The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-04-15
LIKELY TO ESCAPE
OMAHA WORSE SCARED THAN
HURT BY THE FLOOD.

HURT By THE FLOOD.
able Winds, Holds the Danger Poin
Until Now the River Is FaIiing-Ris
Lower Down the Missouri and at low,
Points-Lower at St Louis-Louisiana'
Brave Fight on the Levee Front - Dis
tressing Accidents and Fatalities-Re
lief Work at Many Points.
Omaha, Neb., April 14.-Tonight there
Is less danger of the threatened cut OF
by the Missouri. River, and unless there
Is an unlocked for rise or high WIND
from the north, it is not probable tina
much more damage will bed one. The
hastily built dyke that stemmed the tor
rent from Florence Lake on Tuesday
was greatly strengthened today, and
has almost stopped the flow at the mos
threatening point. The water has
spread out over a wider stretch of terri
tory, and surrounds few more houses,
but thee hange in the channel of the
Missouri has been averted for the time
al least.
Up TO midnight last night the river
had remained stationary, but after thas
began to rise and a o'clock this morn
ing the gauge at the Florence pumping
station showed rise of eight inches.
The wind was blowing strong from the
south, and this materially assisted in
maintaining the repairs made TO the le-
wee along the south bank Of Florence
Lake. This still holds, but the second
stream of water, which ran to the river
west of Florence Lake was still pouring
into Cut Off Lake. The banks of the
river hold better than was expected, but
there was stlI great danger. The gov
eminent work boats, which were tide up
here during the winter, were steamed up
and sent to the breaks, to do what Was
possible to save the cut off.
From all along the river north and
south of Omaha came reports of flooded
bottoms and Of squatters fleeing in the
night from the angry waters. No loss
Of life was reported yet, but the property
damage was said TO be enormous.
At noon the river was still rising slow
ly. A new break in the banks of Flor
snce lake had occurred above the dyke
built yesterday, and the water was
again pouring into Cut Off Lake. The
damages thus far had been to the houses
Of the people Of East and North Omaha
and TO the tracks of the railroads along
the river front. The East Omaha Ter
minal company's yards were almos5
submerged. The Union Pacific and
Burlington had lost some sections OF
side tracks which had been undermined
and slid into the river. The lower yards
IF bath systems were practically aoan-
i0ned The other roads Jared better, IS
their yards were on higher ground. The
Columbia distillery stood on knoll sur
rounded by water. The Willow Springs
disGllery was just out Of reach Of the
water, and the Omaha and Grant smell
ter was in the same fix. Some water had
backed in around the Union Pacific shops
but not enough to do serious damage.
Along the river front hundreds of squat
tiers had been driven from their nuts and
many of these had been twept away.
On the Iowa side the levee which pro-
tects the Council Bluffs low lands was
holding splendidly and there was very
little probability of its giving way. All
the danger was on the Omaha side. Cut
off Lake had risen twenty inches, ana
vas Cverfowing its eastern bank, which
tended to weaken the dyke at the lower
ind.
At noon today the government gauge
showed the river at 1863 feet, rise of IS
ana the gauge at Florence above the
break, showed 17.6 feet, rise of 9. It
was reported falling in Pierre and STA
tionary at Sioux City.
TEE wo-kmen employed along the le-
wee struck today for double pay. They
we're getting fifteen cents an hour, and
demanded thirty cents. Their demands
we're refused and twenty quit work.
Other men were easily secured.
On the Iowa side of the river, south
Of Council Bluffs, the water has mum
dated farms for distance of three or
four miles back from the stream. Ths
water came up in the night, and the
farmers report many cottle. hogs and
horses drowned. These reports are COM
ing in tonight from every point along
the river as far south as ST. Joseph. The
flood Is the worst since the inundation Of
1881, and is doing immense damage 10
property along the rivers edge. The
flood seems TO nave reached its height,
and will probably fall from now on.
FROM DOWN THE RIVER
Leavenworth, Kan. April 14.-At noon
today the river had risen one foot since
yesterday, and was at ass. higher than
at any time since 1891 when the pontoon
bridge went out The banks have b.
gun to overflow at some points, and this |