Los Angeles herald., 1892-05-21
Appalling Ruin in the Wake
of the Flood
.StupendOus Losses in the Mis-
sissippi Valley.
Fully. $11,0O0,O00 Lost in the vi.
cinity of st. Louis Alone.
Little Improvement IN the Situation.
Lose Of Life in Arkansas-snow
All Over the Northwest.
Gales and Frosts.
Associated Press Dispatches.

AsSOclated Press D1BpatcneS.
ST.. LOUIS. May 2O.-Today's decline
in the river, though it stopped at 35.t
feet, has given the people OF the afflict
ed districts an opportunity to lool
around, preparatory to the next rise
The estimated losses Of the districts inn
mediately tributary to st. Louis are ap
palling, aggregating fully $l1,OOO, ,OOO
These figures, astounding as they
may seem, are considered by com.
petent judges to be extremely conserv-
.ative. In looking at this loss, il
must be remembered that in all the food.
ed territory referred to, practically 1900
square miles, the waters have rendered
it in the majority OF cases impossible for
the farming population to raise crop
this year. All this comes in addition to
the damage actually done to existing
property.
As to the number of persons driven
either from their homes or to the roofs
in the flooded territory, the figures range
from 1000 to 5000 0persons. Beyond this,
in st. Louis at least $1,000 persons are
temporarily thrown out of work by the
stopping of factories by high water.
In East st. Louis there ID no change
from the condition Of the past few days.
The water surrounds the city, but will
probably be kept out OF town.
The railroad situation is unchanged.
The same is true in North st. Louis,
Central st. Louis and South st. Louis,
on the west side, and Madison, Venice,
Brooklyn and East Carondelet, on the
east. All are now anxiously awaiting
the rise now coming from above.
In North st. Louis 100000 feet of
lumber is aAoat, and liable to 60 down
the river. st. Louis county north and
west OF the city is etill under water.
Across and below the city, at East
Carondelet, the situation is worse
than was supposed. On Monday
night the, ieyees protecting the town
the face Of the earth. Many houses
no lives were lost. The true state of
affairs wRs not learasd here until last
night. No aid could be sent because of
the high wind.
All the railroads except the Ohio and
Mississippi are crippled by the food.
Brooklyn, ILL.,, opposite the northern
end OF the city, is under two to five feet
The flood in South st. Louis has thrown
over $4,000 people out of work by shut
ting down factories, etc. The damage
in this portion of the city will exceed
$4,000, 600.
The refugees camped on the bluff at
Caseyville and French Village are more
comfortable, being well supplied with
food and shelter.
The entire American bottom, from AL
ton to Cairo, 200 miles long with an av-
erage width of seven miles. is under
water to the depth of ten feet. All the
bottom lands on the Missouri side, from
here to Cairo and below, are also inun-
dated.
Almost every farm house on both
sides of the river is flooded. The
steamers between here and Cairo spend
most OF their time removing people from
perilous positions. The steamers run
ming north are doing like service.
An Associated Press report of trip
from this city to Cairo, by boat, reveals
sad pictures on either side of the wrath
full Mississippi. Sometimes ten, some.
times twenty miles wide, the river runs,
carrying down great piles Of driftwood,
eating away homes, drowning stock and
submerging bottom lands and islands.
Along the section traversed it is esti-
mated 10000 people are rendered home
less, and 500 900 acres of growing grain
destroyed completely. Every one with
in the low-lying districts along the
river is driven from his home, and the
picture is one too terrible to draw with
pen. a ~