Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1902-07-24
HEAVY RAINS IN IOWA THE CAUSE
THREE HUNDRED SQUARE MILES
OF LAND CERTAIN TO BE
FLOODED.
LOSS MAY REACH FOUR MILLION
GREATEST DAMAGE EVER KNOWN
FROM FLOOD IS PRE-
DICTED.

Keokuk, Iowa, July 20.-Heavy rains
in Central Iowa Thursday and yester-
day are sending a flood down upon
prosperous Missouri farmers which will
ruin many of them and cause losses
aggregatirg at conservative estimate
two and a half million dollars. There
seems to be no hope for the country
between the Mississippi River and it's
Missouri bluffs between Keokuk and
Hannibal. 300 square miles, mostly corn
land, with some thousands of acres OF
wheat in the shock. The water had
touched the danger line the first of
the week, and had begun to recede
when heavy floods started again in the
Des Moines, Skunk and Iowa rivers.
only three feet below the tops of the
great levees, the river began to rise
three inches an hour at it's mouth here
yesterday, continuing until the factor
of safety was wiped out last evening.
A rise of one and half feet in short
time at Ottumwa, and
4 Further Rise
throughout its length below the capital
city was prevented from running out
freely by rise of a foot and half at
Davenport Thursday night, increasing
and coming down rapidly.
Yesterday afternoon the observer OF
the weather bureau at Keokuk in
charge of this district, sent Geographic
warning to all points south to prepare
for danger. The crest is expected here
to-day or tomorrow. The Egyptian
levee which stood the flood preceding
after strenuous efforts to hold it, in
Guiding the destruction of farm houses
to secure lumber for Strengthening the
dixie, is only slightly above the water
now, and the coming flood in the Des
Moines will top it certainly. This lets
miles, including the town of Alexan-
dria, Mo. The Inhabitants there are
preparing for an overflow of the entire
town to depth of several feet.
The Worst Feature
is the time Of the year. The corn crop
is all made and wheat is in the shock,
entailing total loss of the years work.
Crops were never finer and the yield
promised immense. Grain men say
the estimate of value is too low and
put the figures of the loss nearer four
millions between Keokuk and Hannibal.
It is believed the Illinois levees will
hold and the damage there is likely to
be only $4,000 to $4,000 between Keo-
kuk and Quincy. Heavy rains are re-
ported in Southeastern Iowa and this
indicates still higher water. Lowland
farmers, river men and the weather
bureau observer alike predict the
greatest damage ever known from
flood on the upper river.
Reports late last evening show tire
mendous rains along the Des Moines
river and tributaries. Late reports
show half the country for a distance
of thirty miles between La Grange and
Hannibal was already under water
long before the crest of the flood ar
rived.
Dam Goes Out.
Burlington, Iowa, July 2O.-Advices
just received report the breaking of the
Yellow Springs dam north Of here.
Fifteen hundred acres have been sub
merged. The water is the highest in
years. At Columbus Junction the re-
cent rains sent the Iowa and Cedar
rivers up again, running oats that We're
being harvested, and hundreds of acres
of corn.
Entire Island Submerged.
Hannibal, Mo-, July 20. - Tie flood
conditions on Bay Island and the bot
tom lands between Hannibal and West
Quincy are alarming. Bay island con-
tains about 10000 acres of cultivated
land, upon which were the finest crops
of wheat and corn, but the entire island
is now submerged except few elevated
- %lo af to CT "
feet. It is believed that the entire
crop of corn is ruined and the wheat,
which was in shock, is total loss.