Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1892-05-20
DISASTROUS FLOODS.
Many Lives Lest and Millions Of Dol
lars Damage DOne.

lars Damage Done.
SIOrX CITY, Iowa, May 20.-The Floyd
: river, which luns through the center OF
town, is one mile wide, and Thousands Of
homes are under water.
So rapid was the rise Of water that n
great number were unable to escape and
the work of rescue engaged every energy
OF The people. The principal business
portion of the city is flooded. Hotel
Fowler and the Boston investment com
pany's buildings are surrounded with
water. The Union depot was cut off at
O'Clock yesterday. 1t is estimated that
5000 people have been driven from their
homes. All business is suspended. The
chamber of commerce has organized for
relief work. Before noon the ladies had
several soup and lunch houses opened for
the flood sufferers.
The scenes along the verge Of the
waters were pitiful. The loss Of life will
be very large. 1t is difficult in the con
fusion to learn names.
At Springdale, suburb, a woman stood
for five hours in the second story 6f a
house 900 yards ont, holding her baby
]
in the attempt to rescue her.
The difficulty has been the wind
which has blown great gales all day.
Houses are being blown up all the time.
There is neither gas light nor electric
light, as both plants are under water.
Latest developments show the flood to
be almost Johnstown disaster.
Estimates place the loss at about 49,.
100000. The packing interests and stock
yards lose 81 100000; the railroads ST.
100000, and the city and individuals 81
100000. Nearly $500, 900 worth of cedar
block pavement was destroyed, being torn |
up and carried away by the flood.
Estimates as to the loss OF life vary
from sixty to 100. No list of the dead
can he given. In fact, the terrorized
people have sought refuge in so many
quarters that it is impossible to Judge
exactly what the number on the death
roll will be.
Some heroic scenes were witnessed in
the attempts to help unhappy victims.
Observers on the high bridge counted
fifteen bodies that swepG under it. Matt
Roe, an old sailor, saved twenty.eight
lives. woman who managed to wade
to box car there gave birth to child,
and two hours later was rescued. For six
or eight streets from the river the water
was lar above the second stories. The
Hood at its height extends from Court
street to Floyd bluffs and from the suburb
OF Lynn to the Missouri river. This com.
prises district five miles long and mile
and half wide. For distance of mile
and half above Floyd the bottom is
densely populated. A large portion OF
the Inhabitants are poor people employed
IN packing houses, railroads, etc.
IN OTHER DISTRICTS.
st. Louis. The ancient village of
kaskask'a, the former seat of the empire
If the Spanish power in the Mississippi
valley in the early days, and the first cap {
tai of Illinois situated about forty miles {
south of here, is surrounded by water,
and courier has been sent out to ask for
relief and rescue, as the lives q
If some 400 people are in danger.
At East Carondelet, six miles south of
East st. Louis, there remains but very Y
mail amount of dry land. All last night /
md this forenoon relief boats we're busy
escuing the people and their effects. =,
Kansas Clty.-The Missouri is still :.
aislng. There has been an average of !,
lalf an inch of rain in the past forty-eight
lours on the Missouri and about two
inches in western Iowa. The river here u
will probably reach Sc 5 and will not a
ecede below thirty six feet in the next O
en- days.
Argentine and Armourdae are again CT
L
Harlem is nothing but a sheet of water, p
nd on this side of the river the Missouri
'ottoms are slowly subsidiDg under the G,
vet element. r.
Fort Dodge, lathe worst deluge for a,
nany years visited this section night be- cf
ore last. Rain commenced falling about
O'Clock in the afternoon, and at s O'Clock
like succession of cloud
ursts came. Water fell in sheets, and
he city was inundsted. The rain con-
nued during the night, and by morning pl
tx inches had fallen. The Des Moines p
iver rose seven feet during the night,
nd morning found 1t a raging torrent. :"
his rise was the most rapid ever seen 70
ere. The river is now at dangerous m
eight and is still rising.
Keokuk, la.,-The Egyptian levee is ra
ill firm but may break within day if 70
ne rivers continue to rise. People living if
/ districts protected by levees can do
othing to prevent them being cut into by -.
le currents, but are merely waiting and "a
repairing for the worst. III III
Des Moines, Iowa-The situation here 81 81
verv serious. Hundreds of people are u
loving to out.oftown districts. The in.
ications are that the river will rise an tn
ther foot, and if 80 the other half of town so
i'll be flooded. St
Anna, Iii. - Thousands OF acres of tn
heat land in the Mississippi bottoms in sa
MON and Alexander counties are flooded tn
y the overflow of the river. Farmers
e fleeing to the hills and merchants at Sc
le river landings are removing the mer- NJ
landlse from their stores in skiffs. fri
here is much suffering, and the loss OF tn
'operty will be great. fri
Salix, lowa.-This town is five feet pc
lder water. The damage to property
Id stock is immense. All business is at
standstill. ne
Spencer, Iowa.-A fearful wind and III
in storm is raging here. The Sioux sll 1n
yer has risen two feet and still rising. ue
Perry vile, Mo. - Bois Brule bottom ~
i'll be flooded in a few hours. ce
Minneapolis has rained here all OF po
month. The present stage OF water is
'ble to. cause much anxiety to lumber l..
en-. The booms are already full and Ri