The Saint Paul globe., 1902-07-20
FARMERS IN MISSOURI ARE BAT
THING WITH RAGING
STREAMS III
ENDEAVORING TO SAVE
THEIR TOWNS AND CROPS
More Than 300 Square Miles of Corn
Is Reported Ruined, EntaiIing Loss
of Over $4,000, ,ooo-Des Moines and
Mississippi Are Still Risins-one
Township Submerged.

KEOKUK, Iowa, July ia fine
battle was fought all day today and
has reached it's crisis tonight in which
Missouri farmers fought the waters OF
! the combined Mississippi and Des
| Moines rivers at the Egyptian levee, a
| few miles south of here. Once the at
| tacking river succeeded in making a
break in the strong breastwork, but
| the farmers rallied and drove it back.
They were fighting for their homes,
| many square miles of corn fields and
| the safety of the town of Alexandria.
Des Moines River Rises Six Inches.
The Des Moines river at it's mouth
rose six inches higher than during the
flood the first of the week. Tonight
| it lacks a bare half foot of topping the
Egyptian levee and is still steadily ris-
ing. The Mississippi is coming up still
faster and accomplished a foot and a
half today. This checks the current in
the Des Moines river and turns the
flood against the levees. The crest of
the flood of both rivers is due to ar
rive at noon Sunday and settle the
question whether Alexandria and the
best corn acres shall go with the rest,
adding another 100000 to the damage
already done.
Late reports tonight picture the de-
struction down the Mississippi, scurry-
ing of farmers to get off inundated
lands and save their families, and
steamboats, taking off many, including
all residents of the islands in the Mis-
Sissippi. A number of manufacturing
plants along the river front at Quincy
have water in the Easements and ris-
ing hourly, and a rise approaching
there threatened to seriously cripple
the factories. Even as far south as
Louisiana, Missouri, the food is doing
damage.
River Now Wide Spread.
Observer Gosewish, of the weather
bureau station here, said late tonight
that the rise here will be eight inches
more, although the river is now wide
spread and the height lessened by the
greater area of flooded loWlands.
The conditions of yesterday were
much wore today and the Mississippi
is from two to ten miles wide for sew
enty-f1ve' miles below Keokuk and ris-
ling rapidly. The flood is reaching far
outlying farms hitherto missed, and
farmers in the loWlands on the Mis-
souri, side have lost everything but
their citadels and a few fields behind
the highest leVeeS. Damage is also
occurring on the Illinois side, between
here and Quincy, where there are
many thousands acres on the river side
leVees, and the levees themselves not
entirely efficient, the water working
through at the site of the flood gates
The Lima and Hunt levees, opposite
Canton, Mo-, the most dangerous places
and which protect many square miles
of corn in Illinois are being constantly
patrolled and hopes are entertained
that they may possibly hold.
The greatest damage is on the Mis-
souri, side of the Mississippi river, be-
tween Keokuk and Hannibal, territory
covering 800 square miles, and on
eighty bushels to the acre a few days
ago. Hundreds of farmers are tenants
who lost crops by last years drought
in the uplands and moved to the low
lands this year. They are penniless
and hunting work in towns and cities
Reports today are that in the territory
indicated the loss will be over $4,000
600, chiefly to corn laid by and in
splendid condition previously.
One Township Is Submerged.
The damage done up the Mississippi
river is greater than expected or at
first reported. One township in this
county, Green Bay, is six or seven feet
under water. It contains over 11O00
acres of crops. There families were
driven out hurriedly and some cattle
drowned. Corn there was the very
finest in this section of the country
last week. The levees eight miles
north of Burlington broke, inundating
three square miles that had been con-
sidered safe.
The Skunk river, the most damaging