New-York tribune., 1902-07-21
WATERS DAMAGE GREAT
MISSISSIPPI FLOODS DESTROY
MILLIONS IN CROPS.
NEW-YoRK STATE VISITED BY HEAVY
RAINS AND A CLOUDBURST

Keokuk Iowa July 2O-Exploration of the
flooded districts Of the Mississippi River from
Keokuk south. shows conditions beyond the ap-
probation realization of any but those of
long experience with the Father of Waters in
its most destructive mood The situation is
growing worse hourly, and a great conf1agration
in great city would not be more rapidly de-
structivs Of values. There is absolutely not the
slightest chance of stopping this most costly
food in the history of the great river above ST.
Louis.
correspondent of The Associated Press went
ali over the worst damaged area to-day in the
steamer Silver Crescent, and found everywhere
the greatest crops ever known under water deep
enough to float steamboat. People at the
river cities give accounts Of losses aggregating
many millions of dollars. Hundreds of farmers
who were rich ten days ago are now penniless
and homeless
Careful estimates gathered from the state
ments of best Informed people indicate that the
loss up TO to-day is about $4,000 OOO with every
prospect Of two three millions additional bv
the rise above, which has not yet reached the
lower stretches of the river. Most of this loss
is on the Missouri side of the river between
heokuk and Hannibal.
Passing the water Tapped lumber yards of
Keokuk, the mouth of the Des Moines River is
nearly two miles wide. Normally, there are
TWO mouths and an island delta covered with
iarEns' which are now under raging torrents
Alexandria was protected to the last by the
Egyptian levee, the breaking Of which would
SEND four feet of water ali over the town.
gregory is submerged, except the White Church,
IA Whlch service was held to-day, the congrega-
tlpn from the country reaching the church by
the railroad track, which is still above the
Hood in waste of waters miles wide Other
towns and cities on the islands are beyond the
danger line.
immense helds are seen in great lake, with
the shore visible only through d glass where
The high bluffs bound the bottoms Islands dot
ting the river at its normal stage have disap-
peared, except for the tops of trees or fringe
OF high shore willows slightly protruding like a
circular coral reef Occasionally a house on
piles or stills is seen, but generally only roofs
rise 10 mark the centre OF farms of corn
On the edge of the flood corn gradually rises
on slope, tassels, tops. and stalks ap-
pearing in order In the midst of the present
river the tracks of the St. Louis. Keokuk and
northwestern Railroad, normally on the Mis-
seurl shore, are now a few inches above the
water and under il in some stretches Shore
lights for pilots are standing in the midst of a
waste OF waters, where steamboats, can run
over them The river is five TO ten miles wide
and another lake seventy miles long is added
to the map
All this territory practically covered with
corn fortnight ago, estimated TO make sew
enty-five to hundred bushels to the acre Pre-
Tlous estimates of the loss have been greatly in
creased by the prospective yield being found
huch greater tnan ever before, experts telling
or many farms that were good for one hundred
bushels 10 the acre before the flood. The loss
Is total Experience is that if water for forty
slsnt hours covers four inches every stalk wet
by the waves perishes from rotting roots
The river is rising all the time. six inches
during the day in the immense area of seven
hundred square miles, and the worst is to come
by the extension of the Hooded area when the
topping.
The chief food thus far is on the Missouri
SIDE from keekuk TO Louisiana, with Canton
ana West quincy as centres of the country most
damaged On the Illinois side are three con-
tihuous leVfes for forty miles. from Warsaw to
onlney, above the water. which are thus far
sate, nut farmers are afraid Of crevasses from
muskrat holes. and every rod of the redoubt is
Watched day ard night.
The breaking Of these levees would flood
hundred and seVenty-hVe square miles in Illi-
nois and destroy S2G0oB0 to S3000000 worth
or corn. The levees below quincy in the
same situation, except that they lower and
less hrm Opposite Quincy, in Missouri is still
? another centre of sgiecial devastation which is
appalling Ncrth twelve miles to Lagrange.
and south 10 HOlton, large prairies are well
under water. reaching from the Illinois bluffs TO
the Missouri bluffs, AT least ten miles. Levees
haftlly thrown around farms are disappearing
In nerce current rushing from above through
the draw of the Burlington bridge, carrying
everything before it, Lone Tree Prairie ten miles
square, is deserted the population having ned
to Quincy and the hluffs the Missouri side,
from which they watch the complete destruction.
FabluS River. fifteen miles above Hannibal as
high, and furnishes route for the Mississippi
TO flank the leYee, as the Fox River does forty
miles up the Mississippi. This fankng move
ment makes even the highest Missouri leVees
ineffective. Around La Motto SilVeTton, Busch
Station, Clemens and Ashburn, north of Hann-
bal, there is more wheat than at other places,
and all in the shock is washed away. The chief
crop there is corn, however, and there is the
same ruin as at other places.
n the vicinity of Quincy and Hannibal there
is much unnecessary loss account of the pc
culiar conditions of the flood. A smaller food
began to subside, when warnings from the keo-
kuk weather bureau observer were received and
were unhesded. 5 being after the fact, when
!. actually it was before the and greater food.