The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1888-05-17
4 GREAT WESTERN FLOOD.
The Mississippi River Doing Much Damage
People in the Lowland Fleeing
in Disnay.

DAVENPORT, Iowa, May l2.-The
Mississippi river has been above the
danger liIe for four days and is steadily
rising. At midnight the water w;ls
within nine inches OF the highest mark
reached, which was in the great fresh
ct of 1880. Several manufacturing eS-
Establishments have been compelled to
close, and many families living in the
lower part Of the city are moving Us
rapidly Is possible. The damage caus-
ed directly and indirectly by the giving
way yesterday Of the government WI
ter power dam, connecting Arsenal Is
land with Illinois, is placed at over
$2OO,0O0. The Mississippi now divides
ut the head of the island at Rock Island
and current of ten miles an hour car
ries the water downward, cndangering
business blocks both here and in Rock
Island.
BUSINESS P.ARALIZED.
DUBUQUE La, May l2.-The MissiSS-
ippi is within six inches of high water
mark here. The damage already done
in the washing out of railroad tracks,
levecs and the destruction Of dwelling
houses on the lowlands is heavy. y
majority of the manufacturing rStaD-
lisEments in the city have been obliged
to shut down and many men are made
idle.
On the levec all the stores have scv-
eral inches Of water Oh the first floors,
and it is impossible to receive or ship
goods. Many families, who have fled
from the flooded districts, ur" living in
tents or seeking shelter in public build
ingS. The river in some places is Sev-
er;ll miles wide, and entire farms arc
under water. The damage all around
will reach into hundreds of thousands
Railroad tracks are under water,
steamboats, cannot do anything, a>
freight cannot be handled at til" lrEcc,
and business is paralyzcd.
TRAIN SERVICE ABANDONED.
KEOKUK, Ia, May l2.--The river has
risen to such depth over the track OF
the keokuk and Northwestern road as
to compel the abandonment of train
service between here and Quincy. AL
eXandria, five miles below this city, is
in danger of being submerged. The
wateris already making its way through
the leveeS in spots, but citizens ar.
fighting in hope the rise will stop be
fore the water pOurs over and flood:
them out. In the iowlands below the
town the water has spread over Il vast
area and farmers will suffer great dam
age Manufacturing here has been al
most totally suspended. The Rock
Island car shops are flooded and acces:
to them is had by means of skitts.
HEAVY LOSS TO CROPS.
QuINCY, Ills, May 12.-Apprchen
sions are felt for the safety of the levccs
and they are being constantly patrolled
1t is feared they will be washed away
in which event great damage woulC
ensue. Farmers report heavy loss It
crops in consequence of orerhoWc(
lands.
INHABITANTS PANIC-STRICkEN.
ST. LOUIS, May 12.-The river is il
an ugly mood here and rising rapidly
Telegrams from Canton and Alexandra;
state that the river has almost reached
the flood stage Of 1882, and that railroad
tracks are under water and inhabitant:
panic-stricken at the outlook. Farmers
on American bottom, betWeen Afo
and Cairo, are greatly agitated and fcal
repetition of the great inundatlon O
1852.
FLEEING TO THE UPPER STORIES OF
THEIR HOUSES.
ST. LOUIS, Mo, May 13.-At II o.
clock yesterday morning the levee stu
ated south of Alexandria, Mo, broke il
several places and a vast volume O
water began pouring into the town
which was completely inundated. :
spasmodic attempt was made to CHECK
the irresistible flood, but within a few
minutes the laborers quit and accepted
the inevitable.
1t required less than an hour to inun
date the entire town, which is covered
with water from two to six feet, sub
merging almost every foot of ground
The water having reached the lower
half of the houses their occupants have
sought refuge in the upper stories Of tht
buildings, where they will be inIpriSOn
ed until the subsidence of the flood II
the main streets the water is fully three
Iecl Nctp, cllculllSCIlDlllS lHe HloHS
ments OF the population and rendering
transportation from one point to an
other possible only by means ofsllitts ol
rudely constructed RATS. The sidewalk:
are overfioWed and sllittS are landed il
the d0orwayS of private residences.
Business is entirely suspended. There
has been no loss of life nor great dam
age to property within town.
At this point the Mississippi is fully
seven miles wide, and within the range
of vision one vast eNpanSe Of water
greets the eye. The area Of farming
land in the Missouri bottoms that i:
submerged is estimated ut 5000 acres
and the continuance of the flood vii
result in an approXimatcd loss to the
farming community of that region of a
least 1890, 900. \ high wind is prevail
ing to-day, which caused the waves II
wash openings in the Warsaw lev"c
which affords protection 10 osomc G0,00t
acres Of fertile Illinois land.
The Problem Of immigration.