Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-05-18
RUSH OF THE FLOOD
Unable to Withstand the En-
orm Gus Pressure Of Water
tfvEEs ARE BREAKING IN
Many southern Pi>asztions Inundated
Tbs Great flood Al 81 Louis
and Other Pizcs&

hvee> ons of the strongest in the state.
- mics north Of the city, gave way
hum nasursl causes- TIE break oc-
ousssd jnss - the guard Of inspection
- passing and four men composing
8 have not been heard from
49, The crsvAsse formed Is 200 feet
Oi1D and fact deep Water - rush
~ thnDugh like . milirace. carrying
UpogycAing before il. innndat.ng miles
e 1DFeils plantations and IN many IN
unnncss drowning valuable stock The
bsoo u on the east bank OF the river
I'D y IL feared the water rushing down
Wsrd viii sweep away the embank-
Osnr
essss Damage May Resale.
The immediate danger Of tamage
6un this crevasse j. not lasge, bat
nons oould cause greater ultimate dam
zee. The fall from the river 10 the
isks u 50 great TIA. the Hood water
iii spread very little, and II viii empty
Ne . river into the lake and not over
0ozsn sugar plantations viii be
nf1scted IL will, however. cut
"a from New Orleans one OF its
Dost important railroads. the Missis-
ppi Valley. or Louisville. New Or
cans a Texas railroad. and possibly
The Illinois Central. IL viii raise the
level Of Pontehartrain and food. as it
has always done in the past. the rear
portion of Ne~ Orleans. not only
The suburban truck farms, but
part OF the city itself, and
4 will DESTROY. as il did in
ls74, the oyster and other fisheries OF
Nississiprd sound. when thousands OF
oysters were buried in the mud Of the
Mississippi and suffoeated. Since the
closing os The Bonnie Care break OF
1e-s the oyster fisheries have revived
and now support several psckeries and
many thousand fishermen and packers
on the gulf coast OF Louisiana and Mis-
sissippi-
The Situation At 81. Louis-
Sr. LOUIS. May 1.-THE Mississippi
has about reached It's highest stage. and
IL l. expected the water viii soon begin
- rcccsic. At noon Monday 1t was IS
set The cnrren. Is sill tearing along
q . lively gait. bat the amount Of
Wreckaze Is materially lesssning. Great
olstress is prevailing in the flooded
dkstricts Of Ezst 81 Louis The
npols have thrown hundreds of men
go Of work The Homeless fsmi-
Nes are suffering from want Of food
81 shslser. Starving people are APP
plyine for food every hour at the police
04otion- business throughout the en-
t1rs Mississippi and Missouri valleys IS
almost suspended and Wholesale houses
have recalled their travelling men for
Ne present
An idea OF the effect ef the food on
% railroads entering the city from the
Illinois side Of the river may be gained
ixom the situation 1t East St. Louis.
Above the v.aduct the Ohio 4 Missis-
si7pi and Chicago. Burlingtcn,& Quincy
Tracks ara from IN feet under water.
Ne Chicago 4 Alton road for . dis
lance Of miles from the bridge IL out
g sigat.
The Belt line yards are feet under
water and the great bridge " ards closed
Dawn last night There are but two
onginss with Gre boxes above the wa
tsr. and they are pulling all passenger
trains from the relay depot upon the
Wabash track 10 Venice and the Chica-
20 = Alton road 20 point beyond
Nsmeoka- The Merchants Terminal
roads zt East St. Louis have suspcnds d
tss<ic between the bridge and the Ma
donai stock Yards.
In the suburbs.
The food in st. Charles county, 20
miles above the city. increases in vast
nees and in It's disastrous results. APP
pesls for help are being received from
numerous families whose homes have
been swept away By the food. TIE
Post Dispatch has . large steamer aid
ing persons who are in imminent pc III
near the mouth Of the Missouri river
Monday night the post-Dispatch
steamer RESCUED twelve families from
6sunp slough and SIX families from
Kitsae island. The water had driven
tkese veonle 10 the roofs OF their
houses and they had almost given up
hope Of rescue when the steamer hove
IN sight. The current in the river was
running as tremendous rate and the
work was accomplished with great
daiculty-
In East -. Louis.
In East ST. Louis the situation Is bad.
Cshokia creek Is bank full and threat
ems to overflow. The island is a sea.
bat xs yet there u no water east of the
sre<k. The city ~ SLED with spec
ontors from The surrounding cities
md towns 70 visw the scenes
nnd waters. Ducks. chickens, houses
ond property are sfioat A
yet there has been no loss of life, bat
che loss 20 property cannot be esti-
mated. East -. Louis proper can yet
G1ond . rise of feet. and IL tie waters
- sos reach the stage sf 1888 tie city
= perfectly safe. as there are embsnk-
uenss surrounding II on ali sides. 10 is
now said that the danger line has
be<n passed. several roads leading 10
this city hare suspended running pas
senrer trains on shcir own tracks The
village Of Cshos<ia ~ depopulsted on sc-
eouut Of break in an ernbankment OF
th< East ST. Louis & C2rondelet road
below EAST 81 Loaia Sunday night
May II the citizens escaped in their
might clothes to East - Louis. a. they
~ - time - save sny Of their furni.
usra
psr~srs Bsdlv s>sreA
The farmers ia she American 5sttons
= aud around Canfeen are becoming
eerr4blv alarmed. fesring their homes
viii ce washed away and their fam
HES crowned " there il . rise In she
river An armed force is employed