The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1888-05-24
The Levess- all Broken and the River
Ont Of Banks.
People Driven from their Homes and
Perehed On the Hills and Bluffs,
soanti'y Clothed and Suffering for
WantO of Food and Shelter.
Thousands of Head of Cattle on Dry
Places on the Levess.
Heavy Rains. the River Still Rising
ana Devastation Complete.
Thousands of Acres of FlOurlshing
Crops Totally Destroyed.

QUINCY, ILL.,, May 1S.-The great
food that now prevails along the Mis-
sissippi river has never been equalled
but once, the single exception being in
1851. Ten days ago the water reached
the danger point, and from that time
has been rising steadily at the rate of
from four to fourteen inches daily.
The government gauge now marks
nineteen feet and nine inches, being
seven inches higher than the great
flood of 1881.
Above and below Quincy are over
one hundred miles of levees, for the
protection of fully two hundred thou
sand acres of land, the most productive
farming lands in the valley. On Sun
day morning the first break occurred
in one of these great embellishments,
known as the Indian Grove levee. Dur
ing the day two other crevasses were
made, and within a few hours thou
sands of acres of winter wheat, that
promised a yield of from forty
to sixty bushels to the acre,
were laid waste. The farmers
had been working on the embankment
night and day in hope of saving their
homes and when the flood came the
majority of them had barely time to
save their families, so sudden and
overwhelming was the on-rush of the
torrents. Outside of the embankment
was the great river, a solid body of
water twenty feet deep and as soon as
a creVasSe was made it poured through
| the opening with a roar that could be
heard long distance. Every moment
| increased the width of the crevasses
and the great flood that was to carry
destruction in the pathway. Thrifty
| homes were deserted on moments
notice from the riders who were sent
out to give warning of the danger, in
many cases people being obliged to
| leave everything and fly to the bluffs
or seek safety in boats.
On Monday Sny Carte leYee, an en-
bankment commencing just below
Quincy and extending south distance
of fify-four miles, gave way between
scenes enacted the day previous were
repeated and intensified. Early in the
week the Alexandria levee, thirty miles
above Quincy, gave way, completely
| flooding that thrifty city. Yesterday
crevasse was made in the Sny levee at
East Hannibal, followed soon after by
another break a mile south, and last
night the destruction in all the levee
| districts was complete. Not an acre in
this vast territory can escape the flood,
and the loss to the farming interests Is
simply incalculable. Cattle and horses
| fairly sWarmed in many places and
many were drowned. The river above
and below the city is from ten to fifteen
miles broad, covering all the farms on
both sides and extending from the bluffs
on the side to the high bluffs in Mis-
| daqnIQtlOn
tween Quincy and Hannibal is simply
pitiable. What was few days ago a
fertile valley, with abundant crops, Is
a vast expanse of water. deserted by
every living thing. The water is pour
ing over the top of the levee, besides
rushing through breaks from three to
four hundred yards wide, with irreSist-
ible force. On dry places on the en-
bankment are hundreds OF cattle,
horses and hogs, without food and no
prospect of drink except where they
would be in danger of being swallowed
up by the floods. Far across, on the
opposite side of the bluffs, are gath
cred hundreds of men, women and
children, in small groups, destitute,
suffering and deSpairing. They look
on the ruin wrought; farms laid waste,
property destroyed. homes almost
completely under water, and furniture
floating. Many of them are utterly
destitute and have not sufficient cloth
ing nor shelter and some are suffering
from lack of food despite the bravery
. of the more fortunate neighbors, who
are making every exertion to relieve
their immediate wants. Steps have
= been taken to aid them and the spirit
3 of charisy is already pouring its album
2 dance to aid them with every necessary
of life.
D Railroad communication to the west
from this city is entirely cut off every
l road being under water. In many 10
!. calities ties and rails for distance OF
many miles have been washed from
I the road bed by the flood and are piled
l up along the embankment and in the
woods. Bridges and culverts viii bC
carried out and the road beds will bC
seriously damaged. In this city thu
factories and warehouses along thu
= river aIe seriously embarrassed an(
I large buildings are being gradually un
I dermined by the rushing waters. I'm
;. less the flood subsidies soon the los
will be much heavier hitherto antici
e pated.
}; Last evening a mass meeting wa
J, held to devise means for the inn
Z mediate relief of the destitute sufferer
! from the flood. For the past two o.
three DAYS these helpless people hay,
been coming to the city in boats,
6l0Bl0 TOW DOdG OlJou COuInlu1LlS al Gil
l. tire family, with such household
% effects as could be quickly gathered
h For ten days it has rained steadily, t.
g add to the suffering. at meeting
y last night money was freely subscribed
, to provide provisions and clothing t.
u be delivered to-day north and south O
p Quincy in charge of citizens relief com
y mittees. Committees were also ar
/ PORTED to solicit aid from citizen
generally. The water is still risin
and the worst of the flood has nc
g been reached.