Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-05-18

banks and all travel and trafnc
by railway and overland Is
eatirely suspended. Al South Purcell
tive bridges are gone and north OF
there are several bad wasbouis. Fifty
miles north Oh here nearly . quarter
of mile OF track is washed
away aud freight train ran
into the opening, burying the engine
in the mud and water and wrecklng
the entire tram. Many largo railroad
bridges are reported unsafe. Ephriam
Biley. aged IL, was drowned in the Cot
tonwood riyer today. A negro woman
with nine children. who lived in q cave
ia the high banks Of the river, are be-
heved To have been drowned. Near
Elreno the wind destroyed five houses
and injured one man, and heavy hai.
ruined crops. At Oklahoma City hun
dreds have been driven from their
homes by rising waters.
AIrox, iIls., May 1.-THE families
who had determined to risk the fieod
by remaining IN their homes in the IN
undated district opposite here called
for help and were rescued today. the
water having reached the roofs of their
houses and they were already standing
waist deep. the parents holding chill
dren In their arms 10 prevent their
drowning. No trains TO or from ST.
Louis have run since yesterday after
noon. and piles of mail matter are
stacked UP here. The water rose four
inches today. and the crest OF tho flood
1t is believed Is now here. Thieves are
robbing many piles of property saved
from the flood and several have been
arrested.
HARRINGTON, Neb., May 17.-This
evening between aud Z O'Clock u
water spout visited this part OF the
town, families were compelled to leave
their homes and seek the higher
places of the town. The Creeks north
and south of town have risen from l5
TO 20 feet during the night.
Hundreds OF dollars worth of goods
which were stored III Easements were
destroyed. Many county bridges were
swept away. The storm seemed to
strike In 200 other portions of the
country within radius of 3 miles or
farther.
OMAHA. Neb.. May 1.-THE east ap-
p1oach OF the Union Pacific bridge
over the Missouri river gave way at
7:30 tonight and as result so foot
gap preciudes all idea of using the
bridge for some time. 1t has been
raining here since O'Clock last eyen-
ing. The water coming down in tor
rents and as q result the small streams
are rushing rivers. The Mississippi
Is rising rapidly. Its chanel
has shifted TO the east bank
and is rapidly eating away the filling
in the bridge approach. and it IS feared
that more OF the bridge will go out.
The bottoms are flooded and the SQUAT
tiers have been compelled to seek high
ground. Reports from the state report
heavy rainfall with accompanying
floods. Half of Beatrice is under
water and much damage has been
done.
LAWRENCE, Kan, May 1.-THE Kaw
river at this place is rising rapidly and
ia nearing the highest point reached by
the flood the past week. Two inches
of water fell here this morning in about
an hour. Union Pacific officials and
the owners of the dam have been
warned 10 prepare for the food which
IS coming.
CHICAGO, May l7.--Rain is falling in
torrents tonight throughout the states
Of Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, indiana
and South Dakota and nearly all
streams in this district are already out
of their hanks.--Fnrther. Enormous
losses by Moods will result at Jefferson
vile, Ind, this afternoon. a hurri-
cane did great damage to barns, fences,
orchards and telegraph wires. The
storm was twenty-five miles in width
and lasted thirty minutes.
NEW ORLEANS, May l7.-All efforts
at closing the bonnet carre levee break
were abandoned today. IL is now 400
feet wide and twelve feet deep. The
water, instead of running toward Lake
Donchartrain is sweeping southwark
through st. Charles anu Jefferson Par
ish. and twenty sugar plantations will
be flooded.
WASHINGTON, Mo-. May 1.-THE st.
Lvu,s. Kansas City & Colorado railroad
track is washed into the Missouri river
for three miles below Deters. At
Augusta the river is seven miles wide,
and the fertile Labadie bottoms, ten
miles square. are flooded. Twenty
families have lost everything there.
The City of New Haven is in
danger of inun6ation. Berger's
bottom, fifteen miles square, nearly
ali ia wehat is entirely flooded
hundreds OF head of stock are lost.
The Missouri river from St. Charles up
is about thirty feet above low water.
and will average from three to SIX
miles wide.
GREENvILLE, Miss, May 17.-The
worst transform seen here IL years
broke tonight with heavy wind. that Is
increasing the danger OF Ievees break
ing. although the river is stationary
tor forty-eight hours. The water from
the Panther forest ievcc is gradually
covering many plantations in Arkansas
aud the loss will he enormous.
ST. LOUIS. May l7.--It IL estimated
that over 200 "a uare miles of land, the
most fertile farming lend in the stat3,
is under water on ''the point" The
wheat crop has been entirely de-
stroyed. Farmers will have to begin
the season when the waters recede.
Borchertown. village about three
miles north of st. Charles,
is all under water. The
ferry boat Fawn steamed into
the man street OF the town ut dusk
last night and tied up To tree IN a
mans yard over night.
Henry A. Chapel. farmer who
lives about nine miles north of here,
was seen on the root of his house. lie
hailed the boat which could not get L.
him. lie said he was in itnmlnen.
peril and would lose his life II help did
not soon come.
CAIRO, H., May 1.-THE Iron Noun
tain railway between here anc Popular
Blnfts, No. - flooded and the track
partly washed away. Traffic has been
suspended. Az Dudley everything il
flooded by the highest water ever
known. Thirteen railroad bridges on
the Cotton Belt aud Iron Mountain are