Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-04-26
Peril From Flood Hanging Over the
City.
DAMAGE CAUSED BY TEE WATERS
Fences Along the Railway Lines
Are Out of Sight.
WORKING ON THE LEVEE

OTTUMWA, Iowa, April 26.-It is believe ed
the flood was at its worst last night, but the
river rose one foot during the night and is
now higher than it has been since 1876.
The damage is tremendous. The Burling-
ton road, which has been kept open with
mighty effort, gave up at IL last night
The main line communcation-Chica to
Denver-is now cut off. OF six railroads
here the only trains moving are the Wabash
from the south and the Milwaukee north.
All the Burlington, Rock Island and Central
and all the Milwaukee and Wabash traffic
south is stopped entirely. Even the right of
way fences in many cases are out of sigh.
on the Rock Island and Burlington roads
for miles. 1t is believed the tracks have
been washed entirely away Even when the
water recedes it will take days to re-estab-
lish communication. All nearby towns re-
port condition equally bad. No branches
are operating at all.
The water is flowing across the business
portion of South Ottumwa. The popula ton
is in panic. Hundreds of men are work
ing In the levee in the west end of the city
If the levee breaks the water will come
down some main business and residence
streets in torrents. The situation is pre-
carious
Along the Mississfppi.
ST. LOUIS, Mo-, April 26-The Mississip-
pi registered a decline here this morning.
out above, at keokuk, Hannibal, and other
places rise of 1.6 feet is shown, and the
Missouri is also booming.
At Kansas City the advance for tho n,st
twenty-four hours has been fully two feet,
while at Boonville it is IL feet. There are
places near Quincy where the water
spreads over the lowlands from blum to
DUH. making the river from eight to ten
niies Wide The levees can stand a foot or
TWO more of water but the danger lies in
the continual rising of the surface watar
on the inside, which Is now almost to the
TOP CT the banks. Everything portable ha 9
been removed from. the levee districts. and
me GUARDS on the levees are keeping close
MaGh hlsht and day, Strengthening, the
weak places as fast as discovered
Inc mississippi and Des Moines rivers
~ehl over the embankments at three diff
teleh' places and inundated Alexandra.
Me.' compelling people to abandon their
ncmeS or move to the second stories Tba
steamer City Of Warsaw rescued stock
from the overfowed territory around thera
AT hannibal, Mo, all the lowlands are
nS,M NV iiuh4ateo' and the water covers the
missouri, Kansas and Texas switch tracks
on the river front. The packet house Of
the Diamond Joe Company is cut off from
the main land by stream of water fifty
Ieet VIDE and several inches Deep and pas
sengers are compelled to cross on an i'm
provised platform. "
Inc leVee Is not considered in danger
yet. and II Is believed it will successfully
resist the present rise, although the low
PAGES are rapidly filling with seep water.
me pottom lands above Hannibal are a
dreary waste of water
Ihe water has crossed the track of the
st. Louis, keokuk and Northwestern he-
tween there and Quincy, and passenger
nn6
the Quincy and Louisiana division and the
Carthage branch of the Chicago, Darling
ton and Quincy crossing the river here.
Inc Hannibal and St. Joseph through
u,,n ual,s nave ceased to run via Hannibal,
running directly from Palmyra, Mo. to
quincy, Ill. The track is still all right
south OF the city. The following predic-
ticn was made today by DR.. Frankenfield.
'ne ,s local weather bureau manager:
Inc river at St Louis will commence tn
rise Monday night or Tuesday morning
and will probably reach 80 feet ON Wed.
nesday. The Missouri will rise generally
as as Will also the Mississippi below Warsaw.
III. stage close to ~ feet is Indicated at
Hannibal and Quincy tomorrow, and III
1eet at Louisiana on Wednesday.
Situation in Manitoba Seriou..
WINNIPEG, Man., April 26-Red river
continues TO rise, and the flood situation is
becoming serious. The water Is higher
tnan IN thirty years. Norris Emerson, st.
John and other towns between Winnipee
and the Dakota boundary line are under
four feet Of water, and they are living in
parns or upper stories of their houses The
railroad cannot run trains, and all rail
communication is shut off with several
points; Winnipeg will have the high water
in day or two. The water here now is
within few inches of the electric mower
house. and soon the city is likely to he in
total darkness ~ "e 'ii