Omaha daily bee., 1897-03-20
RAIN FALLS IN TORRENTS
Report Of Serious Flood West
Davenport, la.
MISSISSIPPI RIVER IS RISING RAPIDLY
Large Part of the state of Iowa 1,
Inundated and All the
Rivers Are on
Rampnge.

mere lndI II 0uSo WaICTSpOul
about I o'clock this evening twenty-five
miles west of Davenport Particulars unob-
tainable tonight
rumor gained circulation that a cloud
burst had occurred at Durango, Ia. this
evening, attended by heavy loss of life and
property, the reports being unconirmei, how
ever The village was visited by a down
pour of rain but no extensive damage was re-
ported up to a late hour.
DUBUQUE, Ia. March 19.-The Missis-
sippi river is gorgcd with ice four miles
from here, and damage will result on the
low lands unless the blockade gives way
Immediately.
KEOKUK, Ia, March 19.-The Mississippi
river is rising rapidly here tonight. The
Des Mones river is booming above here.
The greatest danger to the low lands behind
the levees will be due to the high water in
the Des Moines river. The levees, however,
can stand rise of six feet or more in the
Mississippi.
SIOUX CITY, March 19.-(Special Tele-
gram.) But for heavy rainfall, which oc-
CURED early this morning, there would have
been little apprehension of danger from
floods In Sioux City, but with the rivers al
ready overlooking it was certain that the
rain would cause trouble In this city the
Floyd had endangered all the bridges near
the stock yards, but they were saved by
the use of dynamite to blow up the ice
gorges. Reports from up the Floyd indicate
that the river Is rising and the worst is to
come yet. 1t is considered probable that all
the bridges will go out before morning, but
there will be no lives lost, as the people
have been getting ready for the flood.
The Sioux river is causing trouble to the
Milwaukee railroad. The ice is breaking
between here and Hawarden at several
md hp hpi nod
At one place the water of the Sioux has
been turned across the country toward the
Missouri river and the railroad tracks are
under water. The bridge at Riverside across
the Sioux is in danger of going out at any
moment.
News from up the Missouri indicates that
the Ice is breaking at several points, and
as 1t is still intact here there is sure to be
gorges. great many acres of land have
been flooded, but the farmers along all the
rivers have moved their stock and house
hold goods.
ALONG THE LITTLE SIOUX.
CHEROKEE, Ia, March 19-(Special Tel
egram)-The river has been rising all day
owing to the rain last night, and today sew
eral of the houses on the low ground are
surrounded by water and the approach to the
new iron bridge is gone, with good pros
poets of the bridge following. A great many
families in the flood district have vacated
their houses and taken refuge on high
ground. Others are preparing to move, and
III the river keeps on. rising every house on
the bottom will be vacated before morning.
The icc 5gorges- We're broken by using dyna-
mite. Hoeses are being dashed 10 POSTS end
trees in order to hold them in case deluge
comes. Trains on the Illinois Central rail-
road have been delayed on account of wash
outs at different places. The Sioux Falls
express, due here twenty-four hours ago,
has not arrived yet, and an extra working
crew has been sent to the washout, which
is near Matlock, to relieve the men that
went up last night. The temperature is
lower tonight and the river is not rising SO
fast, but shows no signs of lowering. Large
crowds are cut with boats and lanterns
anxously watching the water.
MASON CITY, Ia, March 19.-(Special
Telegram )-Streams in this locality are all
out of their banks and rising rapidly Rail
roads are fearing the floods. The Chicago
Milwaukee & st. Paul is catching it on the
west end. Between Spencer and Everly the
Little Sioux has submerged the track and
trains can run 10 farther west. A bridge
is out at Rock Valley. On the Sioux City
G. Dakota division much damage is reported
DES MONIES, March 19.-(Special Tele-
state of Iowa is flooded as il
has not been since the spring of 1892 The
Des Moines, Boone, Raccoon, Cedar and
other large streams are out of their banks
in many places and doing much damage.
The trains of the Chicago st. Paul Mime
of Elmore, Mimi, Webster City and Ames,
Ia, to get from Minneapolis to Omaha in
stead of over the regular route through
Sioux City. At Lehigh today the large
bridge across the Des Moines was swept
away this afternoon and the river is rising
at the rate of foot an hour. The entire
northern half of the state is covered with
snow, in many sections three feet deep, and
it IS going off rapidly. The Des Moines at
this point has been rising all day. and the
hntv hAn nit hnN Nit,ry hrn1y
immense body of water is coming down. A
gorge at the dam in the middle of the city
caused the flooding of a large part of the
bottom lands in the upper part of the city,
and many families have been driven from
their homes.
WEBSTER CITY, Ia, March 19.-(Special
1.-Two lives were sacrificed to the
food in this vicinity this afternoon, While
attempting to ford the Boone river two miles
west of Eagle Grove, DR.. Travis and Mr..
and their team were swept down
the stream and they were both drowned.
Their bodies have not been recovered. The
Chicago, st. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha
road commenced toaay running pas
senger trains over the Chicago & North
western road to and from Omaha through
this city, forty miles from its line. 1t
has been forced to abandon it's track.
Northwestern train No. is abandoned to-
night on account of washout near Alton.
General Manager Sanborn of this system to-
day issued instructions to run no trains
after dark in the flooded district. Reports
'eached here from Lehigh this afternoon that
tho big bridge at that place over the
Des Moines river had been moved by the
lood, and fears are entertained that 1t will
% swep. away. The Boone river is higher
han 1t has been for two years, The ice
IS going out, and the waters are gradually
Using, and are sure to reach a much higher
point before receding. During the past few
lays a rise of seven feet has been noticed |
md this afternoon the record was for |
line a foot an hour.
PEOPLE FLEE IN TIME.
PENDER, Neb., March 19.-(Special Tele- |
gram )-The freshet of last evening, together |
with the going OF ice and temperate weather |
las increased the volume of the water OF |
he Logan and Rattlesnake at this place |
so that the streams are oyerflowed and the |
ow spots in south and west Pender are |
Hooded with water, which is rising at a |
rapid rate Previous experience has warned |
people residing in these low lands so that |
Ill are safe and generally quartered with |
riends outside of the flooded district. Dam |
lge to property will necessarily follow, as in !
few ins tances the water has reached above |
he first floor OF the buildings. report |
las reached town of the perilous situation of
tock on ranches near town. The city
marshal and a large number Of citizens are
IN the alert for any emergency. |
FREMONT, March 19.-(Special )-There
we're light showers here last night which |
nave drawn the frost out of the ground. |