Omaha daily bee., 1897-04-14

however. they found that their homes were
situated In lakes OF water AS the day ad-
vanced boats were obtained and some oil
the more fearful of the vashed-out residents
removed their belongings. Others allowed
theirs to remain in the houses, believing that
the worst OF the flood was past.
In this work OF rescue and in the fOrlorn
scenes around there were some incidents oil
a ridiculous character. Most OF the North
Omaha residents are owners Of cows or hogs
or both These were OF course, left behind
in the flight, but I'm the morning the hrst
efforts were made to rescue these animals.
The owners rowed out to the barns and sites,
unloosed the animals and forced them 10
swim through the flood to the dry land
Some of the residents who had been driven
away by the water tried to get back to their
houses on horseback. This could not be
done in the morning. The current was so
swift that the horses were almost swept
from their feet and there were several mar
row escapes from drowning. AS the day
advanced however. the current seemed to
lose some of its strength and a passage was
then secured
While this stream did the most dam
age, the other branch was by far the more
dangerous and threatening. This ran di-
rectly east from Sherman avenue into Flor
ence lake. At the juncture of the two
streams there was vast lake OF water, ex-
tending from Twentieth street on the west
apparently to the bluffs that line the eastern
FLOODS FLORENCE LAKE.
This second stream poured an enormous
volume OF water into Florence lake, rapidly
causing that body to lick the top of its
shores This water rushed in without do
ing any damage until about l o'clock yes
terday morning, when 1t was discovered
that 1t was eating its way through the levee
that separates 1t from Cut on lake to the
south, and along which runs the county road
that traverses the island.
This situation aroused much alarm, espe-
cially to the owners OF the ice houses To-
Gated on the north shore Of Cut on lake. 1t
was feared that If the levee was broken
the flood would swamp the entire ground
between the two lakes, sweeping away the
fee houses and all the other buildings in its
path. 1t was also feared that the water
from Florence lake would so augment the
already high stage In Cut on that the
latter would be forced out OF its southern
shore and would sweep across the southern
part of East Omaha to the river. The dan
ger increased as the morning advanced.
The water in Florence lake began to eat
into the levee and finally succeeded IN
working a small channel across the road
This channel became enlarged and before
daylight a good stream of water was now
ing from Florence lake into an old slough
that formerly connected 1t with Cut on,
and was rushing into the latter. This
slough winds about directly to the north
of Swifts ice house and was there about
three feet in depth. 1t ran into Cut of
lake opposite the pavilion at Courtland
beach over a cascade some thirty feet in
width,
AS soon as the break was discovered last
night the ice house people set to work to
ranoir the damage with dirt sand hay and
otber material They worked during the
ro,,a;,dar of tbe nipht and until noon but
thn tnrce NJ tho water could not apparently
ha ator1mod This necessitated the employ
,,,ort 80 a larger force of men in the after
,,nn,, rev man Who anplied for work
,,,os o,vor r. mill there were some 100 men
- eo,t,, e,,a team. epgarad in the labor
e,,orn,,,, r,rIr, ovEpVroyy
oloff Ell LIE Wv
All the afternoon this tCrce OF men was
engaged in strengthening the dam' wagon
loads OF hay were hauied tnroush lahes vi
water from the Ice houses, biIt was "a "a
ried from the surrounding hish pldces' pasa a
OF sand were packed anu stoweu away s IN ,r Tue
levee Ihls iaDor was louhu 10 pe eieo'ino ,'s We o.
early In the AFTERNOON the pleahs W. ~. -.
paired and no more water enipt,eu ilto Cu' %
on lake. Inc wolh Vi st.cn i'tm a. Nv
ieVee however was conti.ueu M LII. - ST.
ran. For tne tilne a. ieas., lne u'ns l,,, Iii
avertsd; ana II Is peleHeu I,a. sne VAN tha
now holu uhiess tnere is . 'uo.hel iiso ~ ti .uo
river anu ahother consequent IN uSh Vi 'ne
wafer 49,. .,-,,-. -.
Inc hooo mas causeu un,qus ieiol ma ,to Ion