The herald., 1897-04-16
Are Now a Dreary Waste
of Water
PEOPLE ESCAPE DROWNING
BUT THE LOSS OF LIVESTOCK rs
ENORMOUS
The Mississippi River Continues to
Rise-Secretary Alger Orders
Supplies to Vicksburg g
Associated Press Special Wire.

Associated Press Special Wire.
OMAHA, April 15-When the sun went
down tonight his last light fell on vast
waste of water, whose yellow waves,
tossed high by strong breeze from the
north all day, rolled over what last
week were fields and gardens and door,
yards. All day the torrent poured from
the Missouri across North Omaha's gar
dens into Florence and Cutoff lakes The
former has lost it's identity in the gen.
eral flood and the latter may soon. To-
night it is seven feet higher than 1t was
on Tuesday morning, and is surely cut
ting away the dikes that hold it back
from sweeping to join the Missouri
When the sun went down the wind
died away to a great extent, but is still
blowing steady breeze. The streams
running into Cutoff lake from the north
had been increased in volume. but no
longer had a bank to tumble over. The
water in the lake had risen to level Of
the water above and the whole flood
was spending itself against the first
dykes at the foot of the lake. This Is
still two feet above the surface Of the
water, but the waves have cut it ter
ribly during the day and it may give
way before morning.
The situation down town is un-
changed. The river is rushing at a If
teen-mile gait The Burlington road
has dumped several train loads of stone
in the place where it's tracks were un-
| dermined, and a further cut is impos-
sible. The Unioh Pacific has protected
it's tracks from further encroachments.
A special from Vermilion, s. d.. to-
night reports further rise in the river
at that point There have been no lives
lost so far as is known. but damage to
farm property and live stock has been
enormous
IN MISSOURI
KANSAS CITY, Mo-, April 15-The
river this morning had risen eight inches
since yesterday, marking three inches
above danger line, and is still coming up
slowly The water is' beginning to spread
out over the lowlands, and the rise is,
therefore, more slow. Precautions taken
against the flood have in most cases
proved effective, and no very serious
! damage has been occasioned
Ten miles up the river the Burlington
tracks are endangered, and above Kan
| sas City, Kan, the Missouri Pacific
tracks are only little above the current.
! The river is also getting dangerously
near the Maple Leaf trestle. The last
families on Lewis island, small place
at the mouth of the Kansas river, have
moved out. The place is entierly sub
| merged and the water at the lowest
int oh oct t1o aax Of "a
| houses.
| Harlem, across the river Is in state
! of excitement, as very slight rise will
bring the flood into that town. The rip
rapping has not proved much of sue
sees and the banking is rapidly caving
| in.
FOOD GROWS SCARCE
WASHINGTON April 15.-Just before
| the close of office hours Secretary Alger
received a telegram from Vicksburg,
| representing that the people Of the SUM-
| flower district were cut Off from dry
| land and are in great need of food and
forage. He Immediately called his bureau
officers in consultation and then ordered
another steamboat to take on supplies
and start for the scene of distress.
THE SIXTH VICTIM
| ROSEDALE, Miss, April 15.-Mary
Robinson, a young colored girl, was
drowned in the flood here today, making
the sixth victim claimed by the flood
in this vicinity within two weeks A
frail canoe, in which she was trying to
cross the water, sank.
| A NEW CREVASSE
THIBODEAUX, La. April ia cree
vase occurred at noon today at Leon
| babis one mile below Fourche crossing,
west side. 1t will inundate the section
between bayous La Fourche and Terre
Bonne, from Prices Acadia plantatioh
to the gulf. The water has fallen fifteeh
inches at Thibodeaux in the past six
| hours.
STILL RISING
LAKE PROVIDENCE. La, April 49,
The situation here is very critical. For
tunately we are favored with beautiful
weather and are losing no time in
strengthening bad places. The water 10
now over the Sllon levee proper in some
places seven inches, but 1t Is protected
by sacks of dirt. The Mcguire and Con-
| cordia levees below town are being
worked upon. The river is rising one
tenth Of an inch every twenty hours ana
stands A feet on the gauge. just fours
tenths below the highest water.
The Wrecked Yaquina
HUENEME April 15-The wrecked