Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-07-15
Eddyville Reports Water is
Higher Than it Was in
1897.
Is NEAR CHILLIC0THE
Many Men Work on the Levee at Ed.
dyviIIe and Save Town From De-
4 struetIve FIood-Damase Done to
Many Farmers.

Thousands of dollars will be lost BY
residents of Eddyville and farmers
along the road between that city and
Ottumwa, as result of the flood on the
Des Moines river. Acres upon acres of
corn are completely submerged with
water and several fields of
wheat oats and hay are. tot
ally ruined The hiyer at Eddy
vile has exceeded the high water
mark of 1897, and although it has not
accomplished as much damage as did
the flood of last year, it is entirely due
to the unceasing efforts of number of
citizens of that city. who worked all
Saturday night to complete a levee
which had been started Immediately
after the high water five years ago.
The work was finished early yesterday
morning and it is thought this will
considerable damage. The property
along the river, however, on either
side is under water and much injury to
crops has resulted On the south side
of the passenger bridge across the riv-
er, from ten to fifteen feet of water is
flowing, and the river at this point is
over mile wide. A sawmill about
half mile below the bridge is nearly
covered with water and the machinery
is badly damaged. The work of the
food is strongly noticeable all the
way from this city to Eddyville and it
is impossible to reach that city along
the river road
Continuous Rise.
All day yesterday the river at Eddy
vile was rising steadily and at 4
O'Clock in the afternoon had reached
the high water mark of 1897. During
the flood of that year it will be remem-
bered the back water rushed into the
town and flooded the streets, causing
great amount of damage. This
taught the residents of that city les
son and they proceeded at once with
the construction of levee in that por-
tion OF the city where the water broke
through For some reason this was
never finished until they were threat
ened with the present flood, when they
went to work willingly to complete the
work. All Saturday night scores OF
willing men were hard at work and at
4 o'clock Sunday morning the levea
was completed The wisdom CT this
action was shown yesterday when it
was seen that was it not for the levee
the water would again have been flood.
ing the city.
Much Damage to Farms.
A great amount of damage was done
to the farms on either side Of the river
at this point. Probably the most Sc
we're sufferer was Samuel Nelson, who
recently purchased farm of over zoe
acres on the outskirts of. the town. On
this place levee had been built to
guard against the high water but this
1t was found was inadequate to with
stand the strong current and the wa
ter overfowed the land completely
covering about 200 acres of corn and
hay This will be total loss as the
water is fifteen feet deep in some
places on the land and the corn can
not be seen. .
The great amount of damage to the
corn is due to the lateness of the high
water. If this had come earlier, say
the farmers, the corn could have beer
re-planted without suffering any loss
except loss of time. However, it is now
too late to replant and all that can be
done is to watch the crop be ruined
without being able to help. matters
Corn is the greatest loser by the floot
and the loss in this is very heavy.
c. Manning Has Loss.
Several other large losses are re
ported. On 27O-acre farm owned b.
G. Manning of this city, ITO acres O
corn are under water and ruined. The
place owned by John Hohl also exper
fenced loss of 100 acres of corn
Thirty acres of pasture land on tn,
property of John Roberts are unde
water and considerably damaged
Much injury also resulted to crops OF
the farms of James Sipes, short dis
ber, r. B. Yeager and Will Yeager
This land is all under water and tn
loss will be very heavy. A great man,
otHSl ioS6sS ocCulIeu, DuL IL was no
possible to learn the extentto whicl
the property was damaged. &
Saw Mill Flooded. II
The saw miH owned by Frank John
son and situated on the north bank o
the river about half mile. below tn
bridge is completely surrounded b.
water. The mill has been in operation
until the high water set in and severa
valuable pieces of machinery were il
(Continued IN gpapa pA9