The Portland daily press., 1897-03-22
FLOODS IN THE WEST.
Waters Beginning to Recede Though
Still High.


Still High.
Great Destruction Along the Mississippi
River.
Sioux City, Ia, March 20.-The food
is reoeding here aud at all points above
The Big Sioux is on the war path,
however, and has every town and farm
in It's valley under water. 1t rose 20 feet
In thirty six hours and is still coming
up. The Gilwakee road has suffered In
calculable damage between here and
Hawarien. The Missouri broke up here
last night, but Is bringing down quanti-
ties Of wreokaRe from it's tributaries.
Hardly bridge is left across any stream
in this section. In Sioux City are many
destitute families who have been driven
from their homes on Floyd's bottom by
the flood. Farmers in outlying districts,
who we're forced to abandon their homes,
are also drifting in. Last night no pro.
vision had been made to care for them
by the city and considerable suffering
resulted. They will be cared for after
today.
Princeton, Ind. March 20.-On account
Of the rapidly rising water people are
DESERVING the Wabash, Patoka and White
river bottoms and are making all posi-
BILE haste to the hills. Many of the IN
fortunates have no boats and are COM
PEELED to wade in water fpAm one to two
feet deep. One poor fellow waded in
water up to his waist for several miles,
carrying in his arms his wife, who was
dying with malarial fever.
Kingston, Ja., March 20.-A very seri-
GUS situation exists throughout the GEN.
trail and western districts of the Island
| Of Jamaica, In consequence OF the scarcity
Of water, which Is causing widespread
| suffering among the Inhabitants. The
government authorities have remained
inactive in the matter of providing
means to alleviate the prevailing distress
| of the people, who have become turbulent
| and in their desperation made several
| attacks upon the public reservoirs. In
| these assaults three men have Eeen shot
by the police and badly wounded. This
has only served to madden the populace
and 1t is feared rioting may occur In
which many lives Will be sacrificed.
| St. Louis March 20.-The warning
sent out by the government signal ser
Woe yesterday that the Mississippi river
and all it's tributaries would continue
to rise has been filled TO the letter. Com
munioation with the flooded section has
become difficult but dispatches received
from widely separated points show all
have suffered alike. 1t Is estimated
that section Of the country with an
area equal to that of the state of Mis-
souri, is now under water and that the
worst is not over. The dispatches re-
ceivedshere tell but one story of lives lost,
stock drowned and country desolated.
At Cairo, ILL.,, today the river reached
500 feet and was rising rapidly. This
is but one foot short of the high food of
1859. All the country south of here to
Memphis is submerged. A relief steam
l
brought in four families. 1t is reported
that fiat boat containing number of
people was sunk at Island number 10.
| The Memphis Relief association has
five boats at work. These boats got to
points some twenty miles from streams
navignhle in ordinary stages OF water.
The unanimous opinion of st. Louis
rivermen is that the situation must be-
come worse before there can be permanent
relief
improvement at Memphis.
Memphis, March 20.-The food situa-
tion today is improved. The rain has
ceased and the sun is shining. Rescu-
ing parties are still coming In with the
people taken from dangerous positions.
The river gauge Is stationary and no
breaks In the levees occurred today.
|