The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1883-06-24
BATTERED DOWN BY FLOODS
A GREAT RIVER LEVELLING LEVEES
AND DROWNING TIE LAND.

-fND DhOUNlNO HE LdNN.
The Deiass Sweeping Over ThousanSs ef
Acres-PeopIe Fleeing to the Bluff while
the Mississippi Invades their Homes.
ST.. LOUIS, June 23.-The catastrophe that
has been impending hero for several days has
Mt last occurred. Tho Madison levee bsoko Mt
an early hour this morning. and all the country
between tho towns Of Venice and Mitchell. ILL.,.
lying north OF East st. Louis. Is under water.
Not only arc the crops totally destroyed. but
tho rush OF water has torn and cut tho land 10
pieces so that II tho waters should recede i'm
mediatcly the face OF the country would be so
changed as to be almost unacceptable. Tho
Madison levee Is an embankment In Madison
county. ILL.,. along tho Mississippi River. 1t
was built to protect great area OF the finest
farming lands in the State lying between the
river and tho bluffs. These low lands are
known as the American bottoms the same
name also applying to the rich farms above,
back Of. and below East st. Louis. The head
Of Madison levee is directly opposite where tho
Missouri River cmpties into tho Mississippi
and 1t was the pressure from this stream that
caused the break to-day.
Two crevnsses wero opened at the same time.
Those who saw the breaks say that great
wall Of water. noarly twonty feet high. rushed
In. and almost instantaneously the country
was converted into lake. Many families.
hoping against hope, still stuck to their little
homes In the low lands. feeling almost as II to
| OF getting livelihood. All they had In the
an tho nsS rasE ns S r. 70 hs
morning the waves flashed over the land like
an electric shock, and IL an instant the flight
gathered their children and fied, Willie. in
nearly every instance fathers stayed behind to
sSme,inr Of Their propsrty As
loss Of life is reported. but In the great excite
h "a, Ss the extent Of the calamity
leyee was very little morel hive held II check q
and threatening to tear down the bulwark and
there was population Of 5000 souls. The
Of venyc Shoutesn, and Naneoka, With az
area OF s; 76O acres each. or a total Of $50
@s sssS Ms"h tca 1850
Of wheat in the American bottom at the pres
ger OF flood are valued ut $50 per aero for
wheat, $50 per aero for potatoes, and sl5 to
Of the land is teeming with one of the best
spa that ,hs land has
bottom. Robert Kruger. speaking OF the d.
mSn , ms, OF The country; puts y at Twelve
|
the river to tho bluff. in 1874 q stcamb9at
discharge cargoes ut several landings now
more than ten miles from the main channel. A
a s aea sdme By
whom, owned their farms, while a majority
rented their places 4 partial list OF tho suffer-
$ Ss;:; T.; ss;; 5;S" sis"s: 81
Widow piasrs Co. ErHss s"rysr @; renSros %;
Wolff y; Tom RENDER, oo; Nies fardlsr 10; oliver
's;l ae S!sw s'SRs
"a ~ eSr.
These people lose al! their farming utensils.
crops, and fences, In many instances even
stoeE wsss d
The Chicago and Alton 2. Railrosd embankpent
1000 acres more. The water is slowly creep.
Ing up and IT'S OK pected to g over the track
are being made to relieve tho pressure
by, cutting the Madison levee about two
below hs &c SO as to
PUSHES inland through the breaks above. II
this can be done. there is, still some hope Of
saving q portion OF the lands but us the river Is
still rising and bids fair. according to reports
from above. to continue to rise. there is small
ment 1t will meo, with but feeble resistance in
Its flow toward the city OF East st. Louis Bow
zens OF East st; Louis base their hopes. and
every energy is being cxerted to strengthen 1t.
The sum OF 100000 would not repair the
damage done already. and the end is not yet.
can bottom lying south OF East st. Louis
brought news last night that what is known as
the Fish Lake dixie had broken. The break is
l5o feet wide 1t turned 20 LII the Mississippi with a
When tho weak spot was discovered u
battle with the waves commenced that was
terrific in its cHrncstnGss. For ten hours pre-
cedinG tho final catastrophe y hundred men
hurled in sand bags md car loads Of coal. in
the hope that the dixie could yet be saved
Hundreds of pcoplc,,men, women. and chill
c S@ t thS nny
solicitude they felt for their homes and fields
Had the workmen succeeded in holding this
nonta an area ra, Of fifteen square mile,
the break occur, than tho widest excite
ment prevailed. The farmers hnslcned TO their
homes to look after tho safety Of their house
hold effects, stock md families. In every di.
women carrying their children in their arms,
while the dreadful roar of approaching waters
added constnrn4tion. strong men fairly wept
to see their lei ieas Of Gr9jn in many INSTANCES
destructive tide which swept across them with
t terrific hforncsei The roar could be Dis
ons The panic. stricken intaj.anis hn H,f"i
to and fro trying to got their families md stock
to higher land. The destruction and loss result
ing from these disasters have no precedent in
the the history OF this nnrt Of the country, Men
are to-day ruined. The individual losses in
many, eases will add mp. by thousands. The
total loss n Tx last mentioned disaster is esti
| Obituary.