The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-05-08
BIG FLOODS IN ILLINOIS.
PEOPLE IN MANY TOWNS CAN GET
AROUND ONLY IN ROATx
Ottawa. Ia snlie, Peru. and Utica are
Among the Heaviest snnercrs-An Bnsis
ness nt q Standstnl-Trame suspeAdea
on Part OF tho Rock 1siAad Railroad
Losses Reported Al Over the State.

Among the Heaviest Sunercrs-Au Husss
ness NJ q Stana.t,il-Trams Suspended
on Part OF the Rock IsiAad Railroad
Losses Reported All Over The State.
CHICAGO. May 27-Tloods. waterepouts. cloud
bursts. hurricanes.an nd fierce thunder and light.
ming have kept a good portion OF Illinois in .
turmoil for nearly a week. Every stream In the
State Ia swollen. or out OF It's banks. and
scores Of towns are cellar-desp In water. The
rainfall has been unprecedented. For four
days and four nights the water came in sheets.
accompanied by tho most deafening thunder
and vivid lightning.
Railroads havo been washed out. buildings
moved from their foundations. and cattle
drowned by the hundreds. Even in Chicago
the water rose to great depth on The prairie
land. carrying away sidewalks and destroying
roads,
Tho greatest damage Is reported from the
cities along the Illinois River. Seas Of water
are over Ottawa. Marseilles. Peru. La Sale.
and Utica. Boats are used for communica-
ton. and their twinklins lights glisteninR
over the unbroken sxpanse OF water add to the
appearance OF ruin which ia all around them.
Despite al efforts. the manufacturing district
of Ottawa was covered BY water this afternoon.
As the waters rose building after building
would close down and the employees leave to
await the subsiding Of the Hood II will be
two or three days before the more fortunate Of
the flooded factories can be entered ut all, and
It will take much longer time to remsvs the
accumulations OF mud and debris which came
with the inundation. Ottawa will be helpless
for a week at least.
Marselles. La Sale. and Peru are in an even
moro desperate condition. At Marseilles the
river is more and more dreaded as the levees
weaken. There is little hope that they will
eto Oh ND Il kho
threatened district has removed all property
to high ground.
At La Sale the situation 10 even more des-
perate than 1t was last night the water hav-
ing advanced from two to three feet all around
tho city. and the manufactures. the water
works. street railway. and electric light plants
are still under water.
The same condition 10 present at Peru and
in both cities all business 10 practically sus-
pended. At Utica the waters hAvs snoroaehed
still further upon the lower end Of the village
from the river and the outlets east and west
are blocked BY water.
At Lacon all traf1io is suspended. Bridges
have been swept away. and trains have stopped
running on the Rock Island. between Peoria
and Bureau. The bottom lands are submerged.
and no corn will bs raised ON thousands Of
acres.
Seven and three.auarter inches OF rain has
fallen at Hennepin since last Sunday. Spoon
River has been rising at furious rate all day.
and now threatens Lewiston and Bushnell.
One half mile Of track Of the Toledo. Peoria
and Western has been washed away at Bush
nell
The great marsh dixie. fifteen miles long
and protecting strip Of bottom land about
two miles wide. gave way at a point opposite
Pekin last night. The crevasss is about 900
feet wide. and increases rapidly. as the Illinois
River has now reached stage not exceeded
since 1914
There are about eighteen families living In
the bottom. but tho greater portion have re-.
moved. There is q good deal Of stock stiD in
the bottom. The situation at Elgin and
Joliet has improved. the water in the Des.
PLANES River having dropped two feet in the
past twenty-four hours From tho southern
portion Of the State reports come OF tremen-
dous damage and a continuance Of storms Of
rain and wind.
BURLINGTON. Ia. May THE Mississippi
River at this point is five miles wide. having
overlooked the lowlands between here and the
bluffs on tho Illinois shore. Much damage to
crops will result.
Trains on the St Louis. Keokuk and North
western are abandoned on account Of flood
at Alexandria. Mo- Word from that place to.
day says the entire town is under water from
two to six feet. and all communication through
the streets 10 by boats or RATS The river IL
still rising.