The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-05-17
THE RISING WATERS.
Ext tonsive Crevasses Reported in
the Lower Mississippi.
SEVERAL LIVES LOST IN TIE WEST.

The Missouri River Is Considerable
Higher Than In f8S3-The Iiissis-
slpi Ten Miles Wide-Dcad Bodies
and Houses Floating Past ST. Louis.
farms and Crops Destroyed.
NEW ORLEANS, May 17.-Yestertlay
Bonnet Care levee, thirty y-three miles
fro m the city, gave way, and the indica-
tions are that a most disastrous crevasse
will be the result. From the best in
formation received SO far the break is in
tho lower end of Bonnet Carre levee and
and in the extreme end of st. Charles
parish, about thirty miles above the city.
Superintendent Dunn, of the Illinois
Central railroad, received telegram to
fhe effect that the crevasse was 100 feet
wide and was washing at rate that
would mean a width of 400 feet by night.
The depth of the levee is seven feet The
Mississippi Valley railroads tracks run
within two miles of the crevasse, and
the Illinois Central railroad tracks are
about six miles away.
Major Richardson, chief state en-
gineer, states that the water will food q
great portion of st. Charles parish in its
course to Lake Pontchartrain. Had the
break occurred further up on the Bon
met Care, the disaster would have
been of very much greater magnitude,
owing to the greater depth of the levee.
He says the damage to the Mississippi
Valley railroad and the Illinois Central
railroad will be very great. Over a
dozen plantations will be flooded by the
break and the growing grain crop
ruined. The city will also be affected,
as the water will fill Lake Pontchar-
train and will back up into the basins,
which means an overflow of the rearpor-
kion of the city. At noon the crevasse
was over 200 feet wide and five feet deep
and was washing badly.
The Missouri Higher Than in 1883.
ST. LOUIS, May 17.-The Missouri
river has reached it's height at Kansas
City and Herman, Mo-, and is now
slowly falling. The crest of the flood
is about twenty miles from the mouth
of the MISSOURI river, and is slowly
making its way towards this city. In
The meantime the rise here will not OK
ceed two inches. The river here now
registers 30 feet, which is 2. 10 of u foot
higher than the crest of the flood in
1888. Relief boats are busily engaged
an rescuing people from islands that
are covered with water and carrying
them to places Of safety. So far but
two fatalities are reported, and these
were the results of foOlhardy attempts
Ito swim across the river.
The Mississippi at this point measured
b.. . feet, and is still rising at the rate
of tenth an hour On the dock almost
all the perishable matter has been re-
moved, so that in the city proper but
little more damage can be done, except
such as naturally is occasioned by flooded
Easements, etc. A reporter took trip
down the river for about forty miles.
Ten miles is the average width of the
river rs far down as the steamer pro-
Needed Hundreds of homes have been
abandoned, and the number Of cattle
destroyed is expected to reach into the
thousands.
Bodies Floating Down the River.
On Mullsnphy island, thirty-five miles
north OF st. Louis, in the Missouri river,
fourteen women and children were res.
lcued by volunteer CORPS. Several dead
bodies have been seen floating i'll the
water. Most of them evidently came a
nong distance. 1t is now a common sight
TO see small houses and various articles
of furniture travelling past.
All railroad traffic over the Eads
bridge has been abandoned, owing tC
Hhe flooded tracks in illinois. The Bur
dington and Alton and other roads run
fplsSeuger trains in over the Merchants
bridge.
New MADISON, Ills, May l7,-The
Madison levee is broken, and all thai
protects this town from being flooded il
tile Chicago and Alton einbankment
Nhe water is within two feet Of the toI
of this and if it gives way, which i
khreatens to do in several places, tn,
town will be flooded and very seriou
damage done. The levees guarding
Horseshoe lake are threatening to Civ,
way at any moment, and danger of {
flood in that direction is also imminent
A Whole Family Drowned.
INDEPENDENCE, Ia, May 17.-Eigh
days continuous rain and cloudburst
bin the eastern part of this county cause
flour bridges to go out and flooded tn
lowlands. A Danish family crossing
bridge which was going out Were al
drowned. The damage to seed in til
lRround is enormous. Pine creek ros
@even feet in one hour.
Fort SMITH, Ark, May 1.-THE Al
kansas river at this point is higher tina
bit has been since June, 1877, and is sti
rising slowly. Thousands of acres c
band in the bottoms between the Arkar
sas and Potean rivers are now unde
water. and people are rapidly moyin
ln,,t IF tha bpttotpa