The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1888-05-19
A RAGING RIVER.
Water Now stretches From Fight TO
Ten Miles Across. Appearing
Like an Inland Sea.

says;
The high-water mark OF 1851 was
reached at one o'clock to-day. and at nine
tonight the gauge registered nineteen feet
or two-tenths Of foot higher than was
reached duing the food OF 1881. The water
Is now within about one aud half feet OF
the stage reached IN 1851. that being the
highest ON record. The loss 20 the lumber
and mercantile interests OF this city VIII be
heavy. owing TO the suspension Of railroad
traffic. The tracks Of all lines on this side OF
the river are covered TO such depth as 70
render.thc operation OF trains an exceedingly
hazardous undertaking. In many places
tracks and bridges have been washed away.
To-day the rail- Dads were busy protecting
their tracks. and construction gangs and
stone-trans were kept moving about.
In the lumber district the situation con-
tinues TO grow more serious, and u Is diff
cult 10 approximate the loss that Will re-
result The roads leading from Illinois and
Missouri are flooded to depth that will pre-
vent people from coming 10 this city I'm ye-
hices. In the lower part OF the city the
river extends from Dluif to blum, making IL
about two miles wide. Where the Des
Moines emptes into the Mississippi, the
water OF the two streams has spread over
thousands Of acres Of farm land ana sub.
merged them and the town OF Alexandra
20 a depth of six feet. At that point the
river Is estimated 10 be from seven 10 ten
miles, and has very little resemblance to a
river.
tits not thought that the highest point viii
be reached here until Wednesday. Ad-
vices from above indicate that the river was
at a stlnd.
At Alexandra, Nc, where the levee
broke In several places yesterday, spas
modic attempt was made 10 check the ire
s.stible flow. but within few minutes the
laborers quit and accepted the inevitable.
IL required les than an hour 70 inundato
the entire town, which Is covered with
water fIom two 10 six feet, submerging al
most every foot Of ground.
The water having he'd half the houses,
their occupants have sought refuge in the
upper stories of buildings, where they will
be imprisoned until the subsistence OF the
flood In the main streets. The water Is fully
three feet deep on the average. rendering
transportation from one point 10 another
10 slble only by means Of skffs or rudely-
constructed RATS. Sidewalks are overfowcd
and skifis are landed in the doorways of
private reh lences. Business, OF course, IL
Suspended. There has been no loss of life
nor great damage 10 property within the
town.
At that point the Mississippi Is fully seven
miles wide, and within the range of vision
OF vast expanse Of water grects the eye.
The area Of farming land IN the Missouri
bottoms that Is submerged Is estimated at
$4,000 acres. aud a continuance OF the food
will result In an approximated loss TO the
farming community Of that region OF at
least 100000. A high wind rs prevailing
to-day which caused the waves to wash
open ngs In the Warsaw leyee. which at
fords protection t. some $4,000 acres of fer
tile Illinois land. The report which reach
( ed the city that the levee lad broken mt a
point four or five niles outh or Warsaw
could not be verified at Keokuk.
At burlington. Ia, the river rose about five
inches during the last twenty -four hours.
The stage now is about ten inches below the
mark OF 1881, and as reports from above are
that the rise has ceased fears OF any very Sc
rious loss here are abating. The river here
presents the appearance Of great lake, the
water seeming to be up 10 the branches Of
trees on the Illinois shore, and stretching to
the foot OF the bluffs seven miles beyond,
dotted here and there by isolated farm
houses that appear TO have been built I'm
sea.
No damage to buildings or loss Of live
stock has yet been reported. but the loss TO
farmers must be serious, rs In many cases all
hope OF raising a crop is gone. In this city
the loss Is 20 far confined 10 the stoppagc Of
lumber and rollin y-mills and the flooding Of
steamboat warehouses There is no change
IN the railroad situation.
At Dubuque, Ia, the river has been on n
stand for forty-eght hours on n gauge OF
twenty-five feet four inches. but four inches
below the high-watcr mark OF 1880
Advices from the Red River country re-
port that the damage done 10 the inhabitants
OF the Red River Valley during the past ten
days Is almost beyond computation. and the
overflow the larg st since 1s43. Most OF the
plantations near the river have been covered
with water from four 10 six feet deep. and
many miles Of fencing. cribs, and barns have
been carried away. Many OF the people have
lest their household goods, provisions and
corn. In several places the river extended
from the hills Of Arknn~as 10 the hills OF
Texas, a distance Of ten 10 fourteen miles
AZ West Norwood a negro was drowned yes
terday. Two white men were drowned I'm
Mil creek, and quite n number Of other
deaths are reported. Planting in the bot
toms will all have TO be done over again.
The high water which has been running
over the stone wall Of the Moline, Ill, water
power for days Nc 1870 Friday carried away
large section Of tho bulkhead which runs
across the south channel OF the Mississippi
between Rock Island arsenal and the main
shore. Thus bulkhead was constructed Of
heavy blocks OF Nauvoo stone. and was 700
feet long. Five hundred feet Of this wall
has disappeared, and II Ia believed that the
rest has been 10 demoralized as 10 need re-
building. The wall cost the government
fi00,t0l. The tide OF water comirr down