The herald., 1897-03-19
THE broken BONDS
Of bitter WINTER
Serve Only to Increase
Suffering
SIREAMS THAT WERE ICE BOUND
Are Suddenly Transformed Into
Raging Torrents
PEOPLE FtEE FROM HOMES
Ia More Desperate Straits Than During
the Blizzard
Rivers Half choked With Debris Of BulIdiags
and Bridges
TIE water Finding lie Way Into the M'ss'ss-
lppi Carries Destruction to Property
and Death to Many Help
less Victims
PEOPLE FtEE FROM HOMES
Ia More Desperate Straits Than During
the Blizzard
Rivers Half choked With Debris Of Bulldlass
and Bridges
TIE Water Finding lie Way Into the M'ssiss-
lppl Carries Destruction to Property
and Death to Many Help
less Victims
i,,ooi.tsd Pres. Special wire

OMAHA, Med, Marcn 1c.-oPecioA
felerrams to the Bee from all points In
the northwest indicate that the bonds
of winter were simultaneously broken
up today and the streams that have
been bound in ice for months are sud-
denly turned to raging torrents. The
worst reports come from South Dakota.
Along the Missouri tonight the people
are fleeing in darkness from the rapidly
increasing floods and nothing definite
can be told further. The snow that
capped the state lay from four to SIX
feet deep on the level. Two days OF
warm weather with two nights OF rain
have set all this running to the rivers.
At Pierre, S. D., the Cheyenne and RED
rivers. at Chamberlain the White, at
Yankton the Big and Little Sioux rivers,
and the Floyd at Sioux City. are pour
ing their torrents onto the Ice In the
Missouri which has not yet broken. Tne
lowlands are flooded and the rivers are
rising with frightful rapidity
The Platte river. swollen to more than
its usual spring height. Is rushing into
the Missouri carrying with 1t the debris
OF wrecked bridges and farm yards IN
its valley. The Elkhorn adds its flood
to the-Platte and all the valleys seem TO
be afioat.
From Iowa come stories of Ice gorges
on the Des Moines river at Fort Dodge
and Madrid, fiooding miles Of the bot
toms and doing great damage. so far
as is known only one life has been lost,
Harry Favill, farmer of Dixon county,
who was drowned while trying to cross
a bridge over swollen stream.
IN DAKOTA.
pIDRRE. s. D., March 18-There are
serious apprehensions Of HOOD IN the
Missouri valley at this point Heo
river broke up last night and poured
It's flood out into the ice which - still
firm on the Missouri. The Cheyenne 10
expected to start to rise and this VIII
gorge them. Settlers on the hats are
moving out.
At Canton, s. D.. the Sioux river is
nut Of It's banks and all bridges are
likely to 90 out
THE MISSISSIPPI FLOOD.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. March 1s.-To-
night the great food claimed Ave more
Victims At Marion, Eta Liz and her
four children were trying to make tneir
way to Marion for shelter. and wniie
attempting to cress railroad trestie
the strong current overwhelmed the
party and all persisted. The Oldest
child was q girl aged 1e, and the young
est an infant Of eight months. The
river IL stirl rising at Memphis and the
indications are that It will continue to
do 90 for come time. The river tenigns
stands at 3e6 feet, 9 rise since morning
OF one-tenth foot.
The rise IL continuing at Cairo, and
beavv rains prevail In all streams which
feed the big river along the upper por-
tion ana the middle valley. Througnopt
the entire northwest terr5tory tne
drsiuare from which swells the volume
az water In the Upper mississippi. the
rainfall continues The same conditions
nrevail in the territory which feeds the
Ohio ana other tributaries. while the
heaviest rains Of an are descending over
the, already submerged Arkansas terri
tory. On the eastern side Of the river
continuous rains are the rule. At Mem
phis and throughout this district the
rainfall for the last "A hours amounted
10 l.40 1uckc4, " A4AS @SsSSS se@S ~>'~ -
Helena It was 2.42 inches. So long as
the heavy rains continue. there Is small
chance for cessation Of the overflow.
Shortly after II O'Clock q bulletin was
sent out from the weather bureau Of
efsmphis reporting q fall of two-tenths
Of foot since yesterday morning. This
bulletin was published as . piece Of
cheering news In 'the local papers and
was telegraphed over the country. Sub
cequentiy Mr. Emery Of the weather hu-
reau discovered that the statement con-
tanned. in the bulletin was absolutely
erroneous; that no fall whatever had
taken place. but that the weather bu-
riau employees who read the gauge al
/ o'clock had made mistalke. AS q
matter OF fact the river was stationary
from yesterday morning at until 9
y. m.
AZ Cairo the rise continues IN about
&hs ssme Observation-Disclosures Of q
foot being recorded In the - hours Thil
morning the gauge Indicated 50 feet
This IL ten feet above the danger line
ana within two feet and Z fraction Of
the eztrtme hi6h water mark reported
about ! We1k o9Q. 81.
AZ HetedS, wkSfe the r1inf1ll M ~.
ia6ce - yy a9Sih T. = 3aemphis
- fIG6x ~ a ~ nf \ 1Det Y