Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-07-19
Causing Floods and Immense Loss
To Farmers.
THE DAMAGE Is MILLIONS
.,,,g. sent 10 People TO Prepare
For Danger Large Tract Of
country Under water.

veokuk, Ia, July lS.-Heavy rains IN
4 ..ntral Iowa yesterday and today are
,odng a flood down upon prosperous
/ missouri farmers which will ruin many
!, them and cause losses aggresauhg
a conservative estimate N,0OVoOO'
There seems to be no hope tonight Tor
ma country between the Mississippi
,lysr and its Missouri bluffs between
ysokuk and Hannibal, 800 square miles
mostly planted in corn, with some
4 Aorsands Of acres of wheat in the
4 shock. 49,,
mr. water had touched the danger
line the first Of the week and had be-
onn 10 recede when heavy floods start
% again in the Des Moines' Skunk and
,o,o rivers. with a stage In the Des
Mines liver only three Det below the
u.s. of The great leyees, the river be-
w, a. rise three inches an hour at It's
sHrtS here today, continuing until the
sacSor of safety was wiped out this
evening 10 -. l..
short time this morning at Ottumwa
and further rise throughout its
iength below the capital city, was pre-
vented from running out freely by a
rise OF a foot and a half at Davenport
last night, increasing and coming down
rapidly
Jrhls ernoon the observer Of the
waath,, bureau at Keokuk sent tele-
nraghlc warming TO all points south to
nrepare for danger. The crest Is eX-
nected here Saturday or Sunday. The
Eqyptan levee which stood the food
insi receding, after strenuous efforts TO
hold H.. including the destruction Of
farmhouses TO secure lumber for
STRENGTHENING the dixie, Is only slightly
above the water now, and the coming
flood In the Des Moines will top 1t GER
tanly,
This will let the water into hundreds
OF square miles, including the town of
Alexandria, Mo. The inhabitants there
are preparing for an overflow of the
entire town to depth of several feet.
The corn crop in the flooded district
Is all made and wheat Is in the shock,
and as a result the farmers will lose
all their years work. Grain men say
the foregoing estimate Of value Is too
low and put the figures Of the loss
from the overflow at nearer 100000
between Keokuk and Hannibal.
II Is believed the Illinois leyee will
hold, and the damage there IL likely
10 be only $4,000 to $4,000 between
Keokuk and quincy,
Heavy rains are reported In SOUTH
eastern Iowa today. and tonight there
are Indications of still higher water.
Lowland farmers, river men and the
weather bureau observer alike predict
the greatest damage ever known from
the food from the upper river,
Reports tonight show tremendous
rains along the Des Moines river and
tributaries. Six inches fell at Corydon,
and nearly that much at Ottumwa.
Rains all over this section continue to-
night with two inches as a general
minimum rainfall, and many reporting
five inches. This downpour will reach
The lower river and flooded districts by
Sunday with still further rise and de-
yaslatlon, Both the Des Moines and
Mississippi rivers are rising faster as
night progresses. Late reports show
that half the country for a ditance OF
80 miles between La Grange and
Hannibal was already under water long
before the crest OF the food arrived.