St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-05-19
Lashed necessarily by the
Angry Waters, Levees
May Crumble.
Many Careless People Re-
ported Drowned at Lin
coin, Neb.
Two Thousand Homeless, With
Houses and Property
Swept Away.
Countless Thousands Worth
of Damage Done by Re-
SiStleSs Waters.

ST. Louis, May 19.-The Mississippi
passed the thirty-six-foot mark at p.
NJ. 1t is rising steadily and slowly.
THE wind has added its force to COM
plete the desolation and damage COM
menced by the waters. A strong gale
has prevailed throughout the flooded
section the entire day. Lashing water
against the 'leyees and embankments
that have so far withstood its force, they
are likely to crumble away.
FTonight all hope Of saving the town
of Madison, in the northern part OF st.
Clair county. ILL.,, was given up. 1t is
believed that the town will be under
six feet of water by tomorrow morning.
Tonight the main portion of East St.
Louis is still safe. but the water is
threatening. But for several railroad
embankments the city would be All
island. These embankments connect
it with the Eads' bridge to the west and
the Pittsburg bluffs to the east. Many
of the residents nave moved already.
The American bottoms, the most fer
tile section of Illinois, is now a sea
twenty-five miles long and five miles
wide. Thousands of acres of farm
lands which one week ago were green
with the growing crops, and which
promised to yield an abundant harvest,
are now beneath from 10 to 90 feet of
water. The crops are lost, at least one
third of the stock drowned, all the
| farm houses are under water and many
of them have been tloated awav. Worst
ef all, the deposits of sand and gravel
! left by the river when it falls may leave
the land utterly valueless. The loss in
this section alone will run into millions.
The work OF
Rescuing the Farmers
from their house tops and supplying
them with food is being prosecuted with
great vigor. From above and below
come stories of additions to the area
overhowed, but fortunately little loss of
I life in the section tributary to this
i city is to be reported. AT Alton,
ILL.,. today. two unknown men
we're seen to sink in the river
before aid could reach them they passed
from sight. The water works at Alton,
| it is expected. will soon have to close
down, as have practically all the manu-
featuring establishments. The town is
cut off, too, from railroad connection
with st. Louis, and mails get to the
town now in the assistant postmaster's
gripsack, via boat.
South from Alton, in the American
bottoms, the damage in the aggregate
lis almost incOncelvable. Many OF the
7 Presidents of this section are still in
water-suroun ded homes, dependent
upon such help as is sent them in the
| way of food, etc. Practically all the
rest of the people there have fled to
higher ground, abandoning their homes
Il to the mercies of the floods.
n The water is still rising. The break
at Nameoki, previously reported, is let
| ting large amount of water into Madi
son, and wash-O out in the Clover Leaf
] track is giving Venice ample bathing
facilities,
Apprehension Is Felt
| for some of the inhabitants more re-
mote from the village in the vicinity.
| To-day a report came that K. K. Cham
berlain and family, near st. Louis, in
!. flooded district, were drowned. WI nile
I#not verified, it is feared they and others
Fare drowned or isolated and starving.
L The rise in the river i'll North st.
I Louis is greatly increasing the damage.
| The lumber of the city, nearly all the
yards being in that section, is. entirely
Submerged. Here, too, the river is en-
croaching upon the banks, washing
away large sections, and it is hard work
to prevent serious damage. Hundreds
of poor people, living in the lowlands,
have been compelled to move.
Along the levee in frontOf the city the
great Father of Waters is making his
way farther into the first floors of build
ings there located. and all business is
transacted by boat to second floors, ex-
eept in seme few saloons, where patrons
stard.on RATS, in more than knee-deep
water, while pouring down their par
| tieular brands. Boats are still able to
take IN cargoes. but with difficulty, and
if the rise goes much further it will be
impossible for freight to reach the
wharf boats and business will have to
suspend pending fall.
BEATRICE, Ne5., May 1S.-.A heavy
rain has deluged this city and has
driven fully forty families from their