Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-05-14
TerribleW WesternFloodS
The Rivers Rising Rapidly and
 Whole Towns in Danger.
RUSHING RIVERS FOR STREETS.

Railroad Tracks Submerged and Trains Abandoned = Alexandria, Mo-, Under Water, and Families Driven to the Up per Stories of their Houses for Refuge. ST. LOUIS, May 14-Advices from the Red River country report that damage done to the inhabitants of the Red River valley during the past ten days is almost beyond computation, and the overflow is the largest since 1S43. 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, provisions and corn. In several places the river water ex- tended from the hills of Arkansas to the hills of Texas, a distance of ten to fourteen miles. At West Norwood a negro was drowned try ing to swim from the overflow. Two white men were drowned in Mill creek and quite @ number of other deaths are reported. Plant ing in the bottoms wiA all have to be done over again.
 The levee south of Alexandria, Mo-, has broken in several places, and vast volume of water poured into the town, which is com pletely inundated A spasmodic attempt was made to check the irresistible flSod, but within few minutes the laborers quit and accepted the inevitable. It required less than an hour to inundate the entire town, which is covered with water from two to six feet, submerging almost every foot of ground. Water having reached half of the houses, their occupants have sought refuge in the upper stories, where they will be inn prisoned until the subsistence of the flood in the main streets. The water is fully three feet deep, circumscribing the movements of the population and rendering transportation from one point to another possible only by means of skiffs or rudely constructed rafts
 Sidewalks are overfowed, and skiffs are landed in the doorways of private residences. Business is entirely suspended. There has been no loss of life nor great damage to prop erty within the town.
 At this point the Mississippi is fully seven miles wide, and within the range of vision one vast expanse of water greets the eye The area of farming land in the Missouri bottoms that is submerged is estimated at 75, ,000 acres, and continuance of the flood will result in an approximated loss to the farming community of that region of at least $300,000. A high wind prevails, which causes the waves to wash openings in the Warsaw levee, affording protection to some 6O,OOO acres of fertile Illinois land. The report which reached the city that the levee had DTOken dC g. pOlQG IOur or uV6 miles SOuGh or Warsaw could not be Verified at Keokuk
 ROCK ISLAND, Ills, May 14-Upon the stability of the railroad embankment of the Rock Island and Peoria road, which bounds the city on the south and west, depends the safety of 300 families. Should the Mississippi | force its way through this elevation and the | dyke which protects it, 8 large part of the most thickly populated district of the cisy | would be submerged, and hundreds rendered homeless. The water is still gradually rising and much anxiety is felt.
 KEoKUK, Ia., May 14-At2 3 o'clock yester. day the stage of water in the river at this point indicated that it had reached the high est marked attained during the flood of 1881. | Since that hour the rise has continued. In that portion of the city where all the lumber business is transacted and the blaming mills saw mills, packing houses and railroad shops | are located, business is entirely suspended and hundreds of men have been thrown out of employment. The river at this point ex tends from bluff to bluff, all the low land or both sides being submerged, and Is fully two miles wide. On this side of the tracks of al railroads entering the city are under water In some cases portions of the tracks have been washed away.
 | CASSvILLE, Wis, May 14.-The ware houses along the river front are flooded, ano the Burlington and Northern depot and many residences in the lower part of the village car be reached only by boats. Thousands ol acres of farming and meadow land are inun dated.
 DIES MONIES, 1a., May 14-The Des Moine. and Raccoon rivers continue to rise steadily and are now higher than at any former tim. in ten years. The low lands bordering thes, streams are all submerged. Fully fifty houses in this city are surrounded by water and deserted by their occupants.
 BURLINGTON, Ia., May 14.-The river i rising rapidly. It is now fourteen and hal feet above low water mark. The Chicago Burlington and Quincy has abandoned train between Burlington and Keokul, and vii probably be compelled to withdraw its train from the Burlington, Carthage and Quinc, line. The Iowa Central has abandoned train east of Keithsburg.
 HANNIBAL, Mo-, May 14-Ths dry levee i still intact, but farmers fearing the wors are abandoning their homes and with tbei household goods and stock seeking places o safety. A large force is engaged night an, day in strengthening the weak places in tn embankment.
 Floods in New England.