Omaha daily bee., 1902-07-20
MISSISSIPPI STILL RISING
Flooded Conditions Between KsOkuk and
Hannibal Grow Worss,
RIVER IS TEN MILES VIDE At POINTS
d of Farmers In LowIands
Driven from Home and only
highest Points Are Free
from Danger.

KEoKUK, Ia, July 1e.--The food condi-
lions Of yesterday were much worse to-
day and the Mississippi river is from two
to ten miles wide for seventy-nve miles
below Keokuk and is rising rapidly.
The flood Is reaching far outlying farms
and farmers In the lowlands on the Mis-
souri, side have lost everything but their
citadels on high knobs and a few fields be-
hind the highest levees.
Damage Is also caused on the Illinois
side between here and Quincy, where there
are many thousands Of acres beyond river
side levees which are not entirely e%ficient,
the water working through at the side Of
the ~hoodgates. The Lima and Hunt levees
opposite Canton, Mo-, the most dangerous
places and which protect many square
miles Of corn In Illinois, are being con-
stantly patrolled and hopes are enter
tained that they may possibly hold.
The greatest damage is on the Missouri
side of the Mississippi river between Keo-
kuk and Hannibal, territory covering 800
square miles, and on which the corn was
estimated at eighty bushels to the acre a
few days ago, being inundated. Hundreds
Of farmers are tenants who lost crops by
last years drouth In the uplands and
moved to the lowlands this year. They are
now ~penniless and hunting work in towns
and cities.
Reports today are that in the territory
indicated the loss will be over "a, 900. 900.
chiefly to corn laid by and In splendid con-
dition previously. The damage done up
the Mississippi river is greater than ex-
pected or at first reported. One township
In this county, Green Bay, is under six or
seven feet of water. It contains over II, 900
acres Of crops. Families were driven out
hurriedly and some cattle drowned. Corn
was the very finest in this section Of the
country last week.
Burlington Levee Breaks.
The levee just north of Burlington
broke, inundatlng three square miles that
had been considered safe. The Skunk
river. the most destructive tributary Of
the Mississippi, 10 roaring down with a
flood exceeded but twice in the history Of
the state-in 1851 and in 1899. The water
topped the record of 1899 and has touched
the highest record Of 1851. This river
rises in the center Of Iowa and empties
into the Mississippi twenty-five miles
north OF Keokuk, greatly increasing the
food at points below.
Railroads in iowa will be put to great
cost in the maintenance Of tracks and
safety Of trains.
The Burlington and Rock Island sys-
TENS are closely patrolled by watchmen
at all bridges and culverts. No great
damage has occurred to them on account
Of the systematic prevention. but this has
been done at great cost. The supervisors
Of Lee. Des Moines, Washington, Henry,
Jefferson, Wapello and Van Buren, coun-
ties have men at work trying to save
wagon road bridges. many Of which have
4 Already 0ann nut InAaAS 49,. " -
will be very considerable.
Thousands of acres are submerged in
Appanoose county. Iowa. and there is
much small grain caught in the fields.
The crop In other places is chiefly corn.
A new element that has appeared all over
the Hooded section of Iowa Is disease
among stock from the condition of pas
lures overiowed slightly before and used
after temporary subsistence Of the waters.
Later reports tonight picture widespread
destruction down the Mississippi, the
scurrying Of farmers to get of inundated
lands and save their families, and steam
boats taking of many. including all resi-
dents Of the islands in the Mississippi.
A number of manufacturing plants along
the river front at Quincy are threatened
with inundation.
As far south as Louisiana, Mo-, the
flood is doing damage.
Observer Gosewisch OF the Weather bu-
reau station here, said late tonight that
the rise here will be eight inches more.
although the river is now widespread and
the height is lessened by the great area
Of flooded lowlands.
Hamlet washed Away.
LA SALE, ILL.,, July ia heavy down.
pour Of rain has fallen In this region in
cessantly for thirty-six hours and the
Illinois and vermillion rivers and tribu-
taries have sent a food down the valley
that has ruined many Of the bottom land
farms and caused losses to the country
between here and Ottawa a~ggregating more
than 500. 900.
The roadways entering La Sale and
Peru from the south are all submerged.
Many bridges have been wrecked, prevent
Ing all approach to the cities from the
south.
strausberg, a hamlet on the vermillion
river, Just east OF here, has been almost