The record-union., 1897-04-16
a Torrent Pouring Into Florence and
Cutoff Lakes.
Twenty More Families Driven From
Their Homes i'm East Omaha by
EncroaCIing Waters-The River
Rapidly Rising at Kansas City
Harlem in Imminent Danger OF
Being Flooded.

OMAHA, April 15.-When the sun
went down tonight his last light fell
on a vast waste of water, whose yellow
waves, tossed high by a 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 Oma-
has gardens into Florence and Cut Off
Lakes. The former has lost its iden-
tity in the general flood, and the latter
may soon. Tonight it is seven feet
higher than it was on Tuesday morning,
and is surely cutting away the dykes
that hold it back from sweeping to
join the Missouri and turn the long
abandoned course of that stream again
into a race.
Twenty more families have been driv-
en- from their houses in East Omaha by
the encroaching waters of Cut Off
Lake. a steady current set in through
Cut off Lake, and this, with the aid of
a strong north wind, is sending an i'm
mense volume of water against the
dykes at the lakes lower end.
The east shore of the lake is gradual
ly giving way under the swash of the
waves. The lake has risen two feet
in twelve hours, and another foot will
enable it to establish a juncture with
the river over the east bank.
When the sun went down the wind
died away to a great extent, but is
still blowing a steady breeze. The
streams running into Cut Off 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 the level of the water above, and
the whole flood was spending itself
against the first of the dykes at the
foot Of the lake. This is still two feet
above the surface Of the water, but the
waves have cut it terribly during the
day, and it may give away before
morning.
The situation down town is unchans-
ed. The river is rushing at a fifteen
mile gait. The Burlington road has
dumped several trainloads of stones in
the place where its tracks We're under
mined and a further cut is Impossible.
The Union Pacific has protected it's
stacks from further encroachments.
a special from Vermilion. S. D.. to-
night reports a further rise in the river
at that point. There have been no lives
lost so far as known, but the damage
to farm property and live stock has
been enormous
MISSOURI STILL RISING.
KANSAS CITY (Mo.), April 15.-The
river this morning had risen eight
inches since yesterday. marking three
inches above the danger line. and still
coming up slowly. Water is beginning
TO spread out over the low lands and
the rise therefore is more slow.
Precautions taken against the flood
have in most cases proven effective and
no very serious damage has been oc-
casioned.
Two miles up the river the Burling-
ton tracks are endangered. and above
Kansas City, Kan, the Missouri Pa
ciilc tracks are only a little above the
current. The river is also getting dan
gerously near the Maple Leaf trestle.
The last families on Lewis Island. a
small place at the mouth of the Kan
sas River, have moved out. The place
is entirely submerged, and the water
at the lower points almost touches the
caves Of the houses
Harlem, across the river. IS in a state
viii bring the food into that town
The rip-rapping has not proved much
of success, and the banking is rap
idly caving in.
IN MINNESOTA.
BRAINERD CMinn), April 1.-THE
Mississippi River at this point has
overfiowed it's banks and all lowlands
on either side are covered with water
from three to ten feet deep. The river
rose seven inches last night and is
rising fast to-day. 1t is within a foot
OF high-water mark.
WATER FALLING AT ST. LOUIS.
ST. LOUIS CMo). April 15.-The Mis-
sissippi River at this point shows a de-
cline Of more than half a foot during
the past twenty-four hours. while at
Keokuk and above an advance is re-
corded. At Boonville and Kansas City.
Mo. il is also dropping. The Weather
Bureau predicts that the river at ST
Louis will fall to about twenty and
-tenths feet by Friday morning, with
a further fall during the day.
REPORTS CONFLICTING.
WASHINGTON, April 15.-News that
came to the War Department from the
lower Mississippi Valley to-day was
conflicting. At Vicksburg the condi-
tions appear to differ on each side Of
the river From the army officers in
Mississippi comes the most alarming
report of a number OF people suffer
ing for want Of food. while the inspect
ing officers in Louisiana counsel
against too liberal assistance. as likely
to lead to bad labor conditions.
Just before the close OF Office hours
Secretary Alger received a telegram
from Vicksburg. representing that the
people in the Sunfiower district were
cut off from dry land. and are in great
need of food and forage He immedi-
ately called the bureau officers in con-
sultation. and then ordered another
steamboat to take on supplies and start
for the scene of distress.
TOOK HIS OWN LIFE.