Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-04-15
OMAHA NOW SAFE.
Big Muddy" Will Hardly Cut the
Town Oft This Time.
LOSS so FAR NOT VERY SERIOUS,

Newly Built Dyke Heads or the Waters
strike Themselves Out OF Their Job
Heavy Losses i'm Cattle Reported from
the DEMONSTRATION On the Lower Mis-
sissippi Becomes More Critical.
Omaha. Neb.. April 15.-At noon YES
terday the river was still rising SLOWLY.
A new break in the banks Of Florence
lake had occurred above the dyke built
iuesday, and the water was again pour
ing into the Cutoff lake. The damage
SO far to the houses of the people i'm East
and North Omaha, and to the tracks of
the railroads along the river front. The
East Omaha Terminal company's yards
are almost completely submerged. The
Union Pacific and Burlington have lost
some sections OF sidetracks. which have
been undermined and slid into the river.
The lower yards of both systems are
practically abandoned. The other roads
are faring better. as their yards are en-
higher ground. The Columbia distillery
stands on a knoll surrounded by water.
The Willow Springs distillery is Just
out of reach of the water. and the Oma-
ha and Grant smelter is in the same
fix.
Iowa Levee Holds Splendidly.
Some water has backed in around the
Union Pacific shops, but not enough to
90 serious damage. Along the river
front hundreds of squatters have been
driven from their huts and many of
these are being swept away. On the
Iowa side the levee which protects the
Is ic hnl
didly and there is very little probability
of its giving way. All the danger is on
the Omaha side now. Cut-off lake has
risen twenty inches. and is overlooking
its eastern bank. This may serve to
weaken the dyke at the lower end. If
this gives way the loss will be severe.
AT noon the government gauge showed
the river at 1853 feet, q rise of 0.3 feet
and the gauge at Florence above the
break shows 17.6 feet, a rise of O.9 feet.
1t is reported falling at Pierre and sta
tionary at Sioux City.
Danger Averted for the Present
Last night there was less danger of
the threatened cutoff by the Missouri
river, and unless there is an unlocked
for rise or high wind from the north
1t is not probable that much more dam
age will be done. The hastily built dyke
that stemmed the torrent from Florence
lake on Tuesday was greatly strength
ened yesterday, and has almost stopped
the flow at the most threatening point.
The water has spread out over a wider
stretch of territory and surrounds a few
more hous y but the change in channel
of the Missouri has been averted for the
time at least. The workmen employed
along the levee struck yesterday for
double pay. They were getting Is cents
an hour and demanded 80 cents. Their
demands were refused and they quit
work. Other men were easily secured.
Iowa Farmers Have Lost Much Stock.
On the Iowa side of the river, south
of Council Bluffs, the water has mum
dated farms for distance of three or
four miles from the stream. The water
came up In the night and the farmers
report much stock drowned. These re-
ports are coming in from every point
along the river as far south as st.
Joseph. The flood is the worst since the
inundation Of 1881, and is doing immense
damage to property along the rivers
edge. The flood seems to have reached
its height and will probably fall from
now on.
Legislation for wisconsin.
hduiSoii, <APIli ID ne SeDdte yeSteT-
day killed the soldiers home saloon bill
which was passed by the assembly some
time ago. The substitute for Berger's
labor bill reported by the committee on
state affairs was adopted. the president
casting the deciding vote, but the bill
was refused engrossment and third
reading by a vote of Is to IL. The as
sembly ordered three important bills to
a third reading. TIE first was the bill
for the establishment of an Intermediary
prison. The second was the bill re-es-
tablishing the beard cfimmigration. The
third was the plumbers bill
Alleged Letter Of Cover nor A.fgeId.
Chicago April 14.-The Tribune today
prints copy of letter purporting to
have been written by Ex-Governor Alt
geld in 1893, in which he informs the
trustees Of the Illinois State University
that President Spalding, of the Globe
Savings bank. was a good man for the
treasuryship of the university. Govern
or Altgeld always insisted that he never
indorsed Spalding.