Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-04-16
HAVOC OF WATERS.
Continued Damage by Floods
West and South.
CRITICAL SITUATION AT OMAHA.
Desperate Struggle to Prevent Mis-.
souri, River from Changing Its
Channel-North Omaha Under
Water In the South.

souri, River from changing ItS
Channel-North Omaha Under
Water In the South.
Omaha, Neb., April 14.-Piling and
boards and bags of sand, old hay and
stones are being fed to the hungry nav
of the Big Muddy at Omaha in an effort
to restrain the manifest intention OF
that cratic stream to resume the chan
mel abandoned 20 years ago. AT night
fall it looked like the effort might sue
coed. But all hope is hedged about
with provisos-that the river does not
rise any higher. that north wind does
not blow, and, most uncertain of all,
that the break in the bank above Flor.
ence lake is not SO bad as the overflow
ing water indicates.
Residents Driven Out.
East Omaha and North Omaha are
flooded by the waters that are rushing
from the Missouri river. The residents
flee for their lives, leaving their pos.
session behind. The houses are stand
ing in the flood, submerged in water
from one to five feet deep. Fields OF
grain and fences disappear beneath the
surface of the water and the trees no
longer show any trunks. The flood is
pouring in upon the lowlands of the
East Omaha bottoms in a stream that
is estimated to be 1000 feet in width.
1t is sweeping southeast and pours into
Florence lake.
Breaks Over u Levee.
The water in the lake has broken over
the levee that was built to separate it
from Cut Off lake, and it is now rush
ing with ever increasing volume into the
latter. 1t is sweeping over plowed and
planted fields, it is driving residents
from their homes in North Omaha, it is
tearing up fences and threatening the
houses that stand from three to four
feet deep in the water. 1t is pouring
into Cut Off lake just north of the long
bridge which leads to CORTLAND Beach.
In the last IL hours Cut Off has risen al.
most two feet. If this rate continues 1t
Is anticipated that soon the lake will
overflow its southern banks. If this
should occur and the rise be still main.
tanned, the entire southern portion OF
East Omaha would be threatened with
most disastrous flood. as there is no
elevation of the land to stem the out
pouring.
/ Progress of a Flood.
The beginning Of the flood occurred
several days ago. For weeks past the
river has been' rising gradually. 1t
was thought that there was no danger
The levees would hold, it was thought.
They did hold until two days ago. Then
the mighty volume could not be re.
strained longer. Two days ago the
water cNpt over the top OF the bank
in the bend of the river just below
Florence. 1t came slowly at first, but it
| found another passage as time went by.
Early Monday afternoon the force be-
came resistless. A great hole was dug
in the shore. A fisherman's hut that
appeared to block the way was torn
out bodily and swallowed up by the
river. The water, having chosen and
made its path, poured along in onto the
bottoms of the south.
North Omaha Under Water.
The speed of the flood was rapid. AT
two o'clock Monday afternoon North
Omaha was surrounded on all sides
with dry land. At five o'clock the PEG.
i pie in many of the houses on the low.
I lands were fleeing from their homes
Tuesday morning this portion was GOV.
j cred with water from one to five feet
deep. AT present the worst of the
flooded district is located Just north OF
i North Omaha. AT Sherman avenue q
broad stream has shot directly to the
south. This stream just skirts the east
end of the little settlement known as
!; North Omaha. 1t began to creep along
) the bottoms at four o'clock Monday aft
ernoon. 1t first drove out of their
houses and from their premises three
! milkmen, Erickson, Larson and Mil
house. 1t swept quarter of mile fur
ther south and there took within it!
bosom dozen cottages.
Many Narrow Escapes.
| The stream then went on furthe
south distance of half mile ant
struck another little settlement. TIL
!. residents here at six o'clock began t
Z move. All the people were forced t.
abandon their homes i'll haste some O
them with only their nightclothes on
Many narrow escapes from drowning
2 are recounted, but SO far as is known NJ
r lives were lost. Efforts to recover per
sonal effects from the engulfed house
have been of little avail. Forces O
n worlsmen We're hurried out to protec
. the houses in the flooded district an
: have succeeded in restraining the sprea
). of the water to the west, combining it
: the channel out from the river to Flol
d ence lake and from Florence lake to Gu
,. Off lake This has saved most of Mort
= Omaha from destruction.
IL The Southern Floods.
Memphis, Tenn, April 14.-The rive
d continues to rise south of Vicksbur
and the swift current is throwing til
y waters against the Louisiana levee
;. with enormous force. A telegram frol
8. Tallelah, La, received Monday nigh
reported that the levee at Davis Islam,
a. in Warren county, Miss, had broke
but the report was premature. I'll
water is washing over the levee at thi
point, however, and break may occ,
a at any hour. Many people have lie
8; the city with their most valuable G
y fects and stock. Several weak spo
D. have developed in the southern lev
e. system and the people in that sectie
at ore making heroic strlpC1e to So