Omaha daily bee., 1892-05-19
SlUUA Ulll NlklIkEN
Sudden Rise in the Floyd River Floods a
Third of the Town.
MANY PEOPLE CAUGHT IN THE TORRENT
fleven Lives Known to Have Been Lost and
Other Fatalities Feared.
EIGHT THOUSAND PEOPLE HOMELESS
Two Thousand Head of Cattle Drowned at
the Stock Yards
WORK OF RESCUE NOW IN PROGRESS
Business Buildings Surrounded by Water
Which is Stnl Rising Rapidly and tho
Extent of the Financial Damage
Cannot Yet BE Estimated.

SIOUX CRY, Ia, May ls.--TSpecial Tele-
gram to The BEE. AT tho ordinary stage
Of water the Floyd river is US insignificant
a stream us ever mcandered in pastoral in
significance. But swollen by the continual
rains until its never well defined banks were
obliterated, it was in poor condition to carry
away the immense flood of water which
fell in the cloudburst OF last night. A wave,
moving as solid wall of water, swept down
the narrow valley of the stream last night,
reaching this city early this morning. The
E.cS6 flows through the center of Sioux
City and along its banks are the homes of
thousands. To these the flood brought death
and the demolition of their homes.
The wave came a few minutes after
o'clock Warning had been sent short
time before to the inhabitants of the low
lands, but only few Of them had been mott
fed. The first animation was volume OF
water spreading over the banks to depth
of three feet and throwing a mist
of foam before it. In a few
minutes the water had risen
ABOVE the first floors and several thousand
people fled in terror to the higher ground
Death Rode the Wave.
The water rose four feet in an hour and
half, and from 9 o'clock continued to rise
| steadily, but not 80 rapidly. Prob
| ably one-thlrd Of the inhabitants of
| the city live on the low ground which is over
| flowed. So rapid was the rise of the tide
that great numbers were. unable to escape
and the work Of rescue engaged every energy
of the people,
At 10 o'clock the fire alarm was sounded 10
call out more workers.
| Ali the boats from the boat houses on the
| Sioux river have been brought in and are
being used to save life and property.
Stock Yards and Railroads suffer
! The Missouri river is very high, and when
The flood in the Floyd river struck
it the water damned up and rushed over
the adjacent low grounds. The stock
yards and packing houses were situated at
the confluence OF the two rivers, and they
were instantly inundated. About two thou
sand head of live stock were drowned there.
| Great numbers of dead stock have also been
found floating down the Floyd river
The whole railroad yards and switching
track district is under water and
there has been immense damage to
the roundhouses and other railroad prop
erty The roundhouse of the Chicago, St.
Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha is damaged TO
the extent OF $4,000. That road. the nli-
nois Central and the Sioux City & Northern
enter the city by III, Floyd valley and all
are stopped. Not train has left Sioux City
today.
| Eight Thousand People Homeless.
AT ! o'clock p. m. the water had reached to
Jennings street on Fourth street. The
Hotel owle ard the Boston Investment
compauy's building are surrounded with
water. The union depot was cut off at 9
O'Clock
1t is estimated that 5000 people have been
driven from their homes. All bust
ness is suspended. The CHAMBER OF
Commerce organized this morning for relief
work. Before noon the ladies had several
soup aud lunch houses opened for the food
sufferers. 1t is impossible yet to estimate
the loss of property, but it will! be large.
There is only one telegraph wire WORKING
out OF the city and that runs to Omaha
1t is not in good condition, and the work o.
sending out news is greatly retarded.