The San Francisco call., 1897-04-02
BAT Thing WITH
RISING RIVERS
Heroic Efforts Made to Save
Property. Along the
Big Streams
In the Dakotas Buildings Are
Flooded and Railroad Traffic
Blocked.
Along the Mississippi Bodies of Vic.
tins Are Carried in the
Swirling Wreckage.

ABERDEEN, s. D., April 1.-The whole
north section of the State is largely in an
inundated condition. Railway traffic on
the three systems having lines here have
been entirely abandoned. Aberdeen store
Easements ana cellars are flooded, and in
one instance, that Of the Golden Rule de-
partment store, considerable damage was
done. The Western Union Telegraph
office has two feet of water on the floor
Many dwellings are surrounded by
water several feet deep. Nothing like it
has ever been known here before.
The Town of Westport. north of Aber-
deen, has from TWO to six feet of water on
the principal streets. Residents have
either moved to higher ground or to the
second stories of their buildings. Hotel
proprietors are carrying on their business
in second stories.
At Faulkton George Peak, IS years of
age, was drowned. Ths Peak House was
washed during the night into creek and
was total loss. Reports from the Mil
waukee" lines south say the water Is still
rising about Ashton and Redfield and
working trains fave therefore been aban
doned. Trains on the II. and d. system
are running as far west as Andover. With
the best OF weather this section will prob
ably be without mails for week or more.
A Fargo the situation is growing more
serious. The river is rising four inches
per hour and is nearly as rapid as yester-
day, Notwithstanding the increased
breadth of the stream. Ali ndica ton S
point to the highest water in the history
of the State. West of Fargo and south of
the Northern Pacific track the water aver
ages about two feet deep and is deeper in
the Big Coulie west ot the city than ever
before known. There have been no trains
west over the Great Northern since Tues
day.
Grand Forks reports that no trains have
arrived in that city from the East and
South over the Northern Pacific since
Tuesday afternoon. The train from the
coast arrived At 5 o'clock yesterday after
noon and departed via Larrimoor and
Casselton and Breckenridge. No other
trains departed last night either via
Crookston or Fargo and Moorhead. Rail
road traffic on the Great Northern is en-
tirely suspended. South of Fargo and in
the vicinity of Barnesyilie and Wahpeton
water is over the tracks from three to five
feet. The Fergus Falls and st. Cloud
divisions are thoroughly disabled.
ALTON, ILL.,. April lone of the most
tremendous transforms on record swept
over this city last night and the Missis
sippi is rising again at the rate of an inch
per hour. 1t stands nineteen and a hall
feet above low-water mark. The highest
levees are being encroached upon and
alarm is great throug hout the farming re-
gions OF the Missouri and Illinois bottoms.
Manufacturing institutions are fighting
the waters back from boiler fires with i'm
mense pumps
JACKSON, Mss, April There i.
nothing encouraging along the river front
to-day. People are fleeing for their lives.
Several refugees have arrived in Jack, on
and report that half has not been told
that no pen can describe the desolation,
the devastation and ruin that is being
wrought upon the planters of the counties
OF Bolivar, Washington, Sharkey, Issa-
quena and others.
Greenville Is still dry, but the waters
from above and below are backing into
the city, being within half a mile on the
north, and orders have been issued that
protection levees be built around the city.
Rosedale, a town of 1000 inhabitants, is
four feet under water. According to
private adyices received here to-day,
other small towns are in the same condl-
ton, and still others will be In day or
two, but no loss of life is reported.