Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-05-26

food disaster has overtaken this city. This
morning great wave came down the Floyd |
river. which flows through the centre of the
city, and which was already swollen bank
full. The wave came few minutes after
o'clock.
Warning had been given but short
time before TO the inhabitants of the low
lands. but only few of them had been
notified. The first intimation was vol
niue of water spreading over the banks to
q depth of three feet and throwing Il mist
of foam from il. In few minutes the
water had risen above the first floors and
several thousand fed in terror to the higher
ground.
At least II persons are drowned. The
water rose four feet in one hour and Il half,
and from 8 o'clock continued to rise
steadily, but not so rapidly. SO rapid was
the rise of the tide that great numbers
were unable to escape, and the work of
rescue engaged the energy OF the people.
At II o'clock IL persons were reported
drowned and there must be many others.
The only names obtained so far are Nellie
West, child; Mrs. Louise Horner and two
children.
AT O'Clock the fire alarm was sounded
to call out more workers. All the boats
from the boat houses on the Sioux river
had been brought in and are being used TO
save life and property.
The Missouri river is very high and
when the flood in the Floyd river struck it
the water damned up and rushed over the
adjacent low grounds. The stock yards
and packing houses were situated at the
confluence of the two rivers, and they
were instantly inundated. About 1000
head OF live stock were drowned. Many
numbers of dead stock have also been seen
floating down the Floyd river.
The whole railroad yards and switching
track district is under water, and there has
been immense damage to the round houses
and railroad property; The round-houses
Omaha are damaged to the extent of
$4,000. The Illinois Central and Sioux
City ~ Northern enter the city by the
Floyd valley, and all are stopped. Not a
train left Sioux City to-day.
At l p. m, the water had reached to
Jennings Hotel, on Fourth street. The
Hotel Fowle and the Boston Investment
Company's building are surrounded with
water: The Union Depot was cut of at
o'clock
II is estimated that 5000 people have
been driven from their homes. All busi-
ness is suspended The Chamber of Com
merce organized this morning for relief
work.
Before noon the ladies had several soup
and lunch houses opened for the flood suf
ferers. 1t is impossible ye: to estimate the
loss Of property, but il will be large There
is only one telegraph wire working out of
makes 1t impossible to adequately tell the
story of the flood.
THE DIES MONIES RIVER RAMPANT.
KEoKuK, Iowa. May iS--The Egyptian
levee is still firm, but may break within
day il the rivers continue to rise as they
have to-day. The Des Moines river is
reported to be rising its entire length, the
rise ranging from half u foot at Alexandria
TO three feet at points above. The Misss-
sippi is also rising. Rain fell at intervals
all day and wind is blowing a gale. Rock
Island trains are delayed indefinitely by u
washout at Grand Junction.
At Fort Dodge the Des Moines river Is
rising two inches per hour. The Little
Sioux Valley is under water and it is
feared the loss of life will be heavy Trains
on all railroads are hours late or aban-
doned, and the Illinois Central and Min
ncapolis IL st. Louis lose heavily by slides
and the washing away of bridges and en-
bankments.
At ottumwa the water in the Des Moines
river reached the highest point to-day since
the great floods of 1851. The electric light
plant shut down and the city is in dark
ness tonight.
SERIOUS RAILROAD wATu-ouTs.
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Ia, May 1s.-The
Union Pacific grade in this city has been
washed out BY the incessant rain and
travel over this line from here is sus-
pended. The through trains Of the Chi
cago, Milwaukee and st. Paul and Chicago,
Rock Island and Pacific which pass over
the Union Pacific bridge all lay in the
yards here and can get no further.
SPENCER, Iowa, May 1S.--A fearful wind
and Erain storm from the northwest is
raging here. Such fall of water in Il
similar length of time has never been
known, The river Sioux has raised two
feet and continues to rise. Three to -four
hundred feet OF the Chicago, Milwaukee X
st. Paul tracks were washed out at creek
two miles east of this city, the track being
carried entirely off the right of way. ThS
entire country along the river is under
water.
THE MISSOURI HIGHER THAN EVER.
LEyENwoRrH, KAN, May lS.-The Mis-
souri, river at this point is higher to-day
than at amy time during the present
freshet. The water to-day carried away
the pontoon-bridge and swept it dowl
stream.
Sioux Cry, IA, May l0.-According IL
the latest kilograms the flood has been ever
more disastrous in its results than was n
first anticipated. The estimates as TO thu
loss of life vary from go to 100. No lis
can be given of the dead. In fact, the
terrorized people have sought refuge in Sc
many quarters that it is impossible to ex
actly figure what the number on the dcatl
roll will be.
Some heroic scenes were witnessed il
the attempts to save the unhapp,
victims. AT the Omaha bridge. Mrs. Wes
and her 5-yearsold girl were unable to ge
away from the flood in time. The fathe
and two children were saved and th,
rescuing party was returning for Mrs
West and her child when the waves swep
the house away. They iloated down Will
the roaring current until the bridge wa
reached. An engineer succeeded in saving
the woman, but her strength failed he
and she was compelled to relinquish he
hold on her child. With despairing or,
Of "Mama," the child disappeared beneatl
the waves.
AT the manufacturing suburb of Iced
nine persons arc known to be drowned
Four were drowned at Springdale. Oh
servers ON the high bridge counted L
bodies that swept under it.
. Matt Roe, an old sailor, saved 2S lives
"A woman who managed to wade TO a bo,
"A car was there seized with labor pains am
= gave birth to child. and two hours lale
was rescued.
A woman named Hinton and thre
children were drowned i'll their own house
Two Swedish families were swept away.
A TOWN FIVE FEET UNDER WATER.
SALfx. a.. May 19.-.This town is fiv
feet under water. The damage TO propert
land stock is immense. All business is at
stand-stil.
UNPRECEDENTED RISE IN THE MISSOURI.
6T. JOSEPH, Mo-, May l9.-rhe highes
point reached by the Missouri river sine
the present food is now discounted. tn