Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-08-16
Causes Flood and Destruc-
ton Along the Coast
of Gulf.
SEVERAL LIVES ARE LOST
Is Subsiding Now But Direct
Communication Still
Cut Off.

New Orleans, Aug. 16.-The big
storm has practically subsided here
and both river and lakes are falling.
The water has rapidly receded from
the section of the city overlooked
yesterday. Large bodies of men have
gone to work. Great damage is done
to the various lake resorts which bore
the brunt of the storm. Little news
has come thus far from Mississippi
sound, but there is no loss of life in
that territory. The Louisville and
Nashville railroad is still badly Grip
pied. The Cromwell liner Comus
reached the city today, DR.. Thomas,
of the quarantine station, boarded
the Comus near the river mouth and
told the captain that an ur known
steamer and a small boat were
wrecked in that vicinity AMI six lives
lost.
Atlanta, Ga, Aug. Is. - Com
munication with Mobile was es-
tabiished at this morning over an
unreliable wire. The only informa-
tion obtained is that the water in
Mobile was passable after midnight.
but is still high. No loss of life is
reported.
Storm Threatens AIabama.
Reports from Alabama indicate the
approach of the Mobile storm. All
night the river front has been alive
with men moving freight. grain and
lumber. No such Hood has ever oc-
Cured in August before Thousands
of dollars worth of stuff are PrObab Y
lost.
Mobile. ALI, Aug. 10 - Water
which reached a high stage in this
city is suosidiDg aud is now almost /
normal. Tue aggregate damage to |
property is considerable. NobJdy is /
loser. however. in any large amoant
Chattanooga, Aug IS The Ten
nessee river Is now rising az the rate
Of eight inches an hour. The rain
that has lasted As hours continues.
The danger line will be reached this
afternoon. The prospect is good for
10 feet more without additional rain.
Atlanta. Ga. Aug. 1G.-1he tropical ]
Storm which had been raging along
the gulf coast for two days last night
completely isolated the city or Mobile.
Ala. from the outside world. Ii is
known that considerable damage has
been done along the water front in
Mobile. but whether there has been
any loss Of life or not is mere conjec-
turc. At I:30 p. III. Yesterday the
Western Union office in Mobile was
abandoned. the water at that time he
ing three feet deep in the operating
room. Two hours later cOmmunica-
tiOn WAS had for 4 few minutes with
Mobile. The Associated Press Oper-
ajOr there had made his way to the
operating room in boat He took up |
his position on top of the switchboard
several feet above the flooded office.
and. detaching the Associated Press
wire from its place in the board. sent
This message:
Could Not Finish His Message.
Am on top of the switchboard here
with a lineman. The water is over
three feet Geep i'm this room. and il is
still rising. The wind is blowing at
the rate Of fifty miles an hour and we
look for worse things tonight Tie
business district is described here
the wire failed and nothing more could
he heard from him. although the most
persistent efforts were made. The
water at , p. III. was reported as high
As i'm the great food Of 1898. although
at that time the wind was not as high
From Mobile To Fort Morgan. a dis
tance Of thirty-five miIeSs. and on both
sides OF the bay. summer resorts and
summer houses are located. Those
were. il Is believed. in the direct path
Of the storm. The telegraph line to
Fort Morgan runs around the hay
through the country. and covers eighty
five miles before il reaches the govern
ment reservation.
Loss OF Life Is Apprehended.
IL il feared there has been loss OF
life on some OF the islands in the Mis-
sissippi sound. located just outside the
bar below Fort Morgan. These islands
are inhabited by French fishermen and
are only about four of five feet above
the water under ordinary stages. and
there was great loss OF life in 1893
All railways in the storm region are
crippled by waShOuts.. and here all |
trains south have been abandoned for
the present. Several bridges are re-
ported out Of plumb.
ON THE LOUISIANA COAST