River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1897-04-15
THE FLOODS.
High Water Record Broken i'm the
North Mexf-Annfher LeYee arenks


North Levee Breaks
Omaha, Neb., April 13.-The Missouri
river has risen almost two feet at this
point in 24 hours and is now higher
than at any time since 1883. At noon
The government gauge showed l4.s feet
above mean low water and the gauge at
the pumping station. seven miles north.
where the channel is confined. showed
lG.S feet. On the Iowa bottoms north
of Council Bluffs the water is four feet
deep. but is held back from the city
b. dykes The factories along the
river have taken precaution against
overflow. y portion of the Burlington
tracks was washed out. Mon
day evening the river broke over
into its old channel by Omaha. flowing
:nto Florence lake, which was formed
when the river changed its course near
~ 90 years ago. The water is pouring
down through the lake and has flooded
the bottoms in the vicinity. All the
houses in North Omaha. 200 or 300 in
number. are surrounded and the in
habitants have been moving TO higher
ground. The Missouri Pacific and Elk
horn tracks are under water. the round
house of the latter road being sur
rounded. The water from the break
into Florence lake is finding an outlet
into Cutt-off lake and if the rise is
much greater there is great danger that
the river will reestaolish its abandoned
course of 90 years ago. In this event.
the property loss will be enormous. as
there are extensive railroad plants,
factories, etc, in the line of the threat
ened cutoff.
Memphis. Tenn. April lathe
mighty sweep of the waters south of
Vicksburg has at last had its effect
upon the lower Ievees and telegram
from Tallulah. La. reports that the
levee which protects Davis island has
given way. Twenty-Five hundred peo-
pie inhabit Davis island. which con-
sists of about 5000 acres of land. The
place is situated in Warren county,
Miss. Throughout the upper delta the
food situation shows little change
since last reports. The work of govern
ment relief has been actively inaugur-
ated. Many people are being fed and
Friar's Point and other points along the
river. A relief steamer is now plying
up the st. Francis river with food and
forage for man and beast.
Washington, April IA statement
relative to the agricultural interests
of the submerged districts of the Mis-
sissippi valley south of Cairo. ILL.,, has
been issued by the department of agri-
culture. 1t is based upon a chart pre-
pared under the direction of the chief
of the weather bureau showing the ex-
tent of the flood on April G. To this
chart the department has applied the
crop statistics of 1896 as representing
more closely than Hny other available
data the acreage ID value of the crops
of 1897 now in jeop9r1y. The statistics
of population, of the number and acre
age of farms and Of tie value of farms
and farm implement are those of the
census, and the statistics of live stock
are the departn nt's own figures for
January ], 1897. The statement fol-
lows:
The total area under water on April 6
was about 1880 square miles. of which
1900 square miles was in Mississippi 4,5f0
square miles in Arkansas, 1,750 square miles
in Missouri, 1900 in Tennessee, and $50 in
Louisiana. This region contained i'm 1890
so far as can be determined in view of the
indefinite boundary lines of the flood, a pop
ulation of 79.6S5. of which 1S6. 4s9. or about
one-half, was in Mississippi, 100,235 in Ar
kansas. and the remainder almost equally
divided between Missouri and Tennessee.
Tho flooded districts contain. IL Is esti-
mated, about $4,000 farms. of which about
1850 are in Mississippi, nearly 10000 in Ar
kansas, and a like number about equally
divided between Missouri and Tennessee.
These farms contain a total area of about
100000 acres, one-half of which is in Mis-
sssippi and rather over one-fourth in Ar
kansas. the proportions in Missouri and
Tennessee being about the same as in the
case of the number of farms The total
value of these farms, with their improve
ments. farm implements, etc, is close upon
S65, 000. 600. and here also the proportions in
the different states are about the same
above noted.
The live stock on hand the first of jan
nary of the present year was valued at
over S7.500,000, divided IN very much the
same proportions as other farm property.
IL is estimated that of the crops of last
year over SO. S75 600 worth remained on hand
in the submerged region i'm the last month.
cotton representing about two-thirds of
this amount and corn practically all the
remainder
The largest interests at stake so far n re
those of the state of Mississippi, whose
flooded districts represent an invested cap
ital in agriculture alone of close upon
$40. ono 900. over 1890 farms, containing
900 acres of land. of an average value
Of about SIS an acre. are under water IL
the country lying between the Mississippi
and Yazoo rivers. including some of the
most productive lands of the state.
Arkansas stands next in the extent of its
imperilcd interests, nearly 10000 farms, con-
tanning 1.000000 acres of land. worth over
$4,000. 600. being submerged.
The agricultural interests affected in Mis-
souri, represent total capital of 100000.
the $500 submerged farms containing an
area of about 10000 acres, worth abou;
81, $50 Geo.
the extent of it's imperiled interests. the
number and acreage of the submerged
farms being very nearly the same. ard
the entire value, including 81, $4,000 for live
stock, and 100000 for crops on hand, be-
ing over sS,500,000.
What effect the floods will have upon
the crops of the present season depends
upon the length of its continuance, and
the pra ctica bility of wheat planting after
the subsistence OF the flood The entire
region under water on April produced
last year about 10000 bales of cotton. val
ued at close on 900: over 1l,o00,00i
bushels of corn. worth about sS.400.o00. and
wheat. oats, potatoes and hay worth over
The weather bureau predicts a further
extension of the flooded area. but no at
tempt, of course, has been made to esti-
mate the serious possibilities of such ex-
tension.