The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1892-05-26
COUNTING THE COST.
The Losses by the Floods in the Vicini
Of st. Louis Estimated at @11 200, 600

| The Losses by the Floods In the vicinity
Of st. Louis Estimated at S11 200, 900.
SPRINGFIELD, ILL.,, May 21.-Dr Reilly,
secretary of the state board of health
returned Friday from tour of investi-
CATION in the inundated distric,
along the Mississippi river from
Alton south. This investigation
was begun with a view of an
tlcipating the possible results to the
public health from the unusual floods.
For the present it is believed that there
is nothing for the state board of health
to do until the water begins to subside.
A circular of advice and instruction
will be prepared for publication before
that time looking to diminishing the
sanitary dangers which are anticipated
from stagnant water, wells and other
sources of water supplies polluted by
the overflow and similar conditions.
The governor has given orders that
the tents, blankets, cots and other
quartermaster's stores at the arsenal
be used for the temporary relief of the
refugees of the inundated bottom lands,
and should these prove inadequate the
United States quartermaster's stores at
Chicago will be drawn upon. Supplies
of food and other necessaries thus far
are abundantly furnished by the more
fortunate nei yhbors of the distressed.
ST. LOUIS, Mo-. May 21.-The decline
in the river, though it has stopped at
35.6, has given the people of the af-
flicted district an opportunity to esti-
mate the losses of the districts, i'm
mediately tributary to St. Louis, and
the figures are appalling. Here they are:
St. Louis county, So, 600, 900: St. Louis
city, 81, 100000; st. Charles county, 49,
900, 900; the American bottom, from
Alton, ILL.,. to Cairo, S., 900, 900 (this in
cluding East st. Louis and vicinity
total, $11,OOO,OOO. These figures,
astounding as they may seem,
are considered by competent Judges
extremely conservative. In looking
at this loss it must be re1nemb bered
that in all the flooded territory referred
to, practically 1.5o9 square miles, the
waters have rendered it in a majority
of cases impossible for the farming
population to raise crop this year.
In St. Louis at least $4,000 per-
sons have been temporarily thrown
out of work by the stopping
of factories by the high water The
outlook is perhaps no brighter, but cer-
tainly no darker, and it is believed that
what has been done by way of protec-
tion, supplemented by further work rem
dered possible by the breathing time
given, will suffice to avert further seri-
Gus damage.
SIOUX CITY, Ia, May 21.-Added to
Sioux City's other calamities was a
wind and rainstorm which reached all
! over northwest Iowa Friday and lasted
! all the forenoon. The air was very
cold and it was impossible to keep the
! homeless people from much suffer-
ing, for hundreds of them are still
housed in Luiidings which cannot be
! heated, as the furnaces are under wa
ter. Well organized local committees
are actively at work raising funds for
relief and collecting clothing for the
! destitute.
The loss on property is variously es-
timated. 1t has been placed as high as
! $1,000, 600, but Mr.. Heizer, of the Jour-
nal, who had obtained conservative
opinions, says it will not amount to
more than $1,25O,0OO, divided as fol-
lows:
Packinghouses NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. S4O0 600
! Railroads by damaged rails, rolling
stock and engines. ............... 10000
! Streets by the tearing up of pavcments 10000
Other losses, including those of the
street railways, the gas works and
Total...... Observation-Disclosures 81 a5O, 600
Friday morning the eX-saloon men of
the city met and decided to guarantee a
fund of $4,000 for the city to be used
in repairs if the city would change it's
policy and allow the saloons to reopen.
The mayor says they need not take the
trouble to make any such proposal.
Opinions differ as to the number
drowned. Ex-Mayor Cleland says there
were less than dozen lost, while
others still think fifty may have gone
down, and the fact that there were
many small families and laboring men,
almost strangers, living in the district
makes it possible that there were num-
: bers drowned whose names will never
! he known. The body recovered Fri
! day was that of Mrs. Henderson,
A 9-year-old boy named Armstetz was
sent to market just before the flood
and he reports that he has not heard
from his father, mother and four
brothers and sisters, who were at home
when he left A 5-year-old boy was
picked up Friday who said his name
was Ully Peterson, but could not tell
where he lived. He said his parents
were lost. These are only instances of
many sad scenes.
The stock yards will be rebuilt at
once, though to do so will cost quar-
ter of million. The packing houses
will be easily put in readiness for work.
The Northwestern and the Milwaukee
railroads expect to get their tracks re-
paired SO that trains can go east to-day.
The Sioux City & Northern, Illinois
Central and Omaha roads, which par
allel the Floyd valley, have a greater
job on hand and it will be week be-
fore they are in shape for traffic.
Word has BEEN received that a flood
wave is on it's way down the Big Sioux,
which makes the line between Dakota
and Iowa. The wave is about IL feet
high and has already submerged thou
sands of acres of land in South Dakota,
including the town of Elk Point where
the water is feet deep in the streets.
But little damage can be done here, as
only few houses and factories are To-
Gated in the Sioux valley. which is in
the western part of the city.
| Dockery's Report.
WASHINGTON, May 21.-The report OF
the Dockery committee on investiga-
ton of worlds fair affairs was presented
to the house on Friday. 1t forms a
document of 713 pages of solid print
ed matter. The recommendations OF
the committee favor reduction
of nearly so per cent in salaries
of officials. They also favor loan
by the government of $4,000 1t
compliments highly the manage
ment for scope and magnifcence OF
the exposition and the wonderful
progress made in the work of con-
struction.
| Eight Killed in an ExpIOsfOn.