The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-05-18
Villages and Farms Covered by the
Swollen Waters of the Mississippi
Several Serious Breaks In the Levees on the
Illinois Side, Which Threaten to Sweep p0f
Everything in the American Bottoms
Thousands of Farmers Forced to Desert
Their Homes and Take to the Hills


BECOMING DANGEROUA
Levees on the Illinois Side of the nissis-
sippi Giving Wsy-A Great Flood.
SPECIAL 10 the Indianapolis Journal
ST.. Louis. May 1.-THE flood situation
is more serious tonight than il has been
since the water began rising At9P.M.
the gauge registered S5.4 feet. with the
river stationary. although having rising
tendency. An lnoh of rain fell throughout
the Missouri and upper Mississippi valleys
last night, and this water will begin to
reach here in the morning. 1t Is raining
heavily here tonight. and general rains
are reported throughout the valley. In all
probability the river will go over thirty
six feet before coming to stand-still.
The greatest danger is in the American
bottoms. on the Illinois side The levees
to the north have given away and only the
Chicago s. Alton railroad embankment is
holding back the floods. OF course q great
deal depends on the point at which the
break may occur as to the amount of dam.
age done. At present three quarters of the
American bottoms, which is tract Of land
twenty-five miles long by five miles wide.
is under water. The prominent cities In II.
East St. Louis and Madison. are still safe.
they being higher than the surrounding
country. but the towns of Venice Brooklyn.
East Madison, East Carondeiet Center.
vile Station, Forest Lawn and Cahokia
are under from five to twenty feet Of water.
At least ninety square miles of the most
fertile farming land Is inund ated and thou
sands of farmers have been driven from
their homes and forced TO seek refuge on
the Pittsburg hills, which lie east of tho
flooded district They are without shelter.
sudden rise of the water to leavo oil Of
their belongings behind. Their condition
has become so desperate that to-day q COM
mittee headed by two Catholic priests,
Father Dietrich. of Cahokia, and Father
Mayfus. of Centerville Station, went TO
Belleville, the capital OF st. Clair county,
Illinois, and appealed to County Judge
Boneau and Mayor Weber for assistance.
Judge Boneau came TO 81. Louis and ar
ranged with Governor Francis for the loan
of $50 tents belonging To the State that
these people may be sheltered. The priests,
while at Belleville. told the United States
reporter that there were 150 families gath
dred people. They were without shelter
of any kind.
ATTEMPTS TO CUT LEvEEs
There is liable to be bloodshed before the
food subsidies over attempts to cut levees.
Serious trouble was threatened hear
Nameoki, q station on the Chicago 81 Al
ton. about three miles from the river when
it 10 In Its channel. Nameoki lies south of
the tracks. The entire country north Of
town Is flooded. and the railroad embank-
ment is all that saves it. Early this morn.
ing the water began flowing over q low
place In the embankment between Name
oki and East Madison. The water soon
flooded East Madison. Then the citizens
of that town started TO build o levee TO
protect themselves. This would have
thrown the current through Venice. Al
though the last-named place is under water
the citizens did not like to be placed be-
tween two currents, as their houses would
be swept away. They turned out in force.
and threatened unless the levee was
stopped to cut the Chicago & Alton en-
bankment and Hood the entire country,
Work was stopped. Venice has an armed
guard protecting the Brooklyn levee. This
levee shields the town from the waters
which are pouring through the town OF
Brooklyn.
During last night and to-day several
more big crew asses occurred In the tracks
of the Chicago d Alton and Big Four rail.
roads between Alton and st: Louis The
VILE and Alton and the towns of
Grafton. Epsap. McCluskey. Newbern and
Haines are cut off from all communication.
General Manager Fisher. who was at Alton
from $50. 600 to $4,000. The gauge shows
3O.5 feet this evening and the river is still
rising. The work of relieving sufferers
in the flooded districts is going on.
large steamers and two tugs have been
busy all day, and six hundred people and
one thousand head of stock have been
taken to Alton from the food
ed country. Scenes of the greatest
The havoc wrought by the flood to the ag-
ricultural interests near Alton is the great
est financial calamity that has befallen
this district In nearly half a century. The
shortage OF crops will be SO great as to
make perceptible difference in the supply
of the metropolitan markets.
The Missouri river at st. Charles ten
miles from the mouth. Is almost on Q stand.
having risen only about one inch to-day.
The bottoms in the forks of the Missouri
and Mississippi are.worse overhowed than
in 1888, although the Mississippi 10 not az
high as then. This Is caused By simul-
taneous overflow of the two rivers. which
vast triangular sea of water. twenty-five
miles on two sides and twelve st
it's base. This river Is dotted here ana
there by trees and roofs of houses. Ii is es-
timated that over two hundred square
miles of land the most fertile farming land
in the State, is under water on the point"
The wheat crop has been entirely destroyed.
Farmers will have to begin the season anew
when the waters recede.
Boschertown, q village about three miles
north of st. Charles. 10 all under water.
The ferry boat Fawn steamed into the
main street of the town at dusk last night.
and tied mp to tree in q mans yard over
night.
dispatch was sent to St Charles from
st. Louis to-day saying passing boat saw
Henry Acheppal. farmer who lives about
nine miles north of here on the roof of his
house. He hailed the boat, which could
not get 10 him. He said ne was in imml-
nent peril and would lose his life if help
did not soon come
Advices at midnight state that two
breaks have occurred in the Chicago &
Alton embankment One near NameOki,
ILL.,. the other near Mitchell. This means
that the entire bottom viii be flooded.
Train and mail service are all badly af.
facted by the breaks this afternoon and to-
night.
STATE OF THE RIVERS.
FaII