River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1888-05-17
THE LEveE eURSTEo.
The Mississippi Breaks IL Open and Com
pietely mandates the Town of Alexan-
dria, Mo.-Great Damage ResuIts-Loss
of Life Ina the Red River Country.

The Mississippi Breaks IL Open and Com.
pietely Mandates the Town of AleNan-
dria, Mo.-Great Damage Results-Loss
of Life Ina the Red River Country.
ST. Louis, May l4-At IL o'clock Satur
day morning the leyee south of Alexandria,
Mo, broke in several places and a vast
volume of water began pouring into the
town, which was completely inundated. A
spasmodic attempt was made to check the
Irresistible flow, but within few min-
utes the laborers quit ami accepted
the inevitable Ii required less than
an hour to inundate the town, which is COW
cred with water from two to six feet The
water having reached the lower half of the
houses their occupants have sought
refuge in the upper stories of build
ings, where they will be imprisoned
until the subsistence of the flood In the
main streets. The water is fully three feet
deep. The people are compelled 10 90
about In sliffs or rudely constructed RATS
Sidewalks are Overfiowed and skiffs are
landed in the doorways Of private resi-
dences. Business is entirely suspended
There has been no loss of life or great
damage TO properly within the town.
At this point the Mississippi river is
fully seven miles wide. The area of farm
ing land in the Missouri bottoms
that is submerged is estimated at
1900 acres, and continuance Of
the flood will result in a loss to the
farming community of that region of at
least 5000 A high wind prevailed yes
terday, which caused the waves 10 wash
openings in the Warsaw levee, which az
fords protection TO 10000 acres of fertile
Illinois land
The inhabitants of the American bottom
are moving their stock and:portable proper
ty back TO the bluffs. From the experience
of former years they know the ter
ritory covered now with hundreds Of
thousands of waving crops may to-day
be under ten feet of water. Re
ports from the north are alarming
and If the Sny levee or Madison dixie breaks
the loss will be millions. II has been seven
years since the levee broke and the whole
section was inundated; but the seven years
following the levee has been strengthened
along the entire length and confidence was
restored and the valley began TO blossom
like rose. Last year witnessed quite a
boom in real estate at advanced rates, and
last fall thousands of acres were sown in
wheat. A great acreage of corn has been
planted this spring, and it is no wonder
that the anxiety over the safety of the levee
is truly painful.
Advices from the Red river country re-
port that the damage done TO the inhab-
itants of the Red river valley during the
last ten days is almost beyond computa-
tion and the overflow the largest since IS43
Most of the plantations near the river have
been covered with water four to six feet
deep, and many miles of fencing,
cribs and barns have been washed down
and carried away. Many of the people
have lost their household furniture, pro-
visions and corn. At West Norwood a
negro was drowned yesterday trying to
swim from the overflow. Two white men
were drowned at Mill creek and quite
number of other deaths are reported
QC1NCY, H., May 1.-THE river now
stands seventeen feet six inches above low
water mark. The high northwesterly wind
prevailing has created grave fears for the
safety of the levees above and below the
city and large forces Of men are working
day and night strengthening weak
places The levees have BEEN greatly
weakened and a crevasse is expected
at any moment. Should a break occur
over 100000 acres of farm land would be iu-
undated. People living in the threatened
district have fed to the bluffs.
DAVENPORT, Ia, May 14.-Front street is
deluged nearly its entire distance. The
water covers the first floors of hundreds Of
dwellings, offices, factories and business
places. The city Of Rock Island, across
the river, is a worse sufferer. The
water at Nineteenth, Twentieth and
Twenty first streets runs up to Fourth
avenue, and boats and RATS are plying
south Of the Harper House.