St. Paul daily globe., 1892-05-16
TEN MILES WIDE.
The River About ST. Louis Looks
Like an Ocean.

Like an Ocean.
ST.. LOUIS, Mo-, May 49, The river at
10 %. IN. measured $40 feet. and is still
rising at the rate of tenth an hour.
On the docks most all perishable matter
has been removed, so that in the
city proper but little more damage.
can be done except such as Is
naturally occasioned by flooded base
ments, etc. A reporter for the ASsocl-
ated Press took trip down the river
for about forty miles today. The sftua--
ton viewed from the pilot house OF the
steamer is one which ut first glance IS
seen to be most serious. Thousands OF
acres, Oh which week ago the
waving wheat was growing, max
ing rich carpet OF green,
are now vast lakes of water,
whose surface is broken by floating
pieces of furniture. dwellings. and here
and there body of COW or hog. From
bluff to bluff this is the unbroken mo-
notony that greets the eye. Ten miles
IS the average width of the river as far
down as the steamer proceeded. Hum
dreds of homes have been abandoned,
and the number of cattle destroyed is
expected to reach into the thousands.
AT MOntesanO and Rock Bridge num-
Der of RATS were seen transporting
households from those places to the
bluffs. just below Smith Point on the
same piece of land were over hundred
cattle with death by rapidly encroach-
ing water made but the question of a
few hours. Bends island. on the ILL
nOiS side, is three feet under wa
ter. Near here on the Missouri
side, in the vicinity of the white
house is the st. Louis, Iron Mountain q
Southern railroad track. The emhank-
ment. which is dealt vigorous blows by
the rapidly flowing current, has in many
places been undermined and no trains
have been run over the track for thirty
six hours. Untold damage will be suf-
tered by the railroad company
at this point alone. Up the
Merrimac river the backwater
has undermined the foundations
of ever a hundred houses. 1t is stated
that two ST. Louis peddlers were
drowned early this morning there, but
their names could not be learned. At
Fosters island 1000 acres of fine farm
ing land are covered with two feet OF
water and all hope of raising a crop this
year has been given up.
Opposite jefferson barracks on the
Illinois side of the river number of
houses have been undermined by the
flood and wrecked. 1t is believed.
however, that all the occupants
escaped. Reporters stationed on the
have seen several dead bodies
floating in the water. Most of
them have evidently come long
distance. 1t is now common sight to
see small houses and various articles of
furniture travelling past. All railway
traffic over the Eads bridge has been
abandoned owing to the flooded tracks
in illinois,. The Burlington, Alton and
other roads ruiz passenger trains III over
the merchants bridge. r.
The Walker soap works. Laff1en
Powder eompang;s depot, Meyer &
Hanson Fertilizing company's establish
men is and several dairies and ware
mouse es are all flooded. and work has
been stopped. There is little to be said
of the situation OH the Illinois side. 1t
has not changed materially since last
night. Tbe flood has crept some
higher and did corresponding amount
of additional damage, but so far as
known no lives have been lost. About
200 more houses have been wrecked on
account of weakened foundations, but
furniture and all movable matter was
taken from them several days ago.
The most serious aspect is found near
Venice. Between there and Brooklyn
is a small dyke. The water backing up
on the Brooklyn side is flooding several
fine farms. and the owners of these
went down this morning to cut the dyke,
as by so doing the water would run
through on to the Venice side, where.
the land is lower. The Venetians,
however, are satiShed with the amount
of water they now possess, and about
twenty of them armed with shotguIs
are patrolling the dyke to prevent any
attempt to cut it. The Brooklyn men
are determined to drain their side. Up
to midnight no serious trouble had been
reported, but both sides were OH the
alert, and before many hours a conflict
NAV enSue.