The record-union., 1897-04-14

Width.
OMAHA CNeb), April 13.-The Mis-
souri, River is changing its channel past
Omaha, and in doing so threatens to
destroy property to the value of sew
eral millions of dollars. Last night the
river broke through its banks about
a mile above where it left the oid
channel twenty years ago, and to-day
is running in two broad dreams across
what were yesterday fertile marker
gardens. These streams run into Flor
ence Lake a relic of the former cut
Off From Florence Lake the water Is
pouring into the cutoff lake, and now
1T seems only a question of a few hours
until East Omaha is moved into Iowa
and all the property in the line OF the
flood swept away.
Piling and boards and bags of sand,
old hay and stones, are being fed to the
hungry waters of the Big Muddy in an
effort to restrain the manifest intention
of that erratic stream to resume the
channel abandoned twenty years ago.
At nightfall it looked like the effort
might succeed But all hope is hedged
about with provisos; that the river does
not rise any higher; that a north wind
does not blow, and most uncertain OF
all that the break in the bank above
Florence Lake is not so bad as the
overflow of water indicates.
East Omaha and North Omaha are
flooded by the waters that are rush
ing from the overfull Missouri River.
The residents flee for their lives, leav-
hob
houses are standing in the flood, sub
merged in water from one to five feet
deep. Fields of grain and fences dis
appear beneath the surface of the wat
er and the trees no longer show any
trunks. The flood is pouring in upon
the lowlands of the East Omaha bot
toms in a stream that is estimated to
be 1900 feet in width. 1t is sweeping
southeast, and pours in Florence Lake.
The water in the lake has broken over
the levee that was built to separate it
from Cut OFF Lake, and it is now rush.
ing with ever increasing volume into
the latter. 1t is sweeping over plowed
and planted fields; it is driving resi-
dents from their homes in North Oma-
Ia: it is tearing up fences and threat
ening the houses that stand from three
to four feet deep in the water. 1t is
pouring into Cut Off Lake just north
of the long bridge which leads to Court
land Beach. In the last twelve hours
Cut Off has risen almost two feet. If
this rate continues it is anticipated that
by morning the lake will overflow its
southern bank. IF this should occur,
and the rise be still maintained, the en-
tire southern portion of East Omaha
would be threatened with a most dis
astrous flood, as there is no elevation
OF the land to stem the outpouring.
The beginning of the food occurred
several days ago. For weeks past the
river has been rising gradually. 1t
was thought that there was no danger.
The levees would hold, it was thought.
They did hold until two days ago. Then
the mighty volume could not be re-
strained longer Two days ago the
water crept over the top Of the bank in
the bend of the river just below Flor
ence. 1t came slowly at first, but it
found easier passage as time went by.
Early yesterday afternoon the force
became resistless. a great hole was
dug in the shore. A fisherman's hut
that appeared to block the way was
torn out bodily and swallowed up by
the river The water having chosen
and made it's path, poured along it on
10 the bottoms TO the south.
The speed of the flood was rapid At
3 o'clock yesterday afternoon. North
Omaha was surrounded on all sides
with dry land. At ; o'clock the people
in many of the houses on the lowlands
were fleeing from their homes. This
morning this portion was covered with
water from one to five feet deep. AT
present the worst of the flooded dis
Trist is located just north of North
Omaha. At Sherman avenue a broad
stream has shot directly to the south
This stream just skirts the east end OF
the little settlement known as North
Omaha II began to creep along the
bottoms about o'clock yesterday
morning. It first drove out of their
houses and from their premises three
milkmen. Erickson, Larson and Mil
house 1t swept a quarter of a mile
further south and there took within
its bosom a dozen cottages. The Rileys
the Petersons, the Johnsons. the
Schaeffers. the Knapps. the CIarks and
several other families decamped about
5 O'Clock All these are residents OF
the eastern portion of North Omaha.
The stream went on further south g
distance of half a mile, and struck an
other little settlement The residents
here at 6 o'clock began to move. Among
those who had to vacate We're the fam
flies Of Thomas Plummer, Milton Bilby
George Skinner, Frank Burwell
Charles Frages, Erick Peterson. Charles
Butcher, Enquist and Murphy. Al
these people were forced TO abandon
their homes in haste. some of then
with only their night clothes on. Many
marrow escapes from drowning are re
counted, but so far as is known M
lives were lost. Efforts to recover per
sonai effects from the engulfed house:
have been of little avail. Forces o.
workmen were hurried out to protec
4he houses in the flooded district, anC
have succeeded In restraining tn,
snread of the water to the west con
ining it to the channel cut from tn
river to Florence Lake, and from Flor
ence Lake to Cut OF Lake. This ha.