The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1888-05-24
FIELDS ENGULFED.

he Deluge In the Mississippi Valley
Shows No Sign Of Abatement-Rafns
Keeping the Rivers Ont of their Banks
Terrible Destruction All the Way
from Iowa to Arkansas-Great Suffering
Among the Residents Of the Flooded
District Relief Measures.
ST. Louis, May 19-Yes.erday's reports
from the flooded districts are from Keo-
kuk, Ia, to the remote parts Of Arkansas,
and show terrible destruction. A Louisi-
ana MO- dispatch says that the breaks in
the levee here caused the river to fall about
foot since Thursday night. but the
food is increasing in the Sny dis
trict from one end to the other. An
other break occurred below this city
Thursday night. and the torrent is now
rushing from the lower end Of the valley
to meet with the flood coming from the
other break above. A great many of the
Sarms are ten feet under water and the
buildings almost ruined. Crops will be en-
tireiy destroyed. The only remaining hope
of the farmers is that the water will go
out in time for a late corn crop.
QUINCY, ILL.,, May 19.-Thc water has fall
en- two and half inches, and many are
hopeful that the floods have attained their
height But the Dcs Moines river, which
emptics into the Mississippi forty miles
north, is rising, and it is feared the worst
is yet to come
The first loss Of human life was reported
yesterday morning. Before there had been
number Of narrow escapes from drown
ing in efforts to rescue stock, but no one
had been drowned.
In the Indian Grove district 10 families
were rendered homeless. They are obtain
ing partial shelter in barns on the bluffs,
while many are still in the upper stories of
their flooded houses. All are suffering,
but are being cared for by ncighbors.
In the Sny levee district there are several
thousand people deprived of shelter They
can be found on the bluffs or any high
ground camped with nothing but tents to
protect them. Many of them are almost
without clothing, having been driven from
their homes so quickly. There is much
suffering among them even for food The
damage to railroad property is very large.
Miles of track arc washed out and many
bridges gone.
Three relief expeditions, organized by the
Quincy Whfg, Friday visited the flooded
families Of the Sny and Indian Grove
levec districts, and report great deal OF
discomfort and suffering on the part
of the refugees, who arc cncamped
on the high lands in tents or wagons, with
scanty clothing and food. OF the 150
families rendered homeless in the Indian
Grove district many are partially sheltered
in barns and sheds Of farms not in
undated, and tho attention of more
fortunate neighbors has SO far pre-.
vented actual want. The misery and want
of the homeless families in the Sny dis
trict is reported still more absolute. Al
least GOO men, women and children who
have saved nothing but perhaps q
few chickens and escaped in cloth.
ing insufficient to protect them from the
weather are in great need of assist
ance. The investigators found that the
railroad property in the submerged dis
ricts had suffered great loss. A thou
sand yards Of both the Chicago Burlington
4 Quincy and the Wabash tracks were
found to be washed away.
KEoKrK, Ia, May l9.-There was very
slight decline Of the water late Thursday
but the rain that set in at ? o'clock served
to keep it at standstill. Measurement:
recently taken show the stage Of water to
be within less than a foot Of the great rist
| Of 1851 TIE railroads are all blockadet
! and will not be able to resume for week
| even should the worst Of the flood be over
| No further damage is reported from thu
village Of Alexandria.
I HANNIBAL, No, May f9--Grcat damage
has been done in the lumber district here
I by the food. and the loss TO the property
| holders Of the Sny district is incalculable
\ Old citizens are Of the opinion that the rise
I is not yet over.
! OFALoN. Mo-. May ia-The heavy rair
| has added largely to the increase of watel
/ in the flooded districts Much uneasines:
/ is expressed on account of the continued
1 rise of the Mississippi and Missouri. Th'
/ Culycrt river has risen over three fce
since morning The loss already done I.
wheat and corn is very considerable.
FEARFUL FLOODS IN ARKANSAS.
| ALMA, Ark, May l9-The hardest rains
for many years have been falling in Ar
| kansas in the last two days, and tn.
streams are overflowing. Immense cottol
fields and corn bottoms are submerged ant
the country is suffering general inun
dation. So quick was the rise from
the Big Frog creek that the people wer,
forced to fee from their homes and som,
were compelled to swim for their lives
Many women and children are standing OF
the tops of houses crying for help, with tn,
water ten feet deep around them and still
rising. 1t is feared that several lives have
| been lost.
A waterspout in Crawford County cause,
Frog bayou to overflow and submerge owe
10000 acres of corn and cotton, which ar
/ completely destroyed. The rise was yer.
sudden. People took refuge upon house
tops, from which some were rescued il
boats, others remaining on them all night
The Frisco & Valley route tracks are unde
water. Two bridges have been washe,
| away and no trains are running Mucl
stock has been lost.