Gilpin observer., 1902-07-24
MISSISSIPPI FLOOD
LOSS is OVER SIX MILLIONS.
Greatest Crops Ever Known Covered
With Water Deep Enough to Float
embellishments Flooded
District From keokuk South.

District From keokuk South.
Keokuk, July 2O.-ExploratiOn of the
flooded district of the Mississippi river
from Ke0kuk south shows conditions
beyond the appreciation or realization
OF any but people Of long experience
with the Father Of Waters in its most
destructive mood.
The situation is growing worse hour
ly. There Is absolutely not the slight
est chance of stopping the Hood winch
Is a dozen times the most costly OF
any in the history of the great river
above ST. Louis. A correspondent of
the Associated Press went all over the
worst damaged area to-day in the
steamer Silver Crescent and found ev-
erywhere the greatest crops ever known
under water deep enough to float
steamboat. People at the river cities
give an immense mass OF details, all 10
be generaliZed in losses aggregating
many millions of dollars; hundreds of
farmers rich ten days ago are penniless
and homeless, and hundreds are watch
ing and praying that the great levees,
which are now their bulwark against
additional loss and, In many cases, of
penury, will hold.
Careful estimates indicate the loss up
to to-day at about $6,OOO,O0O, with ev-
cry prospect that 1t will be increased
by two or three millions by the rise
above, which has not yet reached tn.
lower stretches of the river. Most of
this loss Is on the Missouri side of the
river, between Keokuk and Hannibal.
Passing the water-lapped lumber
yards of Ke0kuk, the mouth of the Des
Moines river Is seen to be nearly two
miles wide. Normally there are two
mouths and an island delta covered
with farms, which are now under rag
ing torrents.
Alexandria was protected to the last
by the Egyptian Ievee, the breaking of
which would send four feet of water
all over the town. Gregory is sub
merged, except the White church, in
which service was held to-day, the
congregation from the country reach
ing the house of worship by the rail-
road track. which is still above fhe
flood in a waste of waters miles wide.
Other towns and cities OH the islands
are beyond the danger line.
Immense fields are seen in great
lake with the shore line visible only
with glass, where the high bluffs
bound the bottoms. Islands dotting
the river at its normal stage have dis
appeared except for the tops of trees
or fringe of high shore willows pro-
rruding slightly like a circular green
coral reef. Occasionally n house on
piles or stills is seen, but generally only
roofs protrude TO mark the center OF
the farms of corn. On the edge Of the
flood river corn gradually rises on a
slope, tassels, tops, ears and stalks ap-
pearing In order. In few half-sub-
merged fields Is shocked wheat in the
background, the remnants of more
washed to the Gulf of Mexico.
In the middle of the present river the
tracks of the st. Louis. Keokuk Il
Northwestern railroad, normally the
Missouri shore, are now few inches
above the water and under 1t 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 seventy miles long and an
other great lake is added to the geog-
raphy.
All this territory was practically Gov
cred with corn a fortnight ago. esti-
mated to make 20 to 100 bushels TO the
acre. Previous estimates OF the loss
have been greatly increased by the
prospective yield being found much
greater than ever before. experts tell
ing of many farms that were good for
100 bushels to the acre. The loss is to-
tai. Experience is that IL water stays
forty eight hours, even four inches
over the surface, II kills corn and ev-
cry stalk wet by waves perishes from
rotting roots. Much of that back from
the channel looks to the casual observ-
er as II 1t would recover when the
flood subsidies. but month will see II
all brown and scar.