Omaha daily bee., 1897-03-20

The river had been rising all day, caused
by the melting of ice and snow in It's tribu-
taries. About l o'clock this morning II
commenced to rain hard and the river over
| flowed it's banks In some portions the
water has risen four feet and is still ris-
| ing. In the lowest parts the water has
reached the first floors and the occupants
of the houses are leaving the best way they
can-some by horses and others by RATS.
The water has risen quite high at the mill,
which shut down last night. The mill yards
are under about foot of yater and boat
has to be used to get from the Office to the
mill or from the office to the town. Willow
creek, south and west of town, is on the
rampage and is washing away the farmers
haystacks.
RANDOLPH, Neb., March 19.-(Speca
Telegram.)-A heavy rain and warmer
weather during the night caused the already
swollen streams in this county to overflow
Several county bridges are reported to have
been washed out. The Pacific Short Line
bridge between here and Osmond and two oil
three bridges between here and Dixon sus.
tanned damage. The eastbound express on
that line has been tied up here since noon
The Omaha line bridge, one mile north oi
town is damaged, and pile drivers are now at
work repairing. The regular train is tied
up at Bloomfield The water is the highest
ever known. Rain is threatening again to-
night. Wagon roads are impossible.
YANKTON. s. D., March 19.-(Special
Telegram. melting snow and heavy rains
caused suspension of traffic on the three
railroads entering Yankton and have caused
a general suspension of business throughout
the southern part of the state. Bridges and
cr!Terts have been washed away and tracks
are inundated. Between Yankton and Yer
million water covers the tracks of the Mil
waukee & st. Paul and the Great Northern
roads. The Northwestern track Is all right,
but was considered unsafe and the trains
we're abandoned today. The ice in the
James and Missouri rivers still holds firm
although covered by ten feet of water. The
Milwaukee train from Aberdeen was aban-
doned at Mitchell, because of q deraied
freight train and washed-out culverts.
CANTON, S. D., March 19.-(Special Tele-
gram.) 1.-The highest water known for years
in the Sioux river was recorded today. All
bridges are in danger and railroad traffic Is at
standstill
WOONsOCKET. s. D., March 19-(special
Telegram 1.-The floods have begun here al
though very little snow has melted between
here and Alpha. The water covers the
nan says the water is flowing across the
southern Minnesota division tracks at three
different places between here and Jackson
MINI. Washouts between here and Sioux
City have cut off communication south. All
bridges on the James river are expected to be
taken out soon.
VERMlLLIoN, S. D., March 19-(Special
Telegram)-Neary every person moved
from the bottom lands to the hill tonight.
Tho Missouri river is still rising, with the
ice solid All the bridges on the Vermil-
lion are more or less damaged. Vermillion
bottom lands north of the city are
under four to six feet of water. In places
the river can be crossed by teams. One Ne
braska farmer came across this morning
with a heavy load. All sorts of reports are
coming down from the country above which
tend to make the settlers on the bottom land
here greatly apprehensve of an overflow.
Word was received last night from Armour
that a half milo of track on the Milwaukee
was under a foot of water from a creek
near the Missouri. Another sensation was
created by message received by people in
thi city from relatives living on the James
river, fifty miles north of Yankton, that the
water had swept away all their grain stacks
and the family was compelled to leave the
house for the hills, Conflicting rumors are
heard on all sides. The weather still re
mains warm and a steady rain has set in
tonight.