The Irish standard., 1897-04-17
HAV0
CRITICAL SITUATION At eIlHl1 .ll
Desperate ;struggIe. to- Prevent Misc
souri, River from Cheng1ag Its &
Channel-North onaha. Unae1
Water - In the Sosth.

ChoAAel-NOxth omaha <Unoe1
Water - In the Sosth.
Omaha, Neb., April 14.-Piling and
boards aud bags Of sand. old hay and
stones are being fed to the hungry nav
of the Big Muddy at Omaha III an effort
to restrain the manifest intention o4
that erratic stream to resume the chans
mel abandoned 20 years ago. At nightt
fall It looked like the effort might suoi
ceed. But all hope is hedged about
with provisos-that the river does not
rise any higher, that a north wind doel
not blow, and, most uncertain Of all
that the break in the bank above Flozl
ence lake is not SO bad as the overhowf
ing water indicates. ''t'=:'
Residents Driven Out.
East Omaha and North Omaha ara
flooded by the waters that are rushing
from the Missouri river. The residenta
fee for their lives, leaving their pos.
session behind. The houses are stand.
ing in the food, submerged in water
from one to five feet deep. Fields Of
grain and fences disappear beneath thA
surface Of the water and the trees NO
longer show any trunks. The food ID
pouring In upon the lowlands Of the
East Omaha bottoms in stream that
is estimated to be 1000 feet in width,
Il is sweeping southeast and pours into
Florence lake.
Breaks Over q Levee.
The water in the lake has broken ovea
the levee that was built to separate II
from Cut OF lake, and it is now rush.
ing with ever increasing volume into the
latter. It is sweeping over plowed and
planted fields, it is driving residents
from their homes in North Omaha, 1t II
tearing up fences and threatening the
houses that stand from three to foue
feet deep in the water. It is pouring
into Cut OF lake just north of the long
bridge which leads to Courtland Beach;
In the last IL hours Cut OF has risen ali
most two feet. If this rate continues ii
is anticipated that soon tho lake win
overflow its southern banks. If thia
should occur and the rise be still main
tained, the entire southern portion Of
East Omaha would be threatened with
most disastrous flood, az there Ii no
elevation of the land to stem the out!
pouring.
Progress OF a Flood.
The beginning of the food 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 70.
strained longer. Two days ego the
water crept over the top OF the bank
dn the bend Of the river just below
Florence. It came slowly at first, butit
found another passage as time wentbyi
Early Monday afternoon the force he-
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 choser and
made it's path, poured along in onto the
bottoms of the south. !;
North Omaha Under Water.
The speed Of the food was rapid. AZ
two o'clock Monday afternoon North
Omaha was surrounded on all sides
with dry land. At five o'clock the peo,
pie In many Of the houses on the lowe
lands were fleeing from their homes.
Tuesday morning this portion was GOV.
cred with water from one to five feet
deep. At present the worst Of tho
flooded district is located just north oA
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 aA
North Omaha. It began to creep along
the bottoms at four o'clock Monday aft4
ernoon. It first drove out of thei1,
houses and from their premises three
milkmen, Erickson, Larson and Mil%
house. It swept quarter of mile fur4
ther south and there took within I'D
bosom dozen cottages. !
Many Narrow Escapes.
The stream then went on furthed
eouth q distance of half mile and
struck another little settlement. The
residents here at six o'clock began I'd
move. All the people were forced I'd
abandon their homes in haste, some Of
them with only their nightclothes ON.
Many narrow escapes from drowning
are recounted, but 50 far as is known nd
lives were lost. Efforts to recover per4
sonal effects from the engulfed housea
have been Of little avail. Forces o4
workmen were hurried out to protect
the houses III the flooded district and
have succeeded in restraining the spread
Of the water to the west, confinipg It td
the channel out from the river to Flor3
ence lake and from Florence lake to Cut
or lake. This has saved most Of North
Omaha from destruction.
The soutlern Floods.
Memphis, Tenn, April 1.-THE rives|
continues to rise south Of Vicksburd
and the swift current is throwing the
waters sgainst the Louisiana leveesI
with enormous force. A telegram from
Tallelah, La, received Monday nightt
reported that the levee at Davis Island1
In Warren county, Miss, had broken,
but the report wes premature. The
water il washing over the levee at that
point, however. and break may occua
ct any horr. Many people have left