Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-05-14
MENACED BY A FLOOD.
Thousands of Thickly-Populated
Acres in Nebraska in Danger
FROM THE BIG SWOLLEN RIVER.
1t Is Now Twelve Feet Higher Than 1t Ever
Was Before, and
RISING EIGHT INCHES EVERY HOUR


OMAHA, NEB, May 13.-The danger of
the high water in the Missouri river at this
point was realized to-day when the alarm
was sent out that the food was rapidly
cutting its way to the old bed of the river,
which was deserted nearly half century
ago. The changing of the channel left a
tract several thousand acres in extent on
the Nebraska side, formerly Iowa land.
This was improved by capitalists, and is
largely taken up with manufactures, resi-
dences of laborers and hundreds of railroad
tracks.
AS the case now stands, the river is the
highest it has ever been since the memoir
able spring of 1881, when, on April 25, it
reached an altitude of % feet 81 inches
above low water mark. 1t is now II feet 8
inches above this mark, and rising at the
alarming rate of inches an hour. At this
rate it will require but six or seven hours
to bring it to level with the surface of
Florence Lake, in which event an avalanche
of water would rush down this narrow val
ley and engulf in twinkling of an eye al
most the whole surrounding country.
Many houses are in the direct path the tor
rent would take in case the break is made
and anxious property holders gathered at
the threatened point, breathlessly watching
the inroads of the furious torrent
Tons of Earth Being Dislodsed.
Separating the extended northern arm of
the lake proper and the river bank is a
space of not more than 80 yards, and this
is being encroached upon with velo-
city that Will not require more
than the time above mentioned
to turn the raging waters of the river into
the channel cut years before the settlement
of the country. The thunder of caving
banks is heard at frequent intervals above
the continuous heavy roar of the river, and
it is not an infrequent occurrence to see
hundreds oftons of earth, brush and general
riff-raff part from the solid bank and 90
boiling and foaming into the resistless
river.
The prevailing opinion among the men
watching the earth-annihilating torrent is
that if the rise continues tomorrow even
ing the river must inevitably plunge
through and over the ancient bed, in which
event the whole country from the original
west bank to the main road, running north
from the railroad bridge, must surely be in
undated.
Already the whole country between the
main highway on the west and the river is a
veritable quagmire, absolutely impossible
to vehicles OF any description and danger
Gus to cross either afoot or horseback.
The First Accident of Note.
The first damaging accident as result of
the heavy water fall was the collapsing of
a wing Of the county hospital. The build
ing is only recently completed. The walls
of the north wing were noticed settling this |
and the inmates were removed. |
While the inspectors were examining the |
interior walls, without any warning the |
corridor over which the men had passed not |
two minutes before fell with a loud crash, |
hlling the garret with dust and debris. A
second later there was another crash. As |
.he floor was too weak to stand the strain,
.he whole mass fell to the main floor, and |
.or moment 1t sustained its load, but |
inally broke and the whole mass of brick,
mortar and plaster tell to the main floor be-
ow.
The corridor walls swayed back and forth,
'ut at length they strengthened up and are
low standing all bulged and twisted out of
hape. The men hurriedly left the build
ng, expecting that the outer walls and the
oof would go next, but they stood the
train, though they looked as though a
yclone had passed over that section Of the
country. The damage is $4,000. A patrol
"a /
warning if the danger became imminent.
Worse Than the Flood of 'S3.
A special from st. Louis says: The Missis-
ippi river has passed the danger line. At
20 clock tonight it stood at 81. s feet, rise
f over foot since last night, and it con-
inues to climb upward. The farmers ele-
ator now stands 600 yards out in the river,
ut is in no danger, as the water is practi-
ally dead. The Wabash tracks, for dis
ance of ten blocks, are covered
nth water from two to ten feet
Sep. In order to do their switching
train of empty cars four blocks long is at
ached to each engine, thus keeping the
out Of deep water. Switchmen
ave been standing all day almost up to
heir necks in water. Goods from the levee
warehouses; are being rapidly removed, as
he waves are now splashing in on the first
oors, even in the central part of the city,
here the levee is widest. The Missouri
iver continues to raise, and there is now
o doubt that the flood of 'S3 will be sur
assed.
A special from New Orleans SAYS: The
Mississippi continued to rise slowly to-day.
It Hermitage, La, an old Ievee was cut, in
rder to let in the water against the new
me- but it came in too rapidly and the town
flooded in some two feet of water. At 5
M. the levee broke on the Arkansas side
the river, about two miles south of Ar
ansas City. This is the second big crevasse {
oove New Orleans, both in Arkansas. 1t !,
already 400 feet wide and promises. to be
oublesome and destructive, both in Ar 1
Il fhav, 1,