Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-04-17
The MISSISSIPPI FLOODS.


Those who have never seen The
Mississippi or Missouri rivers NJ al
have not only mitssd spectacle o.
considerable grandeur but can form
not even the femotest conception OF
The silent power contained within the
mighty volumes OF water flowing
steadily on to the sea-. But having
seen these streams--they are one and
the same near 81. Charles, Mo.,-when
the water is low is nothing to com5aro
with the awfully magnificent scene
which is presented when the volume
is swollen considerably, and this in
turn dwindles into insignitioan ce
when brought into comparison with
The state Of things now and for few
weeks past prevailing.
The river is normally about IN lie
In widtt; but when Ii leaps beyond Its
boundaries and goes cavorting along
the lowlands, 1t spreads In places to
five, ten anu even twenty m les from
SIN ore to shore. Ii is at such iims the
most merClless destroyer in the orld I.
All the damage done by all the cy.
clones we have airy recori OF does not
amount to more than respectable
fraction OF that which one such vista.
ton as the one now upon the Missis.
sippi valley and the country further
south causes. 1t sweeps away every.
thing that Ia movable and takes it far
beyond the hope OF recovery-frame or
log and sometimes even brick or atole
house,, crops OF all kinds, anylh Ing
and everything that can be torn dow u
or uprooted Is tumbled pell nell into
the NAV OF the devouring monster as
he goes roaring and rushing to the
gulf
Another serious feature OF the
destruction is the vast army OF people
left homeless and destitute. In come
cases the homelessness and restitution
are permanent 80 far as previous pos.
sessions are concerned; for 1t is not
alone houses and effects that are
swiried away by the flood, but so IL
resistible is the force which the food
brings to bear upon everything IL
meets that farms and plantations,
grounds aud garce g, are cut out aud
practically aDnihilated. leaving the
whole face OF nature completely
changed. 1t is altogether a most ue.
cidedly awt-lnspiring situation, even
at this great data nee; ana when the
suffering and sorrow which II causes
are even messurably comprehended,
1t becomes most lamentable one as
well.
The levees placsi for protection
along the banks of the river
are, like some other things that
might be named, protection
when they protect, but a
good deal worse than nothing
when they do not. They are the
means Of "banking" up the water
until 1t reaches an abnormal height,
and II the dykes are weak 10 any |
point the enormous pressure upon |
them soon finds that point and pene-
trates IL, wheteupon the whole struc-
tuIe gives way like so much straw,
precipitatiDg upon the adjacent coun.
try mighty food whose force IL in
estimable and awful In It's wild des.
truciivsness; whereas II there were no
such distractions tue water would
flood the surroundings gradually and
with speed and power which, com.
pared with the other case, would
amount to mildnsss itself, albeit
powerful enough TO do considerable
damage before su bsidInR.
a good, and perhaps the only
good feature OF the situation l.
the delightful spectacle Of practical
sympathy which such calamltiea
evoke among the whole American
people, and when necessary the civil.
ICED world. Congress was luckily in
session, and 1t came promptly to the
rescue; while 1t Is certainty that all
other aid required will be on hand
even without the asking. That this
will be considerable, apart from the
Immediate wants Of tho sufferers, he
amply evidenced In the loss OF grow.
ing crops, cattle and other means Of
subsistence to which the people looked
as their reliance for the coming year.
that can BIZ Will be done;
and tnen the privations, sorrows, losses
and sutlerings must smOuut to more
than we can firm auf idea OF.
The AvERAdL .Gaysier cuming into
own from tue sou Ii on State stree.
Will be pardone1 for thinking that al,
he c0bble stones In seven COUNTIES
nave been collected Tor ami dumped
4loug the four blocks OF tina. stree.
between Eighth and Fourth South.
As he rides on, however. he will dis.