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

Inote who have never seen the
Mississippi or Missouri rivers NJ all
have not only misssd spectacle Of
considerable grandeur but can form
not even the Iemolest conception of
the silent power contained within the
mighty volumes of water flowing
steadily on to tho sea-. But having
seen these streams--they are one and
the same near 81. Charles, Mo.,--when
the water 10 low is nothing to com pare
with the awfully magnificent scene
which is presented when the volume
is swollen considerably, aud this In
turn dwindles into insignificsn ce
when brought into comparison with
Ihe state Of things now and for few
weeks past prevailing.
The river is normally abou, a IN lie
In widtt; but when It leaps beyond Its
boundaries and goes cavorting along
the lowlands, 1t spreads in places to
five, ten and even twenty m les from
shore to shore. 1t lie at such tim,s the
most merclless destroyer in the world.
All the damage done by all the cy-
clones we have any recorl OF does not
amount to more than a 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 stoue
houses, crops OF all kinds, anything
ind everything that can be torn dow u
or uprooted is tumbied pell nell into
the NAV OF the devourlng 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 some
cases the homeiessness and destitution
are permanent so far as previous pos.
SESSIONS are concerned; for 1t is not
alone houses and effects that are
swiried away by the food, but 50 IL
resistible is the force which the hood
brings to bear upon everything 1t
meets that farms and plantations,
grounds aud garte g, are cut cut aud
practically apnlhilated. leaving the
whole face OF nature completely
changed. 1t is altogether a most de.
cidedly swt-lnspiring situation, even
at this great distance; ana when the
suffering and sorrow which 1t causes
are even measurabiy mprehsndei,
1t becomes a most lamentable one Us
well.
The levees plscsi for protection
along the banks OF the river
are, like some other things that
might be nsmed, 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 sn abnormal height,
and II the dykes are weak In any
point the enormous pressure upon
them soon finds that point and pene-
trates 1t, whereupon the whdle struc-
ture gives way like SO much straw,
preoipitatiDg upon the adjacent coun.
try a mighty fl ood whose force Is in
estimable and awful In its Wild des.
trucilveness; whereas II there were no
such distractions the water would
flood the surroundings gradually and
with speed and power which, com
pared with the other case, would
amount to mildness itself, albeit
powerful enough to DO considerable
damage before subsiding.
A good, and perhaps the only
good feature OF the situation IL
the delightful spectacle Of practical
sympathy which such cslamities
evoke among the whole American
people, and when necessary the civil.
lzed world. Congress was luckily In
session, anu 1t came promptly to the
rescue; while 1t Is certainty that all
other aid required Will be on hand
even without tue asking. That this
will be considerable, apart from the
Immediate wants OF the sufferers, Is
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.
Everything that can be Will be done;
and then the prlvations, sorrows, losses
and sutlerings must smUunt to more
than we can faTm Hur idea OF.
The AVERAGE IGSye,ur c.ming into