Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1897-04-02
RAGING WATERS.
and Mississippi Break
ing Farmers and Records.
Men Working to Strengthen Levees
New High Water Marks.

ST. LOUIS, Mo-, March 30-The Mis-
slssippi and Missouri have broken over their
banks and are laying waste the territory for
many miles That stretch OF lOwland coun-
try on both sides of the Mississippi river
from the mouth of the Des Moines river to
the hills below Hannibal, No., Mark Twain's
birthplace) and Quincy. ILL.,, is under water.
Great suffering has been occasiOned
among the farmers and the bOatmen about
Palmyra and West Quincy on the Missouri
side. The overflow has ruined every farm
from Palmyra north 40 miles to Lagrange.
Should the rise reach another foot every
railroad in the valley will have to be aban-
doned. Horizons and Wards islands below
Quincy are inundated, and the settlers bare
ly escaped with their lives.
The Indian Grove levee north of Quincy.
that protects 10000 acres of farm land, is
still intact but little more water will sweep
it away. At Louisiana, Mo-, the water is
spreading over the lowlands. At Burling-
ton. Ia. the river is five miles wide and has
destroyed several mills on the flats. At Al
ton. H., the rise has been very rapid. The
Mississippi flood was met by the overflow
from the Missouri and the Illinois rivers. and
the current of the latter was about at
stand, being held in check by backwater
from the big rivers. Rescue boats are busy
bringing families and stock to Quincy from
the lowlands.
South of Carlo. 10 miles. to Columbus. Ky,
the river is a sea % miles wide. Columbus
is on an elevation and only a part of the
town is Hooded. From Columbus to Hick
man, 10 miles, the levees have disappeared.
Hickman Is set upon a hill and is a city of
refuge for hundreds of flood sufferers.
From Hickman to New Madrid, Mo-, there
is Il great bend in the river, over which
steamers travel 80 miles down stream in or
dinary stages Of water and are then two
miles north Of Hickman. Today steamers
sailed directly west from Hickman to reach
New Madrid ignoring the river current and
riding on the yellow sea across the sites of
hamlets and plantations.
South from New Madrid to the Arkansas
state line, 80 miles, there is steadily swell
ing tide that has oOliterated every landmark.
A body OF water stretches back to the st.
Francis river and south 100 miles to the
rivers mouth. 20 miles above Helena. This
unbroken stretch of overhowed country in
several places is 40 miles wide.
At Helena the water is breaking upon the
Circle leyee, north Of the town. from the
hills to the river levee. Four hundred men
are working in relays to strengthen the bar
rier. Should this give way nothing would
remain of the levees south 80 miles to Ar
kansas City. The street level of the town of
Friars Point is u feet below the top of the
levee, with the river rising and only l6 inches
below the top. At GreeuVille. Miss, Gov
ernor Mclaughlin has taken charge of the
corps of 700 citizens who are strengthening
the levee. A rise of one foot will inundate
the whole valley Of the Suntlower river, 60
miles wide. The most critical points on the
river lie between Helena and Modoc. La
coma and Arkansas City.