New-York tribune., 1902-07-11
WILD FLOOD IN DES MONIES
THOUSANDS MADE HOMELESS AND
MUCH PROPERTY LOST.

Des Moines. Iowa, July 10.-The flood situa-
ton reached its most alarming stage early TO-
day. The Des Mones River was tWenty-one
feet above low water mark at Z o'clock, having
risen three feet in less than ten hours The
Raccoon River, which empties into the Des
Moines at this place, rose four feet between
3 and 7:30 o'clock this morning.
The flood is at the highest point since 1Sol
when the river was six feet deep over what
is now occupied by thousands OF homes, bust
ness houses and factories. At that time the
river was only one foot higher than at present
and it is believed the old record will soon be
broken. Nothing but levees protect all this
district. and in twoscore places they have
either broken or given way.
Hundreds Of men are working desperately
along the levees to save their homes and prop
erty. but the water is slowly driving them from
their positions Residents of South Des Moines
kept an anxious vigil all night long, and at t
O'Clock, owing to the breaking of large section
os the levee, were forced to fee. Many thrilling
rescues by boats are reported. Thousands OF
dollars worth of property was destroyed in
thirty minutes in South Des Moines, and It Is
practically cut off from the rest of the city
Four feet of water is rushing through a dls-
trict Of twenty blocks. occupied by homes In
North Des Mones a wide breach in the leVee
occurred at o'clock, and four hundred resi-
dents were forced to abandon their homes and
much of their property.
The situation is intensified by the necessity OF
closing down the waterworks if the river ad-
vances another foot. in which case the city VIII
be absolutely without water for domestic con-
sumption, factory use or fire protection. Hun
dreds of men are constructing telnpoIdtly
levee around the WaterWorks, but the water
rises almost as fast they work. StreetcdI
traffic has been abandoned on NUMBER OF
lines, and VIII have to be abandoned all over
the city in short time, owing to water put
ting out the fires under the boilers of the power
house II is reported from Adel, Fort DodSe anu
other places above Des MOines that the rivers
are still rising, which is a greater menace u
this city. . v,.,a.
The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway
says it has resumed trains on almost its Iesu-
lar schedule and the Chicago and Northwestern
is making satisfactory time on it's main lihes,
The Chicago, Milwaukee and St Paul ana inc
Great Western roads continue to suHer mosS.
Another span of the Great Western orl9ge
ct this DIace went out this forenoon, the brldSe
now being almost total wreck -,
The Des Moines racetrack was submerged thls
morning Two hundred horses in training there
for the race meeting that was TO open neHe no
week were removed during the night. Inc Idoe
meeting has been abandoned
The Des Moines River by noon had receueu
three inches Heroic work on the levees IN
North Des Mones repaired the breaks anu
saved many valuable houses. The Raecoo1
River. however continued 70 rise anu spr pI il
ont over an enormous territory. At noon II
had invaded the factory district. ana nothlns
hut the roof of the Keith furnace factory an9
the Mccormick Manufacturing Company coulu
he seen Thousands of dollars worth OF iia-
chinery In these places was destroyed .,..
The KeOkuk and Western tracks coHst,t ?, -
the levee IN this district, on the other EI' sue "a
Witch are the biggest factories Of Des Mo!hes.
The river was within six inches OF the top OF me
lavee at noon, and was beginning 20 otee otIo
through. The level of the water was tntn zen go
torIes u,bich would suffer a loss exceeding
S50OO whenever the levee gave way