Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-04-03
RAGING WATERS.
Missouri and Mississippi Break
ing Farmers and Records.
Men Working to Strengt hen Levees
New High Water Marks.

ST. LOUIS. Mo-. April = The Mis-
sissippi and Missouri have broken over their
banks and are laying waste the TERRITORY foI
many miles. That stretch of lowland coun-
try on both sides OF the Mississippi river
from the mouth of the Dies Moines river t.
the hills below Hannibal, Mo-. Mark Twain :
birthplace and Quincy. H.. Is under wa,er
Great suffering has been accustomed
among the farmers and the boatnlen about
Palmyra and West Quincy on the Missouri
side. The overflow has ruined every farm,
from Palmyra north 40 miles to Lagrange.
Should the rise reach another foot. every
railroad in the valley will have to be abtn-
doned. Horizons and Wards islands below
Quincy are inundated, and the settlers bare
ly escaped with their lives.
The Indian Grove levee north of Quincy,
that protects 10000 acres of farm land. T.
still intact hut II little more water will sweep
1t away. At Louisiana. No.. the water is
spreading over the lowlands. At Burlins-
ton. Ia. the river is five miles wide and has
destroyed several mills on the fats. At Al
ton. H.. the rise has been very rapid The
Mississippi flood was met by the overflow
from the Missouri and the Illinois rivers. and
the current of the latter was about AT Il
stand. being held in check by hackwatrr
from the big rivers. Rescue boats are busy
bringing families and stock to Qaincy from
the lowlands.
South OF Carlo 10 miles, to Columbus. Ky,
the river Is u sea % miles wide. Columbus
is on an elevation and only part of the
town is flooded. From Columbus to HEX
man, 10 miles. the levees have disappeared.
Hickman Is set upon hill and is II city Of
refuge for hundreds of food sufferers.
From Hickman to New Madrid NO.. there
is great bend in the river. over which
steamers travel 50 miles down stream in or
binary stages OF water and are then two
miles north of Hickman. Today steamers
sailed directly west from Hickman to reach
New Madrid. ignoring the river current and
riding on the yellow sea across the sites of
hamlets and plantations.
South from New Madrid to the Arkansa,
state line. 30 miles. there is steadily swell
ing tide that has oblitcrated every ndmark
4 bo iy Of water stretches bn,, to the 81.
Francis river and south 100 miles to the
rivers mouth. 20 miles above Helena. This
unaroken stretch of overlooked country in
several places is 10 miles wide.
At Helena the water is breaking upon the
Circle levce. north of the town. from the
hills to the river levee. Four hunlrcd men
are working in relays to strengthen the bar
rier Should this give way nothing would
remain of the levees south 80 miles to Ar
kansas City. The street level of the town of
Friars Point is ~ feet below the top of the
ievee. with the river rising and only Ii inches
below the top. At Greenvillc, Miss. Gov
ernOr Me !.aughlin has taken charge of the
corps of 100 citizens who are strengthening
the levee. A rise OF one foot will inundate
the whole valley of the Sunilower river. 60
miles wide. The most critical points ON the
river lie between Helena aud Modoc. La
coma and Arkansas City.