The Portland daily press., 1888-04-07
SWEPT AWAY BY THE FLOODS.
Iowa People Leap to the Ice From
Their Totterlng Homes
Reused from Sleep by the Approach
ing Flood.
Along the Missouri, the Scenes OF
1873 Recalled.

MASON CITY, Ia, April 6.-The ice in the
Shellrock. river formed an immense gorge,
miles in extent, and in some places 20 feet
high :recently. The heavy rain Thurs
day raised the water, loosening the
gorge which came down with such force that
everything in its course was swept before
the flood. The village Of Rock Falls was
completely inundated. Houses and barns
were crushed and swept away, and in some
cases, no vestige remains of substantial
structures. The house of Mr.. Cruikshank
was crushed like an eggshell The husband,
hearing the roar of the torrent got out OIL
bed, and before he could light lamp, the
water in the room was up to bis waist. lie
pushed the children through trap door, foi-
lowing them himself, his wife with heT M Dape ;.ss
refusing to leave. The woman rushed with
her child to the upper story OF the mouse
lust as it was yielding to the Hood. Inc
others escaped through the roof, jumping
on the floating ice where they remained two
hours until daylight, when the neighpors
rescued them.
The house in which Mrs. Anderson lived
with her five children was swept from Its
foundations and fioated against some trees,
where it lodged, the inmates escaping on the
floating ice where they remained barefooted
III tiltlI uiHnb CAobhDo hitiA aaJ "~%N@~
rescued.
Miles of fences are town away where. the
water was never known to reach before.
When the water receded, It left immense
piles of ice in the streets. Cakes three feet
thick arelstacked upon each other 10 or 10 feet
high. 1t will be weeks before they melt. 1t
now looks like an immense Arctic scene,
with the roofs of house protruding through
the ice A large relief party left here for
Rock Falls this morning. An iron bridge
155 feet long ana dam were carried away.
Along the Missouri.
SIOUX CITY, April 6.-The flood on the
Missouri Immediately above Sioux City has
been the highest and most disastrous since
the memorable inundation of the spring of
1881. The region inundated is the low
ground on the Dakota side above Sioux riy-
er. The country is thickly settled and con-
tains considerable live stock. Last Tuesday
night the gorge which had caused all tne
trouble suddenly broke. The confined Hood
rushed down the stream with terrific. force.
The rise at Sioux City was ten feet In two
hours and the lower part OF the city was
threatened. Yesterday the river fell some
but il was still very high. lt is tnOugnt no
lives we're lost.
Elk Point is diminutive island in vast
sea of angry waters. The country there Is
thickly settled, and many farmers had al
ready removed their live stock to the Dluifs.
Most of the houses are built on emlnences,
but in most cases the flood overtiowed these
Also Some live stock was lost, but now
much is not known, as 1t has been imposSi-
BILE to reach the country. just below Elk
Point the county authorities have dug an I'M
mense ditch along the line of the lowest de-
preston, northeasterly toward the Sioux
river, to carry off flood waters. This ditch
carried flood of waters with great violence
in the Sioux river, above the ST. Paul prldge.
There was thus vast river, several miles
wide, sweeping across the lcwlands. 1t
plowed out the ditch and tore away fences,
haystacks, small outbuildings, and every
thing in its way. tits now learned from the
superintendent Of the Milwaukee Company
that about four miles Of the railroad track
Point. The violence of the current
may be i1ferred from the fact that
about mile and a quarter of the track, In
Guiding railroad ties and iron, has been car,
ried two miles away from the road bed and
left in the fields.
Wisconsin Inundated.
SHEBoYGAN, April 6.--The great railroad
bridge at Sheboygan has been thrown out OF
plumb, by high water in the river. Several
factories along the river front are inundated,
and throughout the State the rivers are oy-
erflowing their banks and devastating the
country for miles about.
Four BOYS Drowned.
DEs MONIES, IA, April Cedar river in
Iowa, is higher than for several years. A
wagon load of men and boys in attempting
to cross small tributary yesterday was
washed down the stream and four boys were
drowned. The high water has damaged con-
siderable mill property.
Rising a Foot an Hour.
WAvERLY, Ia, April 6.-The city is visit
ed by one Of the most fearful inundations
ever witnessed. The Cedar river is rising
a foot an hour.