people, who, for the last ten days have lived
in painful suspense, hedged in on every
side by the threatening waters. 1t is now
confidently felt by all that the crisis
is past Further south, in the vicinity
of Fish Lake, the ruin wrought by the
waters simply beggars description. At tho
eastern end of the dixie, which crosses the
lake, is narrow strip of land connecting
two ridges across which the farmers of the
neighborhood had constructed a temporary
levee; which up to twelve o'clock yesterday
held the water hack from about 1000 acres
of corn, potatoes and wheat. For sever
days and nights the farmers have battled
in the hope that just this little spot at least
might possibly be saved, but all their eff
forts proved fruitless. The water steadily
crept up the crumbling banks, and at noo1
the workers threw down their shovels, a:
the waters burst through, laying waste the
last of the crops.
In the vicinity of Smiths Landing, Hnr
risonville, Chester and Grand Tower, thu
situation was but duplicate of that pre-
sented i'll the Fish Lake country. Th'
entire bottoms from East st. Louis Il
Chester on the Illinois side and from st
Mary's to Bailey's Landing on the Missouri
side being inundated, save ali occasiona
knoll here and there.
In an interview with Mr.. Welsh, ex
Sheriff of Randolph County, it was Learned
that the st. Mary's levee, opposite Chester
broke night before last, loosening tho water
of the Mississippi upon 200 900 acres of whca
that was ready for the reaper, and accord
ing to the opinions of those competent t,
} Judge, would have yielded thirty bushel
to the acre. The town of St. Mary's i
partly submerged, and is still furthe
threatened unless the water should subside
From Chester to Grand Tower, q dis
tance of twenty five miles, the situation i
even worse than in the st. Mary's Bottom
The bottoms between these points repre-
sent an average width of ten miles; henc
in this locality alone an area of go squar
miles is said to be fully three-fourths unde
water, while the influx continues to sprea
| out, swallowing up the rich fields.
In the neighborhood of Kaskaskia th
same doleful aspect presents itself. Th
ing waters, the inhabitants having alread
telegraphed to Chester for a boat to conve
them to the latter place. The breaking {
Levee No. l, in the vicinity of Smith
Landing, which occurred at two o'cloc
yesterday evening, destroys the last hope {
saving anything in that part of the bottom
!, Sufferers Near Mitchell.
MITCHELL, ILL.,, June 20.
At what time last night the waters bega
to fall no one knows, but when the peopl
, about Nameoki got up this morning the
{ found that during the night the great lax
, in front of them had gone down seve
, inches. Visitors in from the country r.
ported that the water in Big Lake had goT
down foot, and that the backwater frol
Venice, which last night threatened to Ell
l tirely submerge Zimmermann's farm, thrt
f miles southeast of here, had fallen mol
e than foot, consequently thore was fee
ing of great relief here. Those who su
r fered from the overflow of the Wabas
tracks think little of their loss, as on 1
farm are more than four or five acr
: flooded. ALI the way down to the breaks
n Kinder tho water has lowered also, so tn
t everywhere in Madison County there hi
. been a decline. The actual number
acres now under water in three township
of Madison County is thought to be abo
i 1000 acres and the entire loss is placed
near $500, 900.
Viewing the Flood from n Hand-Car.
STAUNTON, ILL.,, June 26
A newspaper correspondent with Gre
| of eo1ar ctartad from, bera ot two O,clo