Omaha daily bee., 1897-04-19
FLOOD IS NOW RECEDING
Water Has Fallen Nearly Two Feet, and
Danger is Passing Away.
HOW TO DRAIN THE BOTTOMS A PROBLEM
Railroads Continue 10 work Upon
the DiISes 90 Prevent ANY Fur
thcr Brcnts-Hundrcds of
Spectators Yesterday.

All danger from further food and overflow
Of the Missouri is past. Reports from tn,
water works pumping station. where tn,
river is watched like a wayward child. indl
cate that it has dropped twenty three inches
during the twenty-four hours ending at
O'Clock last night. 1t is continuing to fal
at the same rate.
This decline in the river has been sufficient
to put an end to any further increase to tn,
flood conditions at East Omaha. Being now
| able to contain the volume of water within
its own banks, the old Missouri is peacefully
running along its own channel and is nc
longer throwing any water through the break
at Florence upon the island. With the sup.
ply shut or. the stream that has been run
ming parallel with Sherman avenue has
ceased, and only pools of water now mark
its former course The water is being
drained into Florence and Cut on lakes and
the houses i'll North Omaha, which were
standing in five feet of water, will soon be
on land again.
The flood still continues however, to the
south OF Cut OF lake, between it's two arms.
This portion of the island is almost com
pletely covered with water, but a few of
the higher places being in view. The over
flow over the east shore still continues and
u,
dozen families to vaeate a couple of days
ago still exists Courtland beach is yet be-
meath the surface of the lake.
With the danger of any further flood
past the residents and the owners of
property in East Omaha are now trying to
devise some way of getting rid of the water
that is covering some valuable land and
makes a considerable number of houses un-
inhabitable Evaporation and Seepagc are
means that arc altogether too slow for the
purpose. Therefore, some other plan must
be evolved.
One scheme that has been suggested Is to
lead tho overflow from the eastern arm
of the lake further eastward to the river.
1t would be necessary to dig a ditch some
800 yards from the present ending OF the
stream to bring 1t to a point where it would
20 downward Of its own accord into the
river. In order to do this, however, it would
bo necessary to run the water across some
land that is not flooded An attempt may
be made to get the consent of the owners
to this plan.
The object of this scheme would be to
draw Off enough water from the lake to
drain the surrounding flooded territory. "A
soon as the laka would sink back to level
with its shores the overflow would cease.
This would take the water away from the
fields and would still leave the lake brimful.
The lake itself fell few inches yesterday,
but this water was taken away by seepage
and through the pipe which leads to the
lower basin in the west arm, where the
water is still about a foot lower than above.
The level is still so high, however, that all
day yesterday the strong north wind blew
the waves upon the AmeS avenue bridge,
where they broke in spray over the planking
The wind also drove the water with such
force against the railroad dixie that this was
somewhat. All day a gang of men
and a railroad crew were employed in
It. The dixie which branches
off from it on the north side is worthless.
The water has torn another hole in it and
is gradually eating away the earth in the
portions that are still standing.
A railroad crew and gang was also en-
ployed yesterday in repairing the railroad
tracks west of the Ames avenue bridge,
where the stream that rushed for days into |
Cut Off lake crossed them. They had been |
strengthened with bags of sand, but the
water did considerable damage to the road
bed.
Hundreds of people visited the western
shores of Cut or lake yesterday. especially |
n the afternoon. From the time that the |
sun crossed the meridian until night fell |
strings of buggies and cartridges extended |
Ilong sherman avenue and to the Ames
venue bridge, either going or coming The
'isitors or bicycles were also numerous de-
'pite the fact that the strong north wind
md the dust did not make the trip TO the
objective point a very enjoyable one.
The greatest number of the spectators,
However, came on foot or on the street cars.
he latter were crowded all through the
fternoon. These visitors on foot chose the
vest end CT the bridge as the best place of
eetng things. A portion of them crossed |
he bridge to the other side, but were una
lie to go far beyond the approach to the
ridge as the road and the fields eastward are
overed with water
Crowds also extended along the west shore
4 the lake to the dlkes, where another
hrong was assembled to get view of the
oes through which the waters had broken
nd to look at the gang that was engaged
n strengthening the dixie that Is still whole,
'ho people even strung along the shore be-
ow clear down to Locust street. Not a few
atronized the East Omaha street car line
o get view. of the flooded district at the
ast end of the island.
The residents of the island are looking
or good fishing in both Florence and Cut
VT lakes this summer. The overflow of the
iyer brought in a goodly number of its fnny
lhabtants. A considerable number of these
'ere caught during the past week by hun
reds Of fishermen that have been infesting
he shores of the lake since the floods oc-
urred Some of the fish have been carried
pom the fields by the overflow The big
lajority Of the fish are of the common river
ind, some Of them "whOppers," but there
re few bass and other choicer specimens
the waters.
Along Omahas river front the fall of tho
ver is gradually bringing the water back
Glow the banks. The squatter houses are
eginning to stand on land once more and
ne water Is being drained from the land
lat has been flooded, although pools of
Iater are being left behind in the lower
pots.
|