The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-04-05

$
less than two feet to go before the
highest mark of 1877 Is reached, which
was registered April Is, 1881. The rise
yesterday was over e-tenth of a foot
hours, and old river men are authority
for the statement that the water will
come very close to the 1881 mark before
the flood subsidies
Those who predicted Saturday that
the river had reached the high water
mark and that the danger was over at
ia feet are entitled to another guess.
At o'clock yesterday morning the
government gauge at the foot Of Jack
son street showed ia feet. At II
o'clock Cnoon) it had risen one-tenth of
a foot, and at 2 o'clock another tenth
of foot rise was recorded. At $50
yesterday an employe of the govern
ment, at least the crowd which stood
on the river bank at the foot of Jack
son street so stated, rushed down to
the levee, threw off his overcoat and,
adjusting a pair Of hip rubber boots,
Waded out to the gauge. When he had
gained dry land he announced that the
gauge showed the water to be IT. feet,
and, with a wise shake of the head, he
stated that the water was still rising
There was a drizzling rain all the af-
ternoon, but that did not seem to
dampen the spirits of the thousands
who tramped about in the mud or stood
on the bridges and watched the raging
waters
The most excitement was on the up
per levee. just east of James street.
For several days the city engineer and
a force of workmen have been
strengthening the levee at this point,
and it was thought the efforts would
prevent the river from breaking
through and carrying away the half
hundred houses which form quite a
settlement there
The residents of the dwellings just
below James street moved out Friday,
but as the only water around their
houses was what leaked through the
bottom of the levee and was only about
two feet deep, the household effects
were moved into the second story, and
each of the dwellers in the colony pre-
dicted that everything would be all
right in a day or so. 1t perhaps would
have been, but shortly after o'clock
yesterday afternoon there was break
in the levee and in a couple of hours
the water had risen on the upper flats
so that waves were pouring in the sec
ond story windows Of those Of the
dwellings that had that number Of
stories. This caused much excitement
and, as majority of the cOlonists had
boats, the work of rescuing household
effects which had been hastily moved
to the roof or second story of the
dwellings commenced in earnest. The
break in the levee Widened every min
ute, and as the water poured into the
fat the current set to drifting about
sheds washtubs and pieces Of houses.
The residents did what they could to
assist each other. and boatloads Of
bedding, furniture, and crates Of chick
ems were transported from the deserted
houses to the landing at the foot Of
James street until it was too dark to
make the trips without danger.
Further down the levee and below
the high bridge the water had washed
over the top and the current was pour
ing in at a rate that boded Ill for the
foundations of the shanttes in that I'M
mediate vicinity. An attempt was
made to repair the break in the levee
opposite the foot of Wilkin street, and
a score Of men worked for an hour or
so endeavoring to fill in the break. The
news that there had been a break in
the levee further up the river, near the
old Azotine plant, however, put a stop
to the work
]. T. Mcmillan, proprietor Of the
packing house midway between the
high bridge and the foot Of James
street, had force of men working yes
terday, loading cars with goods. Mr..
Mcmillan said what goods he had in the
building had been removed to the upper
floors, and unless the water rose over
three feet more his place would not be
in danger. This was before the break
in the levee al James street occurred.
and at O'Clock the water was pouring
with a rush and roar into the basin
formed by James street and the spur
track of the Omaha road, just above
McMillan's plant City Engineer Rund-
lett, seen last evening, said he feared
that the break in the levee at James
street would prove very serious. Aside
from the current carrying away the
houses on the upper fats, the water was
liable to make a hole in the filing Of
the Omaha spur, and If this was done
the water would sweep down and play
havoc with McMillan's plant
At the foot Of Chestnut street the
water was backing UP rapidly and do