Omaha daily bee., 1899-04-23


pants of land. From 54OO Sherman
avenue east the bottoms are COW
cred. The houses of Larson, Millhouse,
Erickson and Jasperson, all in the dairy
business, are surrounded and tue lower por-
tions submerged The occupants have re-
moved all property that was portable ana
left their houses at the mercy OF the cur
rent, which is strong.
At Gust and Twelfth streets fourteen
houses have been cut off by the water. The
majority Of these have been vacated by their
occupants, although in a few cases the own
ers have cung to the belief thai the river
has reached its limit and the water will
commence to recede before they are COM
PEELED to move At present the water is from
one foot to three feet in depth inside and
promises to Increase as a rise of five inches
was noted Friday night.
Cut OFF lake presents a busy scene. Wis
tors from the city are apparently content
to stop here without going further in their
sightseeing. Along the west end of the
bridge crowd of curious men and boys
who have ridden out on their wheels can be
seen almost any hour of the day. They
watch the settlers padding boats to and
from their homes, which they are 10th to
desert. If boats are not used, long boots
enable them to wade back and forth. Tho
squatters living furthest from the bridge
have already moved out, although the water
around their homes has not such a strong
current as that along the west bank.
Water Up to the windows.
Around the home of John e. Larson, the
old boatman living at Eleventh street and
Ames avenue, the water has Crept to the
windows and an inundaton will follow un-
less 1t has reached its limit. The current in
this vicinity is exceedingly strong the water
sweeping and swirling along the bank at a
pace that makes it dangerous for boat to
attempt to cross The current has cut an
opening just east of Mr. Larson's home
fifteen or twenty feet in width and
to a depth of eight or ten Feet. Mr.. Larson
says he has plenty Of boats to save all the
settlers If occasion demands immediate ac-
ton. He has lived on the lake for the last
ten years and says the water has never
threatened his house before. He hopes to
see 1t commence to go down soon, but says
the prospects are poor at present because
Florence lake is so much higher than Cut of
lake.
On the east side toward the river the
water is cutting through the bank so the
entire bottom as far as Courtland Beach is
submerged. 1t is not believed that the old
bridge leading to the beach is in any dan
ger, as the water covers so much territory
tnat the current Is udTuly SWllL enough 10
do it any damage.
In case the river continues to rise many
more families will be driven from their
homes in the vicinity of Florence and Cut
OFF lakes. At the latter place twelve houses
have already been vacated and the occu-
pants have sought homes elsewhere.
General Manager Webster of the Omaha
Bridge and Terminal company, to disprove
rumors of great damage to the property OF
that company by high water, took small
party board an engine yesterday after
noon and made a tour of the line. The
party went first to the East Omaha bridge
and a stop was made there to make test
OF the height of the water, which showed
the river TO be nineteen feet below the
floor OF the bridge, with the current show
ing no disposition to leave its course.
Crossing the bridge the engine carried its
passengers into Council Bluffs, passing en-
route much of the new work being done by
the Illinois Central and going over great
deal of track of the Terminal company
which has been built within the last year.
Returning, the party visited the old water
works pumping station, where the water
was over the Union Pacific track and where
squatters engaged in hustling their
worldly effects out of their rude habitations
to places of safety.
A trip was then made to East Omaha
ana over another branch track to North
Omaha, but in none of the places visited
the property of the Terminal company
even threatened by the water. 1t will be
necessary for the river to rise two feet
more before it can do damage TO even the
tracks on the lowland. The manufacturing
and resident portions of East Omaha are as
high and dry as upper Farnam street.
Coming back to town the engine ran over
tho tracks which are being built to con-
meet with the new freight depot of the COM
pany, but when the forty-foot strip was
reached-the portion OF the right of way
over which so much litigation has been in
stituted-the engine came to stop out OF
respect to the orders of the court and the
members of the party returned to the city
by street car.
Can stand More Water.
Swift and Company's ice houses are in
no danger and it is doubtful if the river
could rise enough to threaten them. 1t will
necessitate rise of several feet before the
water will reach any portion of the houses.
At the Elkhorn offices a telegram has
been received from Pierre, $. D., stating the
water is falling rapidly at that point Mr.
Bidwell, general manager of the road in
terpreted this to mean that the high point
has been reached. No damage has been re-
ported to any OF the property of this road
n
on the north bottoms covered with water
but no serious damage has been done.
The rise Of the Missouri has continued
steadily at all points from Sioux City south
during the last twenty -four hours The
weather bureau bulletin shows that the
water fell one foot at Fort Pierre, S D.,
and indicates that the river VIII come to a
standstill at Omaha during the next twenty
four hours and fall gradually thereafter
The rise registered during the last day was
4 OF foot at Sioux City and reached its
maximum at ST. Joseph where rise of 8
was reported. The river rose Z of foot
at Omaha. bringing the total rise to l7.6, or
a half foot higher than it was two years
ago II Is now within A Of a foot OF the
danger line. which II is not believed L Will
attain, as the river is reported failing at
Sioux City.
Dixie Breaks at Hamburg.