The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-04-14
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river is changing its ct s z. past Omaha
and in doing SO. threate : z cstroy prop
erty to the value of - million dol
lars. Last night the , : s role through
Its banks about Il milo here. where
1t left the old channel twenty years ago,
and is today running two broad streams
across what was yesterday fertile gardens
These streams run into Norvuzo iake, n
relic of former cut OFF. From Florence
lake the water Is pouring into Cut OF lake
and 1t now neems only a question Of few
hours until East omaha is moved into Iowa
and all the property in the line OF the flood
ls swept away.
Tie government gauge records n rise In
the Missouri river of but nine tcnths of
foot in the twenty-four hours ending at
noon
| Five miles up the river from the location
Of the gauge Ia where the river has broken
| it's banks in two places. This discharge OF
| '''' ''"H aNNuuhAS lpF INC iNcaScr showing
of rise on the government gauge The
| first break in the banks occurred a little
'1ore than rule above the original chan
mel that left Florence lake in the old cut off
| and the water is sweeping down a stretch
| OF land that has been transformed from
most fertile gardens into stream 1000 feet
wide and FIVE feet deep The gardens of
North omaha VIII he swept away.
! Plling, boards, sand. old hay and stopos
are being fed to the hungry nav OF the
big muddy at Omaha in an effort to restrain
the manifest intention Of that orrattc
stream to resume the channel abandoned
! twenty years ago. AT ntghtfall II looked
like the effort might succeed. but all hone
is hedged about with nroysos that tho
river does not rise any higher. tbot n
north wind does not blow. and most I'M
certain OF all that the break in the bank
above Florence lake is not 80 bad as the
overflow of water indicates.
East and North Omaha are flooded bv
the waters that are rushing from the over
full Missouri river, The residents flee for
their lives. leaving their possessions be-
nina. The houses are standing In the
flood submerged IN water from one to five
feet deep. Fields of grain ana fences die
appear beneath the surface Of tho water
and the trees are no longer TO be seen.
Tho flood Is pouring in upon the low
lands of tho East Omaha bottoms In |
stream that is estimated to be 1000 feet |
wide. II Is sweeping southwest and pouring |
into Florence lake. The water in the lake |
has broken open The ievee that was built |
to separate it from Cut on lake nnd II ~ /
row rushing with ever iscreasing volume .
into the latter a large number Of ia
miles were forced to abandon their homes
Many narrow escapes from drowning are II
recounted, but so far as known no lives
were lost Efforts TO recover personal eff
feels from the ongulfod houses have been
Of little avail. Forces of wOrkmen were |
hurried out to protect the houses In the g
flooded district and have succeeded in re- Il
straining the spread of the water 10 tho a
west, combining il 10 the channel cut from /
the river 10 Florence lake and from there /
TO Cut on lake. This has saved most OF !
North Omaha from destruction. Cut OFF [
but could then accommodate four or five j
feet more OF water. It IL held back by u '
strong double dyke across its lower end L
and from there on the river tho old bed Is 4
crossed lg paved streets. car lines, rail 10
road tracks, etc, all OF which present en-
bankments of from eight to fourteen feet
In height, which must be washed out be-
fore the Missouri can resume its abandoned | h
bed.
Funds for Sufferers.
Little Rock, Ark. April i3.-Mr. q. u.