The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1897-04-01
WIDESPREAD
b the Damage From Water in the
Mississippi Valley.
Numerous Breaks In tho Levees Reported
From Cairo, III. to Columbus. Kyr
Distance of 80 Miies, the Riv.
or IL IS Miles Wide.

ST. LOUIS, March 29.-The forecast
Of the government signal service that
the Missouri and the Upper Mississippi
rivers would rise to the danger point
has been well verified, and new high
water marks have been made. That
stretch of low land country on both
sides of the Mississippi river from the
mouth of Des Moines to the hills below
Hannibal, NO., and Quincy, ILL.,, 10
under water. At Quincy the record
Sunday night is 1873 feet with a rising
river. This is two feet above the dan.
ger line. Great suffering has befallen
the farmers in the bottom about Pal
myrs and West Quincy on the Mis-
souri, side. This sea of overflow has
ruined every lowland farm from Pal.
myra north 40 miles to La Grange.
Should the rise reach another foot
every railroad in the valley will have
to be abandoned.
Horizons and Wards islands, below
Quincy, are inundated and the set.
tiers barely escaped with their lives
The Indian Grave levee, north Of
Quincy, that protects 10000 acres of
farmed land, was still intact Sunday
night, but little mUre water would
sweep 1t away. At Louisiana, Mo-, the
water is spreading over the lowlands.
At Burlingt ton, Ia, the river is five miles
wide and has DESTROYED several mills
on the fats. At Alton. ILL.,, the rise
Saturday was very rapid. The Missis-
sippi flood was met by the overflow
from the Missouri and Illinois rivers,
Al Is 4 L. Ia H.,
At a standstill at noon, being held in
check by back-water from the big
river. Rescue boats are busy bringing
families and stock to Quincy from the
lowlands
Information received Sunday. from
the flooded country south of Cairo, ILL.,,
10 barren of encouragement for imme-
diate relief. The half dozen points
where Saturday there were slight de-
creases in the height of the flood, Sun
day report steady rises. Numerous
breaks in the levees on both
sides of the river have served
as safety outlets. The rises re.
ported in the northern tribu.
taries to the great river are be-
ginning to be felt About all the dam.
age that can come from high water has
already been done, however, and the
outcoming tide will only complete the
work of destruction. Cairo is we'll en-
trenched on the Illinois peninsula, and
fear there has given place to conf"
dence. Sonth of Cairo, so miles to Co.
lumbus, KY, the river becomes a
sea rs miles wide. Columbus
proper is on an elevation and only q
part of the town Is flooded. From Co
lumbus to Hickman, another stretch of
so miles, the levees have disappeared.
Hickman is a city set upon a hill and
10 a city of refuge for hundreds of ref.
ugees. From Hickman to New Mad
rid, Mo-, there is great bend in
the river, over which steamers
travel so miles down stream in
ordinary stages of water and
are then 20 miles north of Hickman.
Sunday steamers 60 directly west from
Hickman to reach New Madrid, ignor.
ing the river current and riding on the
turbulent yellow sea across the sites
of hamlets and plantations. South
from New Madrid to the Arkansas
state line. 90 miles, there is steadily
swelling tide that has obliterated
every landmark. From the state line
to Osceola, in Arkansas, there are occa.
sional stretches of levee, protected by
cross barriers back to the St Francis
hills, that have withstood the flood.
The great crevasse of Osceola of a
week ago has widened and stretch of
water now extends back to the St.
Francis river and south 100 miles to
the rivers mouth, 30 miles above
Helena. This is the longest unbroken
stretch Of overflowed country, and in
several places is 40 miles wide. At
Helena the greatest fear is felt.
All this enormous body of water is
now beating upon the circle levee
north of the town from the hills to
the river levee. The greatest efforts
are made to keep it intact, and 400
men were working in relays Sunday
to strengthen this two mile barrier.
Armed guards patrol the e1nbankment
Should this give way nothing would
remain of levees south 80 miles
to Arkansas City. Standing upon
the deck of a steamer the street level
of the town of Friar's Point, opposite
Helena, is seen 10 feet below the tor
of the levee, with the river rising and
only 16 inches below the top. Al
Greenville, Miss, Sunday, Gov. Nc
Laurin took charge of the voluntee,
corps of 700 citizens who are strength
ening the levee. At a public meet
ing held there Saturday night
every business man in the city
pledged himself to discontinue bust
ness and fight the food.
The most critical points on all the
river lie between Helene, Modoc, La
coma and Arkansas City, for it is In
these latter stretches of levee that the
greatest water fght ever made on the
Mississippi is now in progress.
Monday morning message was 70
csivsd that large break had occurred
In the lsvee at Wayside, Miss, nins
r l~l ~ l. q.